The Legacy of the Mastodon - The Golden Age of Fossils in America (Paperback)

A history of the early days of fossil hunting in America, replete with high adventure, ruthless competitors, and amazing scientific discoveries The uncovering in the mid-1700s of fossilized mastodon bones and teeth at Big Bone Lick, Kentucky, signaled the beginning of a great American adventure. The West was opening up and unexplored lands beckoned. Unimagined paleontological treasures awaited discovery: strange horned mammals, birds with teeth, flying reptiles, gigantic fish, diminutive ancestors of horses and camels, and more than a hundred different kinds of dinosaurs. This exciting book tells the story of the grandest period of fossil discovery in American history, the years from 1750 to 1890. The volume begins with Thomas Jefferson, whose keen interest in the American mastodon led him to champion the study of fossil vertebrates. The book continues with vivid descriptions of the actual work of prospecting for fossils--a pick in one hand, a rifle in the other--and enthralling portraits of Joseph Leidy, Ferdinand Hayden, Edward Cope, and Othniel Marsh among other major figures in the development of the science of paleontology. Shedding new light on these scientists' feuds and rivalries, on the connections between fossil studies in Europe and America, and on paleontology's contributions to America's developing national identity, The Legacy of the Mastodon is itself a fabulous discovery for every reader to treasure.

General

Imprint:	Yale University Press
Country of origin:	United States
Release date:	May 2009
First published:	April 2009
Authors:	Keith Stewart Thomson
Dimensions:	229 x 149 x 30mm (L x W x T)
Format:	Paperback - Trade
Pages:	424
ISBN-13:	978-0-300-15129-9
Categories:	Books > Science & Mathematics > Science: general issues > History of science Books > Earth & environment > Earth sciences > Palaeontology > General Promotions
LSN:	0-300-15129-2
Barcode:	9780300151299

Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate? Let us know about it.

Does this product have an incorrect or missing image? Send us a new image.

Is this product missing categories? Add more categories.

Review This Product

No reviews yet - be the first to create one!