Komodo dragons’ teeth are tipped with iron, making them even more horrifying than we ever thought possible, Scientists revealed Wednesday.
While attacks against humans are rare, Komodo dragons are arguably one of the freakiest and most dangerous creatures alive on Earth today. These modern-day dinosaurs usually weigh about 154 pounds and can grow up to more than 10 feet long, according to the National Zoo. And now, scientists have learned their razor-sharp teeth are tipped with iron, according to a study published in the journal Nature.
Chemical and structural imaging of the beast’s teeth revealed the “unique adaptation” that allows them to rip up their prey despite having a thinner coating of enamel. “Komodo dragons have curved, serrated teeth to rip and tear their prey just like those of meat-eating dinosaurs. We want to use this similarity to learn more about how carnivorous dinosaurs might have ate and if they used iron in their teeth the same way as the Komodo dragon,” said study author Aaron LeBlanc, according to a news release.
It turns out…Komodo dragons have iron-coated teeth!https://t.co/tcp3GGzXP7
Their serrations and tips pop into the mouth with an orange hue. Using different techniques, we show that these iconic lizards have special iron-rich coatings on each tooth, keeping them razor sharp!
— Aaron LeBlanc (@AaronLeBlanc6) July 24, 2024
The iron is concentrated into a thin coating on the top of the dragon’s tooth serrations and tips, which allows their teeth to remain sharp. (RELATED: Giant ‘Angry Eyebrows’ Sea Monster Uncovered In US, Scientists Reveal)
“With further analysis of the Komodo teeth we may be able to find other markers in the iron coating that aren’t changed during fossilisation. With markers like that we would know with certainty whether dinosaurs also had iron-coated teeth and have a greater understanding of these ferocious predators,” LeBlanc added.
So just in case 2024 wasn’t weird and scary enough, now we have a new nightmare to add to our list: getting eaten by the iron-tipped teeth of a dinosaur. Cool.
