Tyrannosaurus Rex is one of the world’s favourite dinosaurs for a reason. This fearsome predator, with its huge teeth and equally large appetite, is as fascinating as it is terrifying. Thanks to its depiction in everything from children’s books and films to art and family theatre shows, it’s instantly recognisable. Here are nine interesting facts you may not know about the king of the dinosaurs.

1. T. rex had teeth to spare

Tyrannosaurus Rex had a set of 50-60 banana-sized teeth, which performed several functions. Its front teeth could grip prey, while its back teeth were designed to slice through the meat and bones of its food.

2. T. rex’s bite was super strong

Recent research revealed that T. rex had the strongest bite of any land animal that has ever lived. Its bite force could reach 35,000 newtons, which is enough to crush a car. For comparison, a human’s bite force is around 300 newtons.

3. T. rex could run up to 12 mph

It doesn’t sound like much, but T. rex could run at speeds of up to 12 mph. That’s faster than most people can achieve, unless they’re trained long distance runners.

4. Evidence of T. rex’s diet has been found

Scientists have found specimens of T. rex coprolite (fossilised poop) that shows part of its diet was the duck-billed dinosaur Edmontosaurus. Bite marks have also been found in Triceratops bones, suggesting T. rex also ate this large, plant-eating dinosaur.

5. T. rex had great vision

T. rex had eyes the size of grapefruits, and scientists think it had excellent vision. It’s been suggested T. rex could distinguish objects with 13 times more precision than humans.

6. T. rex could see UV light

It’s thought that in addition to having sharper vision than humans, T. rex could also see ultraviolet (UV) light. This may have helped it detect and track prey and navigate its territory.

7. T. rex couldn’t twist its arms

T. rex is often pictured with its palms facing downwards. However, it couldn’t actually rotate its arms to do this. Instead, they were fixed with the palms facing towards one another as if about to clap.

8. T. rex had an excellent sense of smell

Studies of T. rex skulls and genes have revealed this fearsome predator had an outstanding sense of smell. This not only helped it find food, but also helped it recognise kin, observe territorial boundaries and attract mates.

9. T. rex didn’t roar

In the movies, the T. rex lets out huge, scary roars like lions. However, scientists have not found fossilised evidence of sound-producing organs in dinosaurs (like birds and mammals have), so it’s thought that they produced a closed-mouth vocalisation, made by inflating the throat. Modern-day crocodiles do a similar thing.

If you’re captivated by T. rex and like the ideal of a walking with dinosaurs theatre show, don’t miss Dinosaur World Live. Currently touring the UK, this dinosaur adventure live introduces families to a range of prehistoric beasts using exquisite puppetry, sharing a host of dinosaur facts to enthrall kids. Search ‘family theatre near me’ and book your tickets today.