Amsterdam: A team of scientists and designers has unveiled a handbag crafted from collagen extracted from a fossilized Tyrannosaurus rex from the United States. This creation is designed to highlight the potential value of lab-grown animal hides. The turquoise-green pouch is set to be displayed on a stone pedestal inside a cage beneath a T-Rex model at the Art Zoo museum in Amsterdam. It will remain on display until May 11th, after which it is slated for auction. Reports indicate that the starting price could exceed US$500,000, equivalent to approximately 18,295,000 Thai baht.

According to Thai News Agency, the team of scientists involved in this project developed the material by extracting fragments of ancient proteins from dinosaur remains. These fragments were injected into the cells of an unidentified animal species to produce collagen, which was subsequently processed into animal leather.

Despite the innovation, some scientists not associated with the project have voiced skepticism regarding the use of the term "T-Rex leather." They point out that the creation of this material necessitates the use of components from other animals.

Melanie Dring, a Dutch vertebrate paleontologist from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, remarked that collagen can only be preserved in dinosaur bones as traces or fragments, and thus, cannot be utilized to recreate the skin of a T-Rex.

Similarly, Thomas R. Holtz Jr., a paleontologist from the University of Maryland, noted that any collagen found in the T-Rex fossil originates from within the bone and not the skin. Although the protein might be an exact match, it would miss the large fibrous structure that is characteristic of animal hides.