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Books > Sport & Leisure > Natural history, country life & pets > Dinosaurs & the prehistoric world
Taking us on an incredible journey across centuries and galaxies,
accompanied by his characteristic wit, Professor Luke O'Neill
explains how it all began, how it all will end and everything in
between. Readers will benefit from Luke's insatiable curiosity for
life when they dive into this ultimate journey through life and
death. Among many fascinating facts, you'll discover the science
behind how we got to be so smart, why sex with a caveman was a good
idea, the science of finding love, why we follow religions, and how
robots will become part of everyday life. Humanology is a humbling
reminder that we're just a small speck in a big universe - so sit
back and embrace the adventure. 'A man who can explain 4.2 billion
years of life on Earth and make me laugh at the same time - sheer
genius.' Pat Kenny, Newstalk
'Gripping and wonderfully informative' Tom Holland, New Statesman
Adored by children and adults alike, Tyrannosaurus is the most
famous dinosaur in the world, one that pops up again and again in
pop culture, often battling other beasts such as King Kong,
Triceratops or velociraptors in Jurassic Park. But despite the
hype, Tyrannosaurus and the other tyrannosaurs are fascinating
animals in their own right, and are among the best-studied of all
dinosaurs. Tyrannosaurs started small, but over the course of 100
million years evolved into the giant carnivorous bone-crushers that
continue to inspire awe in palaeontologists, screenplay writers,
sci-fi novelists and the general public alike. Tyrannosaurus itself
was truly impressive; it topped six tons, was more than 12m (40
feet) long, and had the largest head and most powerful bite of any
land animal in history. The Tyrannosaur Chronicles tracks the rise
of these dinosaurs, and presents the latest research into their
biology, showing off more than just their impressive statistics -
tyrannosaurs had feathers and fought and even ate each other. This
book presents the science behind this research; it tells the story
of the group through their anatomy, ecology and behaviour,
exploring how they came to be the dominant terrestrial predators of
the Mesozoic and, in more recent times, one of the great icons of
biology.
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.
An illustrated record book of theropod facts and figures-from the
biggest to the fastest to the smartest The theropod dinosaurs ruled
the planet for millions of years, with species ranging from the
mighty Tyrannosaurus rex to feathered raptors no bigger than
turkeys. Dinosaur Facts and Figures is a stunningly illustrated
book of records for these marvelous creatures-such as the biggest,
the smallest, and the fastest theropods, as well as the ones with
the most powerful bite. This one-of-a-kind compendium features more
than 3,000 records, covers some 750 theropod species, and includes
a wealth of illustrations ranging from diagrams and technical
drawings to full-color reconstructions of specimens. The book is
divided into sections that put numerous amazing theropod facts at
your fingertips. "Comparing Species" is organized by taxonomic
group and gives comparisons of the size of species, how long ago
they lived, and when they were discovered. "Mesozoic Calendar"
includes spreads showing the positions of the continents at
different geological time periods and reconstructions of creatures
from each period. "Prehistoric Puzzle" compares bones, teeth, and
feathers while "Theropod Life" uses vivid, user-friendly graphics
to answer questions such as which dinosaur was the smartest and
which had the most powerful bite. Other sections chart theropod
distribution on the contemporary world map, provide comprehensive
illustrated listings of footprints, compile the physical
specifications of all known theropods and Mesozoic birds, and much
more. The essential illustrated record book for anyone interested
in dinosaurs Features thousands of records on everything from the
smartest and fastest theropods to the largest theropod eggs
Includes more than 2,000 diagrams and drawings and more than 300
digital reconstructions Covers more than 750 theropod species,
including Mesozoic birds and other dinosauromorphs Provides
detailed listings of footprints, biometric specifications, and
scholarly and popular references
Following on from Dinosaur Art, this new volume showcases 10
amazing artists whose work represents the cutting edge of paleoart.
Many are rising stars in the field; others have embraced digital
technology and continue to assert long-standing reputations as
leaders in the discipline. This volume also includes
state-of-the-art modellers, allowing the reader to explore
restoring prehistoric animals in three as well as two dimensions.
All accompanied by insights into the cutting of paleontological
researcher and the very latest discoveries, with commentaries by
respected scientists at the top of their fields.
'A masterpiece of analysis and imagination. . . It centres on a sensation al discovery in the field of palaeontology - the existence, in the Bur gess Shale. . . of 530-million-year-old fossils unique in age, preservat ion and diversity. . . With skill and passion, Gould takes this mute coll ection of fossils and makes them speak to us. The result challenges s ome of our most cherished self-perceptions and urges a fundamental re-assessment of our place in the history of life on earth' Sunday Times.
Basic books covering the common plants and animals of Arizona.
Includes descriptions and line drawings to aid in identification.
This captivating book, laced with evocative anecdotes from the
field, gives the first holistic, up-to-date overview of dinosaurs
and their world for a wide audience of readers. Situating these
fascinating animals in a broad ecological and evolutionary context,
leading dinosaur expert Scott D. Sampson fills us in on the
exhilarating discoveries of the past twenty-five years, the most
active period in the history of dinosaur paleontology, during which
more 'new' species were named than in all prior history. With these
discoveries - and the most recent controversies - in mind, Sampson
reconstructs the odyssey of the dinosaurs from their humble origins
on the supercontinent Pangaea, to their reign as the largest
animals the planet has ever known, and finally to their abrupt
demise. Much more than the story of who ate whom way back when,
"Dinosaur Odyssey" places dinosaurs in an expansive web of
relationships with other organisms and demonstrates how they
provide a powerful lens through which to observe the entire natural
world. Addressing topics such as extinction, global warming, and
energy flow, "Dinosaur Odyssey" finds that the dinosaurs' story is,
in fact, a major chapter in our own story.
Dinosaur bones had been found centuries before scientists understood what they were and what creatures they came from; ancient Chinese writings spoke of 'dragon' bones, and large fossils discovered in the UK were thought to belong to human giants. It was only with the exploration and meticulous research of generations of intrepid palaeontologists that the truth about dinosaurs was discovered.
The Dinosaur Hunters tells the story of these discoverers of prehistoric life, and the revelations found through their research. Illustrated with 30 rare documents, photographs and hand-drawn maps, it explores the unearthing of Iguanodon teeth, the discovery of the first flying dinosaur, the infamous Bone Wars and consultant editor Dr Mark Norell's radical study of feathered dinosaurs. This is a tale of daring exploits, luck, science and wanderlust, and of the thrilling lives and work of heroic scientists and adventurers.
Humans have "gone underground" for survival for thousands of years,
from underground cities in Turkey to Cold War-era bunkers. But our
burrowing roots go back to the very beginnings of animal life on
earth. Without burrowing, the planet would be very different today.
Many animal lineages alive now-including our own-only survived a
cataclysmic meteorite strike 65 million years ago because they went
underground. On a grander scale, the chemistry of the planet itself
had already been transformed many millions of years earlier by the
first animal burrows, which altered whole ecosystems. Every day we
walk on an earth filled with an under-ground wilderness teeming
with life. Most of this life stays hidden, yet these animals and
their subterranean homes are ubiquitous, ranging from the deep sea
to mountains, from the equator to the poles. Burrows are a refuge
from predators, a safe home for raising young, or a tool to ambush
prey. Burrows also protect animals against all types of natural
disasters: fires, droughts, storms, meteorites, global warmings-and
coolings. In a book filled with spectacularly diverse fauna,
acclaimed paleontologist and ichnologist Anthony Martin reveals
this fascinating, hidden world that will continue to influence and
transform life on this planet.
A comprehensive pocket guide to dinosaurs and prehistoric animals
and the world they inhabited millions of years ago. Packed with
more than 700 full-colour illustrations, this definitive pocket
guide paints a vivid portrait of extraordinary dinosaurs and
prehistoric animals, and the ecosystems they lived in millions of
years ago. Journey back in time and discover the incredible lives
and habitats of dinosaurs, pterosaurs, marine reptiles, and
prehistoric beasts. This fascinating guide explores every era of
prehistoric life, from the Precambrian and Palaeozoic eras, when
animals first began evolving to the Jurassic and Mesozoic era,
which first saw the flourishing and then the eventual extinction of
the dinosaurs. Learn more about prehistoric animals and the world
they inhabited millions of years ago through detailed profiles of
200 dinosaurs and other ancestors of modern animals. These profiles
are jargon-free and based on the latest science. This dinosaur
encyclopedia is filled with crystal-clear artwork and photographs,
fossils, and replica models showing the unique features of the
different species. A Visual Guide to 200 Dinosaurs and Prehistoric
Animals Part of the relaunched series of the popular DK Handbooks,
this fact-filled book features a refreshed design and updated
content. Packed with jaw-dropping images, fascinating dinosaur
facts and straight-forward explanations, it's the perfect gift for
budding palaeontologists of all ages or geology students. Inside
the pages of this dinosaur encyclopedia from DK Books, you'll
discover: - Maps indicating the location of where each animal's
fossils have been found - Illustrations detailing the size of each
animal in comparison to humans - Detailed, jargon-free profiles of
200 species with fun facts for quick reference
This reference work is the third supplement to Dinosaurs: The
Encyclopedia (a 1998 American Library Association Outstanding
Reference Book) and follows the intent and format of the
encyclopedia and the first two supplements. This continuation of
what is now the standard encyclopedia provides up-to-date concepts,
based on the latest original research of paleontologists, on such
topics as the Mesozoic Era; new discoveries, ideas and studies;
ectothermy versus endothermy; dinosaurs and birds; dinosaur
extinctions; dinosaurian systematics; dinosaurian genera; nomina
nuda and excluded genera; and an appendix discussing dinosaur
tracks and eggs. Supplemental volumes do not repeat information
from earlier volumes, but build upon them: view all volumes on the
series page.
Palaeontologist Dr David Hone tells us everything we know about
dinosaurs - and everything we don't yet know. We have made more
discoveries about dinosaurs in the last 20 years than we have in
the previous 200, and there is a wealth of cutting edge research
that has never been written about before, from their skin (some had
feathers) to their extinction (the myth of the meteorite), much of
which is David's own personal research and discovery. How does it
feel to discover a new dinosaur? David Hone can tell you - he has
personally discovered 12 new species himself. And there is much
still to discover. What colour were dinosaurs? Did they mate for
life? How did they rear their young? Did they migrate in winter?
How did they communicate? Did they eat fish? Just what are the
T-Rex's tiny arms actually for? In The Future of Dinosaurs Dr David
Horne shows us the extraordinary advances in palaeontological
research that are starting to fill in these gaps, and sets out the
future of dinosaurs for the next generation.
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