The Science Behind SAMSON

The Samson skull is the best-preserved Tyrannosaurus rex skull ever found.

This new fossil adds to a growing number of relatively complete Tyrannosaurus rex skull specimens. A large sample of skulls enables scientists to study the dinosaur’s structure and growth patterns. Data collected from the skull is also crucial to understanding evolutionary relationships among the tyrannosaurids, as well as other theropod dinosaurs.

Previous research on Tyrannosaurus rex skulls reveals its small brain had very large olfactory bulbs for smelling, which means it had a keen sense of smell. Once the skull of Samson has been prepared in PaleoLab, we will be able to learn more about the internal structure of T. rex.

Samson was found in Buffalo, South Dakota and transported to Great Bend, Kansas.  All excavation and preliminary preparation have been done according to accepted professional standards.  The fossil material was collected in three major blocks.  The scientists in Paleolab are working on the skull, which is contained in Block I.  In addition to the skull and body, 22 individual teeth were collected separately!

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