Download the Nature Podcast 05 November 2025
In this episode:
00:45 The debate around Nanotyrannus
A hotly debated species of dinosaur, assumed by many to be a juvenile T. rex, is actually a separate species, according to new research. Nanotyrannus was a dinosaur anatomically similar to T. rex, but about a tenth of the size, leading many to argue it was a young version of the iconic species. However, examination of the limb bones of a well-preserved Nanotyrannus fossil suggests it was close to finishing its growth and so would never become as large as a T. rex, leading the authors to argue that it is, in fact, a different species.
Research Article: Zanno and Napoli
News and Views: T. rex debate settled: contested fossils are smaller rival species, not juveniles
News: ‘Teenage T. rex’ fossil is actually a different species
Video: Hotly debated dinosaur is not a tiny T. rex after all
08:46 Research Highlights
An artificial ‘neuron’ could pave the way to build a brain-inspired computer — plus, how bats buck the trend by hunting prey their own size.
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