In Images: A New Look at T. Rex and Its Relatives

Tiny and adorable

Though T. rex is typically thought of as formidable predator, the animal started life as a small and defenseless hatchling.

Starting small

Young Tyrannosaurus rex began life as diminutive, fluff-covered animals, most of which survived less than one year.

Fluffy beginnings

Vulnerable T. rex hatchlings likely emerged from eggs that were laid in aboveground nests. Though scientists have yet to find fossils of tyrannosaur eggs, evidence from related dinosaurs and modern birds sheds light on egg-laying and parenting behavior in extinct tyrannosaurs.

On the hunt

A full-scale T. rex skeleton cast "comes to life" in an animated shadow display, demonstrating how the animal battled prey — and even its own kind.