Ever since the release of the blockbuster Jurassic Park, the Tyrannosaurus rex has been associated with ground shaking tremors as it moved.
But in fact, rather than stomping heel-first, the prehistoric beast may have actually tip-toed as it roamed around on its giant feet, a study has found.
And it may have moved 20% faster than previously thought, the experts claim, at a speed fast enough to beat Usain Bolt.
The findings, published in the journal Royal Society Open Science, contradict previous theories on how the extinct species moved, according to The Independent.
Earlier analysis of T-rex footprints suggested their heels struck the ground first.
However, the team of scientists have now gathered data on T-rex anatomy to find that they have more in common with how birds walk. They said that the T-rex had a “very bird-like gait defined by higher stride frequencies” and moved with “elevated speeds.”
According to the researchers model, a T-rex that weighed about 1.4 tons and could have reached a top speed of 11.4 meters per second - meaning it could run 100 meters in 8.77 seconds.
In comparison, world record holder Usain Bolt ran 100 meters in 9.58 seconds.
A bigger T-rex, weighing 6.5 tons would still be able to move at 9.5 meters per second, the study found.
Study authors concluded that their study represents the first quantitative biomechanical analysis of the effects of foot-strike patterns on the gait of Tyrannosaurus.
A separate fossil study has recently revealed T-rex grew much more slowly than previously thought, taking several decades to reach their full size of around eight tons.
The study of 17 tyrannosaur specimens, ranging from early juveniles to massive adults, has revealed that the king of carnivores took 40 years to reach their full size.