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Scientists reveal what T-Rex actually sounded like in eerie audio
Featured Image Credit: Getty stock images

Scientists reveal what T-Rex actually sounded like in eerie audio

A professor in palaeontology recreated what a T-Rex would sound like

Britt Jones

Britt Jones

History and the prehistoric age have been an interest of scientist, sound designers and filmmakers for a long time, but have they nailed what a dinosaur would sound like yet?

Well it would see that isn't the case if this video is anything to go by:

Our first exposure to what a dinosaur could sound like was probably we first watched the original Jurassic Park.

The horrific noise that the dinos made was enough to give children nightmares and in order to get that loud roar, Jurassic Park’s sound designer, Gary Rydstrom used a mix of elephant, alligator and tiger sounds - as well as his pet Jack Russell - to make his T-Rex sound fierce.

However, looking at animals of today that are most closely related to dinosaurs, such as birds and crocodiles, would be factually accurate in hindsight.

And it appears that dinosaurs didn't roar - it is actually worse than that.

Jurassic Park gave many of us our first glimpse of a T-Rex.
Universal Pictures

In 2017, Professor Julia Clark of Texas University recreated the sound of a Tyrannosaurus by using what we know about voice boxes and syrinxes.

The palaeontologist, however, decided to use a different method to figure out how dinosaurs would have sounded.

By using the call of the Eurasian Bittern bird and the sound of a Chinese crocodile, she was able to understand that this was a more realistic depiction as both are Archosaurs - which are the precursors to dinosaurs.

So, combining them together, then enhancing the sound to match the size of a Tyrannosaurus Rex, which is estimated to be about 40 feet long, Professor Clark created what some might call the best imitation of what it would sound like.

And it sounds f**king terrifying.

A T-Rex may have sounded like a bird/ crocodile mix.
Getty Images

In a BBC documentary, The Real T-Rex, she played the noise for TV presenter and naturalist Chris Packham.

"This could be the first time in 66 million years that this sound has been heard on Earth," he said. "It's a shot in the dark, but we are using the best evidence we've got."

To which Clarke answers: "I feel like this sound just induces fear.

“People think you need a roar to be really scary, but isn't that the scariest sound you’ve ever heard?"

I would certainly do a runner if I heard that noise coming towards me in the dark.

And it's voice isn't the only thing that movies have gotten wrong - it's also their teeth.

Back in March, researchers behind a new paper believe their mouth structure actually resembled a tuatara, an extant reptile found in New Zealand that has descended from dinosaurs.

So think less crocodile and more lizard.

Topics: Jurassic Park, News, Technology, Science, Animals, Film and TV