Scientific Report

Discover below, the preliminary report on a new specimen of Tyrannosaurus rex named Peter.

Sharing the science

We’re pleased to be able to share Preliminary Scientific Reports to help visitors who come to see these incredible T. rex understand more about them.

These reports are prepared by two of the world’s top therapod paleontologists, Dr David Burnham (University of Kansas Biodiversity Institute and Natural History Museum) and Dr John Nudds (Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Manchester), who have studied both Peter and Barbara in their university laboratories for many months. Their research has identified the unique pathologies of each specimen, such as the injury to Barbara’s leg and the marks on Peter’s leg. As these reports are preliminary, they’re not peer-reviewed yet.

It’s not standard practice for a museum to share this much information when a specimen is being exhibited for the first time, but with the benefactor’s agreement we’re keen to share the initial findings, to enhance the learning experiences that having these two specimens in our Museum provides for the people of Aotearoa New Zealand.

Updates to the Preliminary Scientific Reports will be an ongoing process and will most likely span decades, rather than years.

The scientific research on both Peter and Barbara has been undertaken by Dr David Burnham, one of the world’s top therapod experts and a professor of palaeontology at the University of Kansas’ Center for Biodiversity and Natural History, and Dr John Nudds, a leading palaeontologist at the Earth Sciences Department of Manchester University. Both researchers have undertaken rigorous scientific analysis on both Peter and Barbara over many years, the preliminary details of which are published here. We are confident that the provenance of both the Peter and Barbara T.rex specimens is secure and that the research upholds rigorous academic standards.