The Story of the Dinosaurs in 25 Discoveries: Amazing Fossils

The Story of the Dinosaurs in 25 Discoveries: Amazing Fossils and the People Who Found Them

Today, any kid can rattle off the names of dozens of dinosaurs. But it took centuries of scientific effortâ€•and a lot of luckâ€•to discover and establish the diversity of dinosaur species we now know. How did we learn that Triceratops had three horns? Why donâ€™t many paleontologists consider Brontosaurus a valid species? What convinced scientists that modern birds are relatives of ancient Velociraptor?

In The Story of the Dinosaurs in 25 Discoveries, Donald R. Prothero tells the fascinating stories behind the most important fossil finds and the intrepid researchers who unearthed them. In twenty-five vivid vignettes, he weaves together dramatic tales of dinosaur discoveries with what modern science now knows about the species to which they belong. Prothero takes us from eighteenth-century sightings of colossal bones taken for biblical giants through recent discoveries of enormous predators even larger than Tyrannosaurus. He recounts the escapades of the larger-than-life personalities who made modern paleontology, including scientific rivalries like the nineteenth-century â€œBone Wars.â€ Prothero also details how to draw the boundaries between species and explores debates such as whether dinosaurs had feathers, explaining the findings that settled them or keep them going. Throughout, he offers a clear and rigorous look at what paleontologists consider sound interpretation of evidence. An essential read for any dinosaur lover, this book teaches us to see an ancient world ruled by giant majestic creatures anew.
Country USA
Brand Columbia University Press
Manufacturer Columbia University Press
Binding Hardcover
ItemPartNumber 54598392
UnitCount 1
Format Illustrated
EANs 9780231186025
ReleaseDate 2019-06-25

Country	USA
Brand	Columbia University Press
Manufacturer	Columbia University Press
Binding	Hardcover
ItemPartNumber	54598392
UnitCount	1
Format	Illustrated
EANs	9780231186025
ReleaseDate	2019-06-25

The Story of the Dinosaurs in 25 Discoveries: Amazing Fossils and the People Who Found Them