One of the best preserved Tyrannosaurus rex skeletons was sold this week to a private collector for a whopping 50 million dollars. This is a new world’s records for such a purchase. The fossilized skeleton is called Gus and was named for the man whose South Dakota land the discovery was made.It took two years, 2021-2023, to excavate the fossilized remains! It is thought to be the most complete and largest such skeleton of a T Rex ever found. Estimated to be about 67 million years old, it stands 12.5 feet tall! You will need a very large room to display Gus! Interestingly, Gus’ head is too heavy to be mounted on the skeleton and a lighter replica was placed on the skeleton!
* Photograph from Science.org
Your Turn:
1. Do you think such discoveries should be allowed to be purchased by anyone that can afford to buy it?
2. Do you think such discoveries should be housed in places that the public can visit?
3. Some countries including Brazil and Mongolia do not allow the private purchase of fossils.
4. Do you think the sale of such rare dinosaur fossils can have a negative effect on research of Earth’s past? SHARE your thoughts.
Things to do:
1. Pretend to be Gus and share a day in your life. What do you see while on display? What do you hear? Etc.
2. Find 5 facts about the Tyrannosaurus rex: Draw a picture of Gus and write your facts around the drawing.
Sources for Kids:
https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/animals/prehistoric/facts/tyrannosaurus-rex
https://www.coolkidfacts.com/tyrannosaurus-rex-facts-for-kids/
Teachers:
Information on Gus: https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2026/natural-history/tyrannosaurus-rex
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