Dinosaur Odyssey: Fossil Threads in the Web of Life - Softcover

Sampson, Scott D.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0520269896 ISBN 13: 9780520269897

Verlag: University of California Press, 2011

Inhaltsangabe

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.

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Críticas

"A wonderful book, crammed with information that will surprise you." Truthdig "This thought-provoking book is a must read not only for dinosaur enthusiasts and science educators but anyone interested in the larger context of life." Magill's Literary Annual / Salem Press "Sampson is right on target... There is no better overview available than 'Dinosaur Odyssey.'" Earth Magazine "A great in-depth read for those seriously interested in the history of dinosaurs." Dig

Nota de la solapa

"The best general-audience dinosaur book since the Dinosaur Renaissance began in the 1970s."—Philip J. Currie, coeditor of Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs, from the foreword

“Dinosaur Odyssey is not only a personable and highly accessible tour of the up-to-date discoveries about the gigantic and famous. It also builds on dinosaur paleontology to far-ranging topics like extinction, climate change, and the possibility of life on Mars. The gift to the reader is both fascination and enlightenment.”—Michael Novacek, author of Terra and Dinosaurs of the Flaming Cliffs

"An odyssey indeed! One of the world's leading dinosaur paleontologists, Sampson draws on a wide variety of sciences, from astronomy and cosmology to microbiology and ecology, in order to portray dinosaurs as living animals. The reader is in for a treat and will emerge with fresh and valuable insights."—Peter Dodson, author of The Horned Dinosaurs

Details zur Ausgabe

• Verlag: University of California Press
• Erscheinungsdatum: 2011
• ISBN 10: 0520269896
• ISBN 13: 9780520269897
• Einband: Tapa blanda
• Sprache: Englisch
• Auflage: 1
• Anzahl der Seiten: 352