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Uncover the ancient past—a guide to fantastic fossils for kids ages 6 to 8 Set off on an amazing adventure…
into the prehistoric past when dinosaurs roamed the Earth. Fossils for Kids is filled with fascinating photographs and captivating facts that will teach junior fossil hunters how fossils form, where they are found, and tips on how to identify them. Start by learning more about some of your favorite dinosaurs—from Velociraptor to Tyrannosaurus rex—and where you can see the coolest dinosaur skeletons. Then discover the creatures that predate even the dinosaurs! You'll meet famous birds, like the Archaeopteryx, explore tiny invertebrate trilobites, and learn which ancient plant is the source of a delicious drink—root beer! Fossils for Kids includes: Beyond dinos—You won't just be learning about dinosaurs; this book covers mammals, other reptiles, and plant fossils. Greater knowledge—Use the fun sidebars to dive deeper into the fossil world and get more hands-on learning. Clear images—The colorful pictures allow you to easily identify fossils. It's time to unearth your scientific curiosity—there's no telling what you'll find using Fossils for Kids as your guide.
Dinosaur Encyclopedia for Kids: The Big Book of Prehistoric Creatures
By Dinosaur George Blasing, Cary Woodruff. 2021
Dig up dino facts with this fun encyclopedia for kids ages 4 to 8 Dinosaurs are some of the most…
amazing animals that ever walked the Earth! They could be as tall as a four-story building or as small as a chicken. Some had spectacular spikes or hardened scales, while others had fantastic frills or vibrant feathers. This book gives kids an exciting glimpse into the Age of Dinosaurs with awe-inspiring facts about how they lived, what they looked like, and more. This standout among dinosaur books for kids encourages them to: Discover dinos by eraーKids will learn about 90 different dinosaurs, organized by the prehistoric era in which they lived. Find kid-friendly factsーThis dinosaur book helps kids expand their dino knowledge with bite-sized facts, a pronunciation guide, and a glossary with easy-to-understand definitions. Explore colorful illustrationsーInspire kids to travel back in time through detailed artwork that brings the dinosaurs to life. Get a dinosaur encyclopedia kids will love and learn from, with the Dinosaur Encyclopedia for Kids.
The Complete Dinosaur: The Most Complete, Up-to-date Encyclopedia For Dinosaur Lovers Of All Ages (Life of the Past)
By M. K. Brett-Surman, Thomas R. Holtz, Jr. James O. Farlow Bob Walters, Art Consultant. 2012
A new edition of the illustrated compendium that is &“a gift to serious dinosaur enthusiasts&” (Science). What do we…
know about dinosaurs, and how do we know it? How did they grow, move, eat, and reproduce? Were they warm-blooded or cold-blooded? How intelligent were they? How are the various groups of dinosaurs related to each other, and to other kinds of living and extinct vertebrates? What can the study of dinosaurs tell us about the process of evolution? And why did typical dinosaurs become extinct? These questions and more are addressed in this new, expanded edition of The Complete Dinosaur. Written by leading experts on the &“fearfully great&” reptiles, the book covers what we have learned about dinosaurs, from the earliest discoveries to the most recent controversies. Where scientific contention exists, the editors have let the experts agree to disagree. The Complete Dinosaur is a feast for serious dinosaur lovers, from the enthusiastic amateur to the professional paleontologist. Praise for the first edition: &“An excellent encyclopedia that serves as a nice bridge between popular and scholarly dinosaur literature.&” —Library Journal (starred review) &“Stimulating armchair company for cold winter evenings. . . . Best of all, the book treats dinosaurs as intellectual fun.&” —New Scientist &“Useful both as a reference and as a browse-and-enjoy compendium.&” —Natural History &“Copiously illustrated and scrupulously up-to-date.&” —Publishers Weekly &“The amount of information in [these] pages is amazing. This book should be on the shelves of dinosaur freaks as well as those who need to know more about the paleobiology of extinct animals. It will be an invaluable library reference.&” —American Reference Books Annual
An extensive, illustrated study of the ancient fish and marine reptiles who once lived in a tropical lagoon that is…
now a Swiss mountain.Told in rich detail and with gorgeous color recreations, this is the story of marine life in the age before the dinosaurs. During the Middle Triassic Period (247–237 million years ago), the mountain of Monte San Giorgio in Switzerland was a tropical lagoon. Today, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site because it boasts an astonishing fossil record of marine life from that time. Attracted to an incredibly diverse and well-preserved set of fossils, Swiss and Italian paleontologists have been excavating the mountain since 1850.Synthesizing and interpreting over a century of discoveries through a critical twenty-first century lens, paleontologist Olivier Rieppel tells for the first time the complete story of the fish and marine reptiles who made that long-ago lagoon their home. Through careful analysis and vividly rendered recreations, he offers memorable glimpses of not only what Thalattosaurs, Protorosaurs, Ichthyosaurs,Pachypleurosaurs, and other marine life looked like but how they moved and lived in the lagoon.An invaluable resource for specialists and accessible to all, this book is essential to all who are fascinated with ancient marine life.Praise for Mesozoic Sea Dragons“The most comprehensive review of the Middle Triassic marine faunas of Monte San Giorgio published to date. It synthesizes a vast body of literature in an accessible way and provides an informative, beautifully illustrated review of the vertebrate life that once thrived in the ancient lagoon. It also delivers a fascinating account of the history of fossil discoveries of this remarkable site.” —Palaeontologia Electronica
Dinosaurs: The Myth-busting Guide to Prehistoric Beasts
By Bbc ScienceFocus. 2019
From the BBC, a book &“packed with facts and illustrations on the latest finds and theories for dinosaur enthusiasts of all…
ages.&” —Mike Fredericks, Editor, Prehistoric Times Magazine If everything you know about dinosaurs comes from Hollywood movies, get ready for some surprises in this lively, myth-busting book. The latest scientific research is changing assumptions and providing a far different perspective on these magnificent creatures. Rather than being slow, lumbering and a bit stupid, dinosaurs were smart and nimble-brained—just ask the paleontologists who are peering deep inside the fossilized skulls of these prehistoric animals. Learn how dinosaurs conquered the world, what would have happened if the asteroid hadn't hit Mexico, what T. rex really looked (and sounded) like, and the modern-day dinosaurs living in your back yard. Loaded with in-depth articles and stunning color illustrations, Dinosaurs: The Myth-Busting Guide to Prehistoric Beasts is the ultimate guide to the newest dinosaur discoveries. &“Fun and fascinating . . . find out how the real dinosaurs lived their lives, what they looked like, how they sounded, and how we know all that!&” —Midwest Book Review This is a fixed-format ebook, which preserves the design and layout of the original print book
Cave Detectives: Unraveling the Mystery of an Ice Age Cave
By David L. Harrison. 2007
&“Vivid descriptions of the animals, the cave, and the scientists are complemented by the original art and photos that work…
together unusually well.&” —Booklist What was life like millions of years ago? The answer lies deep underground, in a place once home to a ferocious predator much larger than most animals walking around today. Through photographs and detailed illustrations, readers will learn how the secrets buried in a midwestern hillside helped scientists understand early life on Earth. This book&’s simple but informative format allows readers to follow along as paleontologist Matt Forir and his team of experts unravel a prehistoric mystery. &“[An] account of the discovery and early exploration of Missouri&’s Riverbluff Cave, the oldest found so far in this country with fossil remains . . . may excite curiosity about the Riverbluff finds.&” —Kirkus Reviews
The Story of the Dinosaurs in 25 Discoveries: Amazing Fossils and the People Who Found Them
By Donald R. Prothero. 2019
Today, any kid can rattle off the names of dozens of dinosaurs. But it took centuries of scientific effort—and a…
lot of luck—to discover and establish the diversity of dinosaur species we now know. How did we learn that Triceratops had three horns? Why don’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 “Bone Wars.” 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.
Evolution: The Origins and Mechanisms of Diversity
By Jonathan Bard. 2021
Evolution is the single unifying principle of biology and core to everything in the life sciences. More than a century…
of work by scientists from across the biological spectrum has produced a detailed history of life across the phyla and explained the mechanisms by which new species form. This textbook covers both this history and the mechanisms of speciation; it also aims to provide students with the background needed to read the research literature on evolution. Students will therefore learn about cladistics, molecular phylogenies, the molecular-genetical basis of evolutionary change including the important role of protein networks, symbionts and holobionts, together with the core principles of developmental biology. The book also includes introductory appendices that provide background knowledge on, for example, the diversity of life today, fossils, the geology of Earth and the history of evolutionary thought. Key Features Summarizes the origins of life and the evolution of the eukaryotic cell and of Urbilateria, the last common ancestor of invertebrates and vertebrates. Reviews the history of life across the phyla based on the fossil record and computational phylogenetics. Explains evo-devo and the generation of anatomical novelties. Illustrates the roles of small populations, genetic drift, mutation and selection in speciation. Documents human evolution using the fossil record and evidence of dispersal across the world leading to the emergence of modern humans.
In Pursuit of Early Mammals (Life Of The Past Ser.)
By Zofia Kielan-Jaworowska. 2013
In Pursuit of Early Mammals presents the history of the mammals that lived during the Mesozoic era, the time when…
dinosaurs ruled the Earth, and describes their origins, anatomy, systematics, paleobiology, and distribution. It also tells the story of the author, a world-renowned specialist on these animals, and the other prominent paleontologists who have studied them. Zofia Kielan-Jaworowska was the first woman to lead large-scale paleontological expeditions, including eight to the Gobi Desert in Mongolia, which brought back important collections of dinosaur, early mammal, and other fossils. She shares the difficulties and pleasures encountered in finding rare fossils and describes the changing views on early mammals made possible by these discoveries.
Across the Bridge: Understanding the Origin of the Vertebrates
By Henry Gee. 2018
Our understanding of vertebrate origins and the backbone of human history evolves with each new fossil find and DNA map.…
Many species have now had their genomes sequenced, and molecular techniques allow genetic inspection of even non-model organisms. But as longtime Nature editor Henry Gee argues in Across the Bridge, despite these giant strides and our deepening understanding of how vertebrates fit into the tree of life, the morphological chasm between vertebrates and invertebrates remains vast and enigmatic. As Gee shows, even as scientific advances have falsified a variety of theories linking these groups, the extant relatives of vertebrates are too few for effective genetic analysis. Moreover, the more we learn about the species that do remain—from sea-squirts to starfish—the clearer it becomes that they are too far evolved along their own courses to be of much use in reconstructing what the latest invertebrate ancestors of vertebrates looked like. Fossils present yet further problems of interpretation. Tracing both the fast-changing science that has helped illuminate the intricacies of vertebrate evolution as well as the limits of that science, Across the Bridge helps us to see how far the field has come in crossing the invertebrate-to-vertebrate divide—and how far we still have to go.
Horned Armadillos and Rafting Monkeys: The Fascinating Fossil Mammals of South America (Life Of The Past Ser.)
By Darin A. Croft, Velizar Simeonovski. 2016
South America is home to some of the most distinctive mammals on Earth--giant armadillos, tiny anteaters, the world's largest rodent,…
and its smallest deer. But the continent once supported a variety of other equally intriguing mammals that have no close living relatives: armored mammals with tail clubs, saber-toothed marsupials, and even a swimming sloth. We know of the existence of these peculiar species thanks to South America's rich fossil record, which provides many glimpses of prehistoric mammals and the ecosystems in which they lived. Organized as a "walk through time" and featuring species from 15 important fossil sites, this book is the most extensive and richly illustrated volume devoted exclusively to the Cenozoic mammals of South America. The text is supported by 75 life reconstructions of extinct species in their native habitats, as well as photographs of fossil specimens and the sites highlighted in the book. An annotated bibliography is included for those interested in delving into the scientific literature.
Evolution of Cenozoic Land Mammal Faunas and Ecosystems: 25 Years of the NOW Database of Fossil Mammals (Vertebrate Paleobiology and Paleoanthropology)
By Christine M. Janis, Isaac Casanovas-Vilar, Lars W. van den Hoek Ostende, Juha Saarinen. 2023
This volume presents an array of different case studies which take as primary material data sourced from the NOW (‘New…
and Old Worlds’) database of fossil mammals. The NOW database was one of the very first large paleobiological databases, and since 1996 it has been expanded from including mainly Neogene European land mammals to cover the entire Cenozoic at a global scale. In the last two decades the number of works that are based in the use of huge databases to explore ecological and evolutionary questions has increased exponentially, and even though the importance of big data in paleobiological research has been outlined in selected chapters of general works, no volume has appeared before this one which solely focuses on the databases as a primary source in reconstructing the past. The purpose of this book is to provide an illustrative volume showing the importance of big data in paleobiological research, and presenting a broad array of unpublished examples and case studies. The book is mainly aimed to professional palaeobiologists working with Cenozoic land mammals, but the scope of the book is broad enough to fit the interest for evolutionary biologists, paleoclimatologists and paleoecologists.The volume is divided in four parts. The first part includes two chapters on the development of large paleobiological databases, providing a first-hand account on the logic and the functioning of these databases. This is a much-needed perspective which is ignored by most researchers and users of such databases and, even if centered in the NOW database, the lessons that can be learned from this part can be extended to other examples. After this introductory part, the body of the book follows and is divided into three parts: patterns in regional faunas; large scale patterns and processes; and ecological, biogeographical and evolutionary patterns of key taxa. Each chapter is written by well-known specialists in the field, with some participation of members of the NOW advisory board. The array of selected mammal taxa ranges from carnivores, equids, ruminants and rodents to the genus Homo. The topics studied also include the diversification and radiation of major clades, large-scale paleobiogeographical patterns, the evolution of ecomorphological patterns and paleobiological problems such as evolution of body size or species longevity. In most cases the results are discussed in relation to protracted environmental or paleogeographic changes.
Everything Awesome About: Dangerous Dinosaurs (Everything Awesome About)
By Mike Lowery. 2023
Learn everything that's AWESOME about dinosaurs, in this nonfiction Reader that combines cartoon illustrations and photographs!Do you know which dinosaur…
has the most horns? Or which dinosaur has a clubbed tail that could break a T. Rex's bones? It's time to meet... the DANGEROUS DINOSAURS!Find out all this and more, in Everything Awesome About: Dangerous Dinosaurs, a one-stop shop for the dinosaur-obsessed kid who wants to start reading on their own! With a highly visual approach that mixes kid-friendly cartoons and engaging photographs, this Reader packs in the facts and is sure to become a quick favorite for dinosaur fans.Learn the top facts about your favorite dinosaurs, from dangerous predators to gentle giants.This Level 3 Reader is perfect for kids who are starting to read on their own, and want to build reading confidence and develop vocabulary skills while learning cool facts about their favorite beasts.Be sure to check out more in this series, with Everything Awesome About: Super Sharks!
What Is the Story of Jurassic World? (What Is the Story Of?)
By Jim Gigliotti, Who Hq. 2023
Prepare to be thrilled by an imaginary world where dinosaurs have been brought back to life and roam alongside humans in…
this Who HQ book all about Jurassic World!Discover the action-packed history of Jurassic World and how dinosaur fans of all ages came to love the series' movies, books, TV shows, and even theme park rides. From the 1990 Michael Crichton novel to the movies still releasing today, young readers will love stepping into this world where dinosaurs rule. The Jurassic World franchise has thrilled fans for decades by building a world where science and adventure meet, raising the question: Could dinosaurs and humans ever really live together?
The Upside-Down Book of Sloths
By Elizabeth Shreeve. 2023
Slow, sleepy—and adorable. This playful and informative picture book follows the fascinating history of one of the world’s most beloved…
animals. Many find sloths cute, while some find them just plain bizarre. In The Upside-Down Book of Sloths, Elizabeth Shreeve uncovers their less-well-known evolutionary history and how they became the beloved—and unique—creatures of today. She pairs and compares the six extant modern species, like the pygmy sloth, the brown-throated sloth, and the ai, with their prehistoric counterparts, such as Thalassocnus, the tough seafaring sloth; Paramylodon, which had armor-like skin and walked on the sides of its feet; and Megatherium, which could weigh up to 8,000 pounds. She even reveals how modern sloths have adapted to hang upside down, how they learned to swim, and even how they poop! As entertaining as it is educational, The Upside-Down Book of Sloths offers a brilliant deep dive into sloths, their evolution, and their connections to our planet’s natural history—and future.
Ruling Reptiles: Crocodylian Biology and Archosaur Paleobiology (Life of the Past)
By James O. Farlow, Matthew F. Bonnan, Ray Wilhite, Christine Böhmer, Stephanie K. Drumheller, Roger S. Seymour, Hendrik Klein, Holly N. Woodward, Ricardo Araújo, Vincent Fernandez, Peter S. Johnston, Christopher R. Langel, Sarah W. Keenan, Marisa Tellez, Patrick V. Wheatley, Ryan J. Haupt, Alexander K. Hastings, Domenic C. D'Amore, Jackson K. Njau, Lucy Gomes de Souza, Rodrigo Vargas Pêgas, Mauro Bruno da Silva Lacerda, Kirstin S. Brink, Aaron R. LeBlanc, Thomas M. Cullen, Alida M. Bailleul, Mary H. Schweitzer, Julia Audije-Gil, Fernando Barroso-Barcenilla, Oscar Cambra-Moo, Haley D. O'Brien, Peter Brice, Gordon Grigg, Cory J. Kumagai. 2023
Modern crocodylians—crocodiles, alligators, caiman (Central and South America), and gharials (India)—have evolved over 250 million years from a fully terrestrial,…
bipedal ancestor. Along with birds, crocodylians are the only living members of Archosauria, the group including nonavian dinosaurs. Ruling Reptiles features contributions on a broad range of topics surrounding crocodylian evolution and biology including osteology, osteohistology, developmental biology, myology, odontology, functional morphology, allometry, body size estimation, taphonomy, parasitology, ecology, thermophysiology, and ichnology. It demonstrates how the wide variety of these studies can also provide crucial insights into dinosaurian biology and evolution.Featuring the latest findings and interpretations, Ruling Reptiles: Crocodylian Biology and Archosaur Paleobiology is an essential resource for zoologists, biologists, and paleontologists.
Tyrannosaurid Paleobiology (Life Of The Past Ser.)
By Philip J. Currie, Ralph E. Molnar, J. Michael Parrish, Eva B. Koppelhus. 2006
The opening of an exhibit focused on "Jane," a beautifully preserved tyrannosaur collected by the Burpee Museum of Natural History,…
was the occasion for an international symposium on tyrannosaur paleobiology. This volume, drawn from the symposium, includes studies of the tyrannosaurids Chingkankousaurus fragilis and "Sir William" and the generic status of Nanotyrannus; theropod teeth, pedal proportions, brain size, and craniocervical function; soft tissue reconstruction, including that of "Jane"; paleopathology and tyrannosaurid claws; dating the "Jane" site; and tyrannosaur feeding and hunting strategies. Tyrannosaurid Paleobiology highlights the far ranging and vital state of current tyrannosaurid dinosaur research and discovery.
The White River Badlands: Geology And Paleontology (Life Of The Past Ser.)
By Rachel C. Benton, Dennis O. Terry Jr., Hugh Gregory Mcdonald, Emmett Evanoff. 2015
The forbidding Big Badlands in Western South Dakota contain the richest fossil beds in the world. Even today these rocks…
continue to yield new specimens brought to light by snowmelt and rain washing away soft rock deposited on a floodplain long ago. The quality and quantity of the fossils are superb: most of the species to be found there are known from hundreds of specimens. The fossils in the White River Group (and similar deposits in the American west) preserve the entire late Eocene through the middle Oligocene, roughly 35-30 million years ago and more than 30 million years after non-avian dinosaurs became extinct. The fossils provide a detailed record of a period of abrupt global cooling and what happened to creatures who lived through it. The book provides a comprehensive reference to the sediments and fossils of the Big Badlands and will complement, enhance, and in some ways replace the classic 1920 volume by Cleophas C. O'Harra. Because the book focuses on a national treasure, it touches on National Park Service management policies that help protect such significant fossils.
A Sea without Fish: Life In The Ordovician Sea Of The Cincinnati Region (Life Of The Past Ser.)
By Richard Arnold Davis, David L. Meyer. 2009
The region around Cincinnati, Ohio, is known throughout the world for the abundant and beautiful fossils found in limestones and…
shales that were deposited as sediments on the sea floor during the Ordovician Period, about 450 million years ago--some 250 million years before the dinosaurs lived. In Ordovician time, the shallow sea that covered much of what is now the North American continent teemed with marine life. The Cincinnati area has yielded some of the world's most abundant and best-preserved fossils of invertebrate animals such as trilobites, bryozoans, brachiopods, molluscs, echinoderms, and graptolites. So famous are the Ordovician fossils and rocks of the Cincinnati region that geologists use the term "Cincinnatian" for strata of the same age all over North America. This book synthesizes more than 150 years of research on this fossil treasure-trove, describing and illustrating the fossils, the life habits of the animals represented, their communities, and living relatives, as well as the nature of the rock strata in which they are found and the environmental conditions of the ancient sea.
Fossils of the Carpathian Region (Life Of The Past Ser.)
By István Szente, Gareth Dyke, István Főzy. 2013
István Fozy and István Szente provide a comprehensive review of the fossil record of the Carpathian Basin. Fossils of the…
Carpathian Region describes and illustrates the region's fossils, recounts their history, and tells the stories of key people involved in paleontological research in the area. In addition to covering all the important fossils of this region, special attention is given to rare finds and complete skeletons. The region's fossils range from tiny foraminifera to the Transylvanian dinosaurs, mastodons, and mammals. The book also gives nonspecialists the opportunity to gain a basic understanding of paleontology. Sidebars present brief biographies of important figures and explain how to collect, prepare, and interpret fossils.