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New idea shakes up dinosaur family tree for T. Rex and pals

FILE - In this April 15, 2014 file photo, a cast of a Tyrannosaurus rex discovered in Montana greets visitors as they enter the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History in Washington. Tyrannosaurus Rex and his buddies are on the move as a new study proposes a massive shake up of the dinosaur family tree. A new study that looks at more than 450 characteristics of 75 dinosaur species proposes a different evolutionary history of dinosaurs, moves the theropods such as T. Rex to a new branch of the family tree and even suggests a bit earlier and more northerly origins for dinosaurs. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)
FILE - In this April 15, 2014 file photo, a cast of a Tyrannosaurus rex discovered in Montana greets visitors as they enter the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History in Washington. Tyrannosaurus Rex and his buddies are on the move as a new study proposes a massive shake up of the dinosaur family tree. A new study that looks at more than 450 characteristics of 75 dinosaur species proposes a different evolutionary history of dinosaurs, moves the theropods such as T. Rex to a new branch of the family tree and even suggests a bit earlier and more northerly origins for dinosaurs. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File) FILE - In this April 15, 2014 file photo, a cast of a Tyrannosaurus rex discovered in Montana greets visitors as they enter the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History in Washington. Tyrannosaurus Rex and his buddies are on the move as a new study proposes a massive shake up of the dinosaur family tree. A new study that looks at more than 450 characteristics of 75 dinosaur species proposes a different evolutionary history of dinosaurs, moves the theropods such as T. Rex to a new branch of the family tree and even suggests a bit earlier and more northerly origins for dinosaurs. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

By Associated Press 1 min read

WASHINGTON (AP) – Tyrannosaurus Rex and his buddies could be on the move as a new study proposes a massive shake-up of the dinosaur family tree.

Scientists who took a deeper look at dinosaur fossils suggest a different evolutionary history for dinosaurs. Their research moves the theropods such as T. Rex to a new branch of the family tree and hints at an earlier and more northern origin for dinosaurs.

Dinosaurs have long been split into two groups according to hip shape. One group has bird-like hips like the stegosaurus. The other has reptile-like hips like the brontosaurus. Theropods, which include T. Rex, were considered an offshoot of the brontosaurus group. The new study moves them closer to the stegosaurus branch.

The study is in Wednesday’s journal Nature.