Experts discover that triceratops have a highly complex set of teeth, beating those of the horse, bison and even sharp vegetable knives in the kitchen.
The new study showcases how the intricate anatomy of the said dinosaur's teeth may outshine its most notable characteristic: the three horns. The research team, led by Gregory Erickson, professor of paleobiology from the Florida State University, suggests that the unique teeth composition of triceratops may be the reason why they survived and thrived in North America approximately 66 million to 68 million years ago.
Erickson has been investigating the evolution of dinosaurs and became particularly interested in the their teeth and how these helped the dinosaurs survived many years ago. Limitations in technology hindered Erickson from advancing through his research. When he met Brandon Krick, assistant professor of mechanical engineering at Lehigh University, whose specialty is tribology, a whole new perspective ensued. Tribology is the study of surface interaction during active movement.
The two scientists studied the teeth samples Erickson obtained from his previous research. Together with experts from University of Florida, University of Pennsylvania and the American Museum of Natural History, Erickson and Krick set out to find the exact composition and mechanisms involved in the teeth of triceratops.
The research team found that each tooth of the triceratops is comprised of five layers. This is a significant finding considering that reptiles such as crocodiles only have two layers, and horses and bison, previously considered to have the most complex teeth of all, only have four.
"Each of those tissues does something," Erickson said. "They're not just there for looks. These are really sophisticated teeth, in fact, more sophisticated than I'd thought they'd be."
The scientists also developed a computer model that utilizes 3D technology to showcase how the tissues worked and how the teeth of dinosaurs evolved. The said model may be used for commercial and industrial purposes, advises Krick.
"Paleontologists challenged us with an interesting engineering problem, and now, we have a wear model that can be used to design material systems with optimized wear properties and surface features for many applications," Krick said.
