LEGO Dinosaur Fossils: Tyrannosaurus Rex - The Most Impressive Skeleton Model in 68 Million Years

The LEGO Dinosaur Fossils: Tyrannosaurus Rex set, available exclusively at the LEGO Store, is a visually stunning and ambitious build that captures the imagination of dinosaur enthusiasts and LEGO fans alike. This impressive set, priced at $249.99, is a 1:12 scale model of a real T-Rex, immediately striking you with its sheer size and intricate detail.

LEGO Jurassic World Dinosaur Fossils: Tyrannosaurus Rex

Upon closer inspection, you'll appreciate the craftsmanship behind this model. The ribs are meticulously built at varying lengths to form a realistic rib "cage," while the use of dark-colored bricks adds depth and shadow, enhancing the contrast with the light-colored "bone" bricks. Despite its complexity, the set is surprisingly easy to assemble, which only adds to its allure.

We Build LEGO Dinosaur Fossils: Tyrannosaurus Rex

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As a child, I was fascinated by dinosaurs, particularly the towering skeleton of the T-Rex at the American Museum of Natural History. This fascination was reignited years later when I read Ray Bradbury's "A Sound of Thunder," which vividly described the awe-inspiring presence of a T-Rex:

"It came on great oiled, resilient, striding legs. It towered thirty feet above half of the trees, a great evil god, folding its delicate watchmaker's claws close to its oily reptilian chest. Each lower leg was a piston, a thousand pounds of white bone, sunk in thick ropes of muscle, sheathed over in a gleam of pebbled skin like the mail of a terrible warrior."

For many of us, the image of the T-Rex standing upright with its tail dragging on the ground was ingrained in our minds:

However, scientific discoveries have since corrected this misconception. The T-Rex actually stood with its spine parallel to the ground, using its tail as a counterbalance to its head:

The above photo features "Sue," the most complete T-Rex skeleton ever found (90%). Discovered by paleontologist Sue Hendrickson, this find transformed our understanding of the T-Rex's anatomy. Notably, the small bones in the belly area, known as gastralia, support the T-Rex's breathing and were initially omitted from public displays:

Further research has also revised other physical traits of the T-Rex. The depiction from the 1993 film Jurassic Park reflects an outdated view, showing a leaner dinosaur. Now, thanks to the discovery of the gastralia, we know the T-Rex weighed between nine to ten tons, with a significant belly hanging close to the ground:

This life-sized model, based on Sue's bones, provides the most accurate depiction of a T-Rex to date:

The LEGO Dinosaur Fossils: Tyrannosaurus Rex set reflects this updated scientific understanding, adopting the T-Rex's horizontal positioning. While it does not include the gastralia, its rib structure suggests a "barrel-chested" build rather than the lean predator often seen in popular media. The set's arms are positioned forward, in line with the updated display of Sue at the Field Museum in Chicago.

The set comes in 25 sealed plastic bags, and the build process is structured. You start with the black stand, followed by the T-Rex's backbone, which attaches to vertical supports. The model then builds out with the neck, legs, hips, ribs, arms, tail, and finally the head. The legs and torso are fixed, but the arms, head, and tail are adjustable and posable.

At nearly three-and-a-half feet long, this model is a significant piece that will command attention. It requires a wide, flat surface for display, such as a dresser or coffee table, rather than a confined shelf space.

The set is part of LEGO's Jurassic Park franchise, which is why it includes minifigures of Alan Grant and Ellie Sattler from the original film, along with a Jurassic Park logo placard. However, this franchise tie-in feels somewhat forced. The set's name, 'Dinosaur Fossils: Tyrannosaurus Rex,' doesn't mention the movie, and the instructions even offer an option to remove the minifigure and placard display, allowing the skeleton to stand alone. This feature underscores the set's primary appeal: its stunning representation of a T-Rex fossil, which stands on its own merit, much like the iconic LEGO Titanic set.

LEGO Dinosaur Fossils: Tyrannosaurus Rex, Set #10335, retails for $269.99 and comprises 3011 pieces. It is available exclusively at the LEGO Store.

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