How Strong Was Kentrosaurus?

As it turns out, Kentrosaurus was a heavy hitter. According to Mallison’s models, the spikes at the tip of the dinosaur’s tail could have hit their target at a top speed of over 40 meters per second, and Kentrosaurus could have swung its tail at a speed in excess of 10 meters per second in a 75 degree arc. “At this speed,” Mallison writes, “the spikes could penetrate deeply into soft tissues or between ribs and were able to shatter bones.” He adds: “Penetrating impacts at 10 m/s created forces greater than those sufficient to fracture a human skull.” Ouch.