The Most Controversial Dinosaur Ever? The Truth About Nanotyrannus

Video Description

The debate about Nanotyrannus lancensis is one of the most fascinating discussions in palaeontology. Did T. rex coexist with a smaller dwarf tyrannosaur in Cretaceous North America? Or are all these fossils actually just juvenile T. rex? Let's dive into the controversy and look at all the evidence! Thank you to @JurassicWorldEvolution for sponsoring this video! 🦖 Jurassic World Evolution 3 is out on October 21st and available for pre-order here: https://fron.dev/bengthomas-jwe3 #JurassicWorldEvolution3 #ad Become a Channel Member or support us on Patreon for behind-the-scenes, bloopers, extra adventures and more! Become a Member: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDSzwZqgtJEnUzacq3ddoOQ/join Join our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/7daysofscience Join our Discord server: https://discord.gg/jTsGYtRBHZ Follow us on Instagram: http://bit.ly/1PIEagv Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bengthomas Music by Geographer Subscribe to explore the wonderful life around you! Social Media: ►Instagram: http://bit.ly/1PIEagv ►TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bengthomas ►Twitter: https://twitter.com/BenGThomas42 ►Subreddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/BenGThomas Sources: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.aax6250 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2004.2829 https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.1125721 https://peerj.com/articles/9192/ https://web.archive.org/web/20190818103407/https://zenodo.org/record/1037529/files/source.pdf https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02724634.1999.10011161 https://zenodo.org/records/3483138 https://www.pure.ed.ac.uk/ws/files/23714255/23714179._AAM._BrusatteetalNanotyrannusResponseMSRevision.pdf https://www.nature.com/articles/nature02699 https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.1193304 https://tyrannosauroideacentral.blogspot.com/2013/09/nanotyrannus-isnt-real-really.html https://doi.org/10.2307/3889334 https://zenodo.org/records/3942903 https://www.app.pan.pl/archive/published/app48/app48-191.pdf https://www.researchgate.net/publication/289687970_The_case_for_Nanotyrannus https://www.geokniga.org/bookfiles/geokniga-tyrannosaurid-paleobiology.pdf https://academic.oup.com/zoolinnean/article-abstract/142/4/479/2632290?redirectedFrom=fulltext https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02724634.2011.557116 https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DWwxr4XXUAAgUDV.jpg:large https://web.archive.org/web/20201117124307/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/11/dueling-dinosaurs-fossil-finally-set-to-reveal-secrets/ https://www.nature.com/articles/srep19828 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0195667115301415?via%3Dihub https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0195667116300192?via%3Dihub https://web.archive.org/web/20201117124307/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/11/dueling-dinosaurs-fossil-finally-set-to-reveal-secrets/ https://accpaleo.wordpress.com/2018/03/11/nanotyrannus-up-hell-creek-without-a-paddle/ https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.aax6250 https://peerj.com/articles/9192/ https://www.mdpi.com/2813-6284/2/1/1 https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-08964-6 https://maxs-blogo-saurus.com/2024/01/04/the-pipe-dream-of-nanotyrannus-reaches-new-heights-comments-on-longrich-saitta-2024/ https://x.com/TomHoltzPaleo/status/1742561976306254095 https://peerj.com/articles/6573/ https://www.researchgate.net/publication/250083005_Face_biting_on_a_juvenile_tyrannosaurid_and_behavioral_implications https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/08912963.2021.1965137 0:00 - Intro 2:53 - Nanotyrannus is named (1988) 5:43 - The Nanotyrannus Wars officially begin (1990s) 9:36 - Jane is discovered - another Nanotyrannus specimen? (2002) 10:43 - The Gorgosaurus growth study is disputed (2003) 12:38 - A growth series for T. rex is created - and Nanotyrannus is disputed again (2004) 13:23 - A tyrannosaur conference is held and Jane is used to support Nanotyrannus (2005) 16:15 - A baby Tarbosaurus is found and is used to support Nanotyrannus (2011) 17:34 - The Dueling Dinosaurs 20:11 - Another round of skirmishes in the Nanotyrannus War (2016) 22:21 - More studies cast doubt on Nanotyrannus (2020) 26:09 - A new study supports Nanotyrannus (2024) 29:36 - A revision of tyrannosaur evolution adds some comments to the debate (2025) 30:35 - What would it mean if Nanotyrannus is valid? And what if it's not? 35:57 - Final thoughts on the controversy