One of the most recognisable dinosaurs to have ever roamed the earth is the Tyrannosaurus Rex, or T-Rex as it is more affectionately known.
Up until its extinction during the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event, the species known as Rex—which translates to “king” in Latin—ruled over what is now western North America.
The closest extant relatives of the T-Rex are thought to have ruled the globe until recently, outnumbering humans in number, despite its extinction! Might this be accurate?
A rare T-Rex fossil with intact soft tissue was found in 2003. This made it possible for researchers to extract enough DNA.
After comparing the DNA of this 68 million year fossil to that of 21 living animal species, it was determined that the proteins most similar to those of CHICKENS were present in the DNA.
Scientists were able to confirm with more research that the chicken is the closest extant relative of the T-Rex.
It was noted that hens and T-Rex shared many traits even before this evidence became public.
They both have large heads, scaly feet with sharp claws, and an arched neck. They also walk on two legs.
According to statistics by the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organisation in 2023, there are about 34.4 billion chickens in the world.
Using data from the International Database, the United States Census Bureau estimates the world population hit eight billion in September 2023.
That means there are four times as many chickens as there are humans!
However, if we dive deeper into why they have such staggering numbers, the fact is no less disturbing.
Chickens are probably the most highly consumed protein source on earth and also the most badly abused farm animals with the worst management practices.
