Triceratops is one of the most recognizable dinosaurs, famous for its three horns and enormous head.
But scientists have long wondered why this plant-eating giant had such a large nose.
A new study led by researchers from the University of Tokyo offers the first detailed explanation, suggesting that the dinosaur’s nose did much more than just smell.
Using CT scans of fossilized Triceratops skulls, researchers were able to look inside the bones without damaging them.
They then compared what they saw with the noses of modern animals, especially birds and crocodiles, which are the closest living relatives of dinosaurs.
By combining these scans with knowledge of how soft tissues like nerves, blood vessels, and air passages work in living animals, the team reconstructed what the inside of a Triceratops nose may have looked like.
The results suggest that Triceratops had an unusually complex nasal system. In most reptiles, nerves and blood vessels reach the nostrils through pathways connected to the jaw.
But in Triceratops, the shape of the skull blocked this route.
Instead, the nerves and blood vessels took a different path through the nasal area itself. This unusual “wiring” appears to have evolved specifically to support the dinosaur’s massive nose.
Scientists also discovered evidence of a structure called a respiratory turbinate inside the nasal cavity. This is a thin, curled piece of tissue that increases the surface area inside the nose.
In mammals and birds, respiratory turbinates help regulate body temperature and moisture by warming and humidifying the air as it moves in and out of the lungs. Most dinosaurs are not known to have had these structures, but Triceratops appears to have possessed them.
This finding suggests the dinosaur’s nose played a role in controlling heat and moisture. Because Triceratops had such a huge skull, keeping its brain and body from overheating could have been a challenge.
The respiratory turbinate may have helped cool incoming air and conserve water, making breathing more efficient. Although Triceratops was probably not fully warm-blooded like modern mammals and birds, this feature indicates it had advanced ways to manage its internal temperature.
The researchers found similar clues in other horned dinosaurs related to Triceratops, suggesting this adaptation may have been common within the group.
The discovery also fills an important gap in scientists’ understanding of dinosaur anatomy. Soft tissues rarely fossilize, so reconstructing them usually requires careful detective work using bones and comparisons with living animals.
Lead researcher Seishiro Tada said studying the Triceratops nose was like solving a puzzle, especially when assembling 3D-printed models of the skull. The work provides a clearer picture of how these animals lived and functioned, beyond what their bones alone can tell us.
While Triceratops’ dramatic horns and frill often steal the spotlight, this study shows its oversized nose may have been just as important. Far from being a strange evolutionary accident, the giant nasal cavity likely helped the dinosaur breathe, stay cool, and survive in its environment.
Source: KSR.
