Here is the fifth supplement to Dinosaurs: The Encyclopedia, a 1998 American Library Association Outstanding Reference Book. Since the publication of the acclaimed first volume, a virtual explosion in the number of exciting discoveries in dinosaur paleontology has made supplemental volumes necessary and indispensable. Among the many dramatic events discussed in the fifth supplement are the discovery of what may be the largest Jurassic theropod specimen yet collected; the uncovering of evidence of a dinosaur possessing opposable fingers; and Robert M. Sullivan's reassessment of Pachycepholasauria. Like the previous supplements, this volume includes lengthy sections on dinosaurian schematics and genera and updates the encyclopedia's list of excluded genera. Supplemental volumes do not repeat information from earlier volumes, but build upon them: view all volumes on the series page.

Today, we know that a mammoth is an extinct type of elephant that was covered with long fur and lived in the north country during the ice ages. But how do you figure out what a mammoth is if you have no concept of extinction, ice ages, or fossils? Long after the last mammoth died and was no longer part of the human diet, it still played a role in human life. Cultures around the world interpreted the remains of mammoths through the lens of their own worldview and mythology. When the ancient Greeks saw deposits of giant fossils, they knew they had discovered the battle fields where the gods had vanquished the Titans. When the Chinese discovered buried ivory, they knew they had found dragons' teeth. But as the Age of Reason dawned, monsters and giants gave way to the scientific method. Yet the mystery of these mighty bones remained. How did Enlightenment thinkers overcome centuries of myth and misunderstanding to reconstruct an unknown animal? The journey to unravel that puzzle begins in the 1690s with the arrival of new type of ivory on the European market bearing the exotic name "mammoth." It ends during the Napoleonic Wars with the first recovery of a frozen mammoth. The path to figuring out the mammoth was traveled by merchants, diplomats, missionaries, cranky doctors, collectors of natural wonders, Swedish POWs, Peter the Great, Ben Franklin, the inventor of hot chocolate, and even one pirate. McKay brings together dozens of original documents and illustrations, some ignored for centuries, to show how this odd assortment of characters solved the mystery of the mammoth and, in doing so, created the science of paleontology.

From their discovery in the 19th century to the dawn of the Nuclear Age, dinosaurs were seen in popular culture as ambassadors of the geological past and as icons of the ""life through time"" narrative of evolution. They took on a more foreboding character during the Cold War, serving as a warning to mankind with the advent of the hydrogen bomb. As fears of human extinction escalated during the ecological movement of the 1970s, dinosaurs communicated their metaphorical message of extinction, urging us from our destructive path. Using an eclectic variety of examples, this book outlines the three-fold ""evolution"" of dinosaurs and other prehistoric monsters in pop culture, from their poorly understood beginnings to the 21st century.

Christopher McGowan sets out to solve some of the enduring mysteries about dinosaurs and other prehistoric reptiles. He makes fascinating comparisons between living and extinct animals while presenting topics that range from gigantism to intellect. In addition to exploring the natural history of the Mesozoic Era, McGowan draws on science and engineering concepts to explain curiosities such as the similarities between the aerodynamics of pteranodons and Spitfire planes.

The books in this wonderfully diverse series cover topics such as archaeology, art, culture, history, literature, science, and religion in a dynamic and informative way. The texts are bolstered by rigorous historical information and accompanied by vibrant photographs and boxes that summarize key points. All of the volumes in this collection are a thorough introduction to the subject being discussed. "Los libros en esta serie maravillosamente diversa abordan temas como la arqueologia, el arte, la cultura, la historia, la literatura, la ciencia y la religion de una manera dinamica e informativa. Los textos son reforzados por datos historicos rigurosos y se acompanan de fotografias vibrantes y cuadros sinopticos. Todos los volumenes en esta coleccion son una introduccion exhaustiva al tema que se expone.""" In this paleontological survey, Jean-Guy Michard invites readers to explore the world of dinosaurs, introducing them to ferocious carnivores such as "Tyrannosaurus rex" and herbivores like "Diplodocus." Among the issues discussed are dinosaur habits and habitats, as well as the reasons for their disappearance. "En este estudio paleontologico, Jean-Guy Michard invita a los lectores a explorar el mundo de los dinosaurios, presentandoles carnivoros feroces como "Tyrannosaurus rex" y herbivoros como "Diplodocus." Entre los temas que se discuten estan los habitos y los habitats de los dinosaurios, asi como las razones por su desaparicion."