The Denver Museum of Nature and Science recently unveiled a rare juvenile T. rex fossil that was found by three young explorers. Affectionately known as “Teen Rex,” the fossil has a unique origin story that captivated audiences.
The two brothers, Jessin and Liam Fisher, along with their dad Sam Fisher and cousin Kaiden Madsen, were on a hike in the badlands of North Dakota in 2022 when they made the extraordinary discovery. They contacted the DMNS’ Curator of Paleontology, Tyler Lyson, who coincidentally grew up in the same area and went to school with Sam.
Last summer, the boys returned to the site with Lyson’s team of paleontologists to excavate the fossil, which they named “The Brother.” The fossil included part of the T. rex’s skull and two teeth, a discovery that thrilled Liam and the rest of the team.
Dr. Lyson praised the boys for their passion and embracing the thrill of discovery, highlighting how their find advances science and deepens our understanding of the natural world. The boys were awarded a bronze replica of the T. rex’s tooth for their amazing discovery.
Visitors to the Denver Museum of Nature and Science can see the fossil in the temporary exhibition “Discovering Teen Rex,” where the story is featured in a new 40-minute documentary called “T.REX.” This captivating documentary will soon be shown in the museum’s giant screen Infinity Theater for audiences around the world to enjoy.