Revealing the Growth Journey of Baby Dinosaurs: From Football-Sized Hatchlings to 3-Tonne Teens

New research on the bones of Maiasaura, a minibus-sized dinosaur, reveals that these creatures were warm-blooded and highly active, capable of rapid growth and levels of activity comparable to modern mammals. By studying the bones of juvenile Maiasaura, researchers found that the size of the foramen, a hole through which blood enters the bone, was an indirect measurement of blood flow rate and energy usage. The study showed that young Maiasaura had significantly higher blood flow rates and required more energy and nutrients for bone growth compared to adults. These findings support the idea that dinosaurs were warm-blooded and active animals.