研究人员在已知最大的暴龙骨架"斯科蒂"的一根断裂肋骨内发现了66百万年前的矿化血管网络，这是化石记录中极为罕见的软组织保存证据1。这些血管是恐龙受伤愈合过程中形成的，代表了古代生物内部生物学的直接记录1。
雷吉纳大学研究团队采用了非破坏性成像技术来揭示这一发现1。他们先在2020年利用加拿大光源的设备检测到了血管存在的迹象1，随后在2026年4月使用橡树岭国家实验室的MARS和VENUS中子成像仪器进行了进一步扫描1。研究表明，斯科蒂在死亡时骨折仍处于愈合过程中1。参与研究的Mauricio Barbi教授形容这一发现"就像中了彩票"1，凸显了在化石中保存完整软组织证据的极端罕见性。
Scientists have uncovered a remarkable preservation of soft tissue within a fractured rib bone belonging to "Scotty," the world's largest known Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton.1 Using neutron imaging and X-ray scanning techniques, researchers detected a mineralized network of blood vessels that formed approximately 66 million years ago as the dinosaur's injury healed.1 This discovery represents an extraordinarily rare instance of soft tissue preservation in the fossil record, achieved through non-destructive imaging methods that revealed previously hidden biological details from ancient times.
The research team from the University of Regina conducted the analysis at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, initially detecting evidence of the blood vessels in 2020 using the Canadian Light Source.1 Advanced neutron imaging with the MARS and VENUS instruments in April 2026 provided detailed visualization of the fossilized vascular network embedded within the bone.1 The fracture was still in the process of healing at the time of the dinosaur's death, meaning the blood vessel mineralization captures a moment frozen in an ancient biological process.1 Mauricio Barbi, a professor leading the research, characterized the significance of the find by stating, "This is like winning the lottery."1
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