U.S.WEIRD SCIENCE

Dinosaur cousin of T. rex was a century in a U.K. drawer

CBS News reports the fossil, found in the U.K. a century ago, is a previously unknown relative of the T. rex; it never left its drawer.

On air: Chip Darnell and Hank Ledger on Best of BBN
Published 4:18 AM ET, Thursday, October 15, 2026

At a glance

First reported by CBS News: “Fossil overlooked for 100 years ID'd as new dinosaur species”.
Covered on BBN on Thursday, October 15, 2026, at 4:18 AM ET on Best of BBN, by Chip Darnell and Hank Ledger.
Topics: ID'd, UK.
BBN covered this story before: Fossil overlooked for 100 years ID'd as new dinosaur species (October 14).

The reporting behind this segment. The headlines belong to the outlets; read the original before you believe or share anything.

Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorA new wrinkle on the dinosaur from the drawer: the researcher says the thing was a cousin of the T. rex, and it definitely would have chased us.
Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorChased us. A hundred years in a drawer, and the headline is what it would have done to us.
Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorAnd it's a whole new species, which means somebody gets to name it, and I am already begging for a spot on that committee!
Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorSomebody walked past it every day for a century on the way to the stapler.
Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorThink of the filing cabinet, Hank. It was sitting on a predator and never said a word.
Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorThe drawer was the safety measure.
Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorBest security system in Britain! A hundred years, and not one single chase.
Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorI would like to point out that the researcher said it would have chased us, not that it did, which is the sort of fine print I respect at this hour.
Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorSo what do we call a drawer that holds a T. rex cousin for a century?
Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorA well-run department. Everything in it stayed exactly where it was put, and that includes the dinosaur.