Tyrannosaurus Rex lived exclusively during the very end of the Cretaceous Period, making it one of the last non-avian dinosaurs to roam the Earth. This iconic predator reigned for a relatively short but impactful span of geological time.
Specifically, T. rex lived approximately 68 to 66 million years ago (Ma). This places it in the Maastrichtian age, which is the final age of the Late Cretaceous epoch. Its existence concluded abruptly with the Cretaceous-Paleogene (K-Pg) extinction event, often attributed to a massive asteroid impact, which wiped out most dinosaurs and many other species.
Pro tip: While T. rex is often thought of as the quintessential dinosaur, it actually lived closer in time to humans than it did to earlier dinosaurs like Stegosaurus or Brachiosaurus, which lived tens of millions of years earlier in the Jurassic Period.
A classic documentary series that vividly brings dinosaurs to life, including those from the Late Cretaceous period.
An interactive learning tool that allows you to excavate replica dinosaur fossils, providing a hands-on experience of paleontology.
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