Book Description

Thirty-one specialists in the paleontology of the Age of Dinosaurs address a variety of issues: animals that preceded dinosaurs, the origin and early history of dinosaurs, and the relationship of the ascent of dinosaurs to new evolutionary innovations and to global, climatic, ecological, and even chance factors.This study is the first to examine how the period of dinosaur domination began. ... Read more

Book Description

Why Did the Dinosaurs Disappear? ... Read more

Book Description

Adventures in the badlands with one of America's most reknowned paleontologists, Morris F. Skinner ... Read more

Book Description

Perhaps you are a paleontologist or have always wondered what it is like to be one.Or you are fascinated by fossils and like to read about the origins and natural history of dinosaurs.Or maybe you are an avid traveler and reader of travelogues.If you are any of these things, then this book is for you.Originally published in 1994 in French, Dinosaur Impressions is the engaging account of thirty years of travel and paleontological exploration by Philippe Taquet, one of the world's most noted paleontologists. Dr. Taquet takes the reader on a surprisingly far-flung tour ranging from the Provence countryside to the Niger desert, from the Brazilian bush to the Mongolian Steppes, and from the Laos jungle to the Moroccan mountains in search of dinosaur bones and what they have to tell us about a vanished world. With wry humor and lively anecdotes, Dr. Taquet retraces the history of paleontological research, along the way discussing the latest theories of dinosaur existence and extinction.Elegantly translated by Kevin Padian, Dinosaur Impressions provides a unique, thoughtful perspective not often encountered in American- and English-language works. This insightful, first-hand account of an exceptional career is also a travelogue par excellence that will enthrall enthusiasts and general readers alike. Philippe Taquet is the Director of the National Museum of Natural History in Paris and is a member of the French Academy of Sciences. Kevin Padian is a professor in the Department of Integrative Biology and Curator of the Museum of Paleontology at the University of California, Berkeley. He is also the editor of The Beginning of the Age of Dinosaurs (Cambridge, 1986) and The Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs (1997). ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A different view
As most of us dinosaur fans in North America are familiar only with the great U.S./Canadian/Mongolian expeditions, I noted with delight that a book had finally arrived about French expeditions. For diversity alone, this one belongs on any dinophile's bookshelf. As Taquet is the discoverer and describer of Ouranosaurus (a likely missing link between the iguanadonts and duckbills), it's of particular interest to ornithopod lovers. Those familiar with the American Museum of Natural History will get a kick out of the cameo by the Mongolian expedition. ... Read more

Book Description

Uncover clues to the mysteries of the prehistoric world. Beautifully and conveniently packaged, this unique kit includes the handy identification guide Collecting Fossils and three real fossils. Remove the full-color book and take it with you on your fossil hunts, and then return it to the special kit box so that it can be displayed alongside your fossils, making it easy for anyone to properly evaluate your finds. Three one-of-a-kind ammonite fossils are included to start your collection--one rough, one cut, and one polished. With the material and information in this exciting kit, you have everything you need to look back in time.Sterling 10 1/2 x 10.
... Read more

Book Description

65 million years ago the last dinosaurs died out. In 1841 the term "dinosaur" was coined, and the great beasts’ hold on our imagination has never weakened. Here, with over 200 full-color hand-drawn illustrations, are all the impossible names and fantastic features of these amazing beasts that ruled the planet for 160 million years. Each dinosaur is brought to life with a fascinating look at its daily habits, diet, habitat, enemies, and much more. Dinasaurs explores the everyday lives of Prosauropods, Fabrosaurids, Stegoraurids, and Pterosaurs, among many others. The clearly written text appeals to older children and general adult readers alike, while the line drawings provide detail skeletal aspects, from skulls to feet to wrist bones. Enter the prehistoric world of dinosaurs with this beautifully hand-illustrated pocket guide to the most fascinating beasts ever to roam the earth. ... Read more

Book Description

Tyrannosaurus Timeline, Stegostories, Funny Boners, DinoMyths & Mythstakes, T-Rex Trivia, Mathosaurus, BIG Footnotes,Apatopendix + index, pop quiz and answers, think tank discussionquestions, glossary, bibliography, word search & more!Texas Dinosaurstells you what kinds, what they were like and where they were.Info aboutmuseums and resources in Texas + for those kids who are reallycaptivated by dinosaurs, there are ideas for careers in a dinosaur-relatedfield.Free teacher's guide gives specific suggestions and instructions onhow to get max educational value from this book.Includes recipe formaking sugar-cookie dinosaur bones to help celebrate your dinosaurstudies!You'll be petrified at how educational all this ultra high interestmaterial can be!No wonder Carole Marsh is one author who CAN competewith tv! ... Read more

Book Description

The Human Fossil Record
Volume one
Terminology and Craniodental Morphology of Genus Homo (Europe)
Jeffrey H. Schwartz
Ian Tattersall

The Human Fossil Record series is the most authoritative and comprehensive documentation of the fossil evidence relevant to the study of our evolutionary past. This first volume covers the craniodental remains from Europe that have been attributed to the genus Homo. Here the authors also clearly define the terminology and descriptive protocol that is applied uniformly throughout the series. Organized alphabetically by site name, each entry includes clear descriptions and original, expertly taken photographs, as well as:

• Morphology
• Location information
• History of discovery
• Previous systematic assessments of the fossils
• Geological, archaeological, and faunal contexts
• Dating
• References to the primary literature

The Human Fossil Record series is truly a must-have reference for anyone seriously interested in the study of human evolution. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Handy Reference Work
"...a handsomely produced volume which will make a handy reference work for paleoanthropologists studying fossil cranial morphology." (American Journal of Human Biology, Vol. 15, No. 5, September/October 2003)

Excellent Resource
I was attracted to the clear photographs and the concise information in this book. This is an excellent reference with a collection of the major finds in Europe. As a student I would read about a find in an article. With this book I was able to quickly look the fossils up. This book allows the reader to either become familiar with certain remains or gain specific information about bone dimensions. Either way, this book will prove to be an important part of any physical anthropologist's library for years to come. It is certainly worth the investment.

BRILLIANT STUDY
An incredible and essential source for all scholars in this field as well as interested lay people.
Presented beautifully.
Shelf life is forever. ... Read more

Book Description

Fit-a-Shapes are better than ever!We've considered bookseller's and parent's constructive suggestions on how to improve our already popular Fit-a-Shape books, and are now relaunching this proven line of activity books for preschoolers in a totally redesigned format.A new, shrink-wrapped storage tray slips right into the front cover, providing a tidy place to store puzzles pieces when play is finished.Each interactive volume incorporates bright, three-dimensional pieces now with softly rounded, child-friendly corners - that fit flush into a matching die-cut shape on each page.Simple, appealing graphics and an activity-oriented concept mean that young children have lots of fun while making decisions, developing dexterity, and learning basic concepts. ... Read more

Book Description

This valuable collection of essays presents and evaluates techniques of body-mass estimation and reviews current and potential applications of body-size estimates in paleobiology. Papers discuss explicitly the errors and biases of various regression techniques and predictor variables, and the identification of functionally similar groups of species for improving the accuracy of estimates. At the same time other chapters review and discuss the physiological, ecological, and behavioral correlates of body size in extant mammals; the significance of body-mass distributions in mammalian faunas; and the ecology and evolution of body size in particular paleofaunas. Coverage is particularly detailed for carnivores, primates, and ungulates, but information is also presented on marsupials, rodents, and proboscideans. ... Read more

Book Description

Winner of the Colbert Award for the best adult book about dinosaurs

Louis Jacobs reopened paleontologists' eyes to the African continent when he uncovered a major fossil site in the hills of Malawi in the 1980s. During five digging seasons in Malawi and three in Cameroon, Jacobs found the remains of two meat-eating theropods, two herbivorous sauropods, an odd crocodile about the size of a Chihuahua, and rare early mammals. Now in paperback,Quest for the African Dinosaurs includes Jacobs' new introduction, which discusses recent developments in paleontological research in Africa.

Reviews (2)

The Crocodile's Nose??
A enterprising editor might have boosted sales of this fine book using a different title.Steve Gould's Panda's Thumbs and Flamingo's Smiles do well.Jacobs' depiction of his search for African dinosaur fossils deserves no less.Along with a fine account of his field work in Malawi and Cameroon, Jacobs' assessment of fossil composition and what it tells us about past life is illuminating.As it happens, the structure of a crocodile's nose tells us whether it lived on land or water.This seemingly dry fact relates to how our own skulls are organized, and why.Deftly woven into his story of seeking dinosaur fossils, tracing the movement of continents over the face of the globe and the status of Malawi's culture in today's world, are the threads of his research.Evolution's had a busy time of it, and Jacobs explains how to read the record of its workings.

Jabobs' travels and observations demolish the image of the austere scientist who cares only for his research and status within his guild.The title isn't "The Dinosaurs of Africa" -he's done that before.Here, he's relating his journey to make those finds, updating information on what he's found.The broader approach means learning of the travails experienced in locating the fossils, what it's like to work a dig, and how he and his team dealt with their host countries.He leaves a valid image of a broadly caring person, untrammeled by his own cultural heritage.Jacobs is adept at bringing the reader into his world.That world has a long time span, with unceasing change the only constant.He traverses millennia more easily than countries.Justly so - there're no border guards at century boundaries.

African dinosaur fossils are elusive in popular science writing.The notoriety given "the Bone Wars" in 19th Century North America have kept interest and funding largely curtailed to that region until recently.Jacobs was among the first to bring the African fossil picture into view.Although finds are being announced from that continent with increasing frequency, few of the scientists have produced a record as readable as Quest for the African dinosaurs.Nor has there come to light other examples of the follow-up in developing local expertise Jacobs has undertaken in Malawi.It's an inspiring story and one of interest far beyond fossil analysis.The final chapter, "The Good of Dinosaurs" demonstrates how a serious scientist can express awareness of his host country and act to improve desperate conditions, even if only marginally."One small step . . . "

As a reissue, this book requires an editor for more than just a title.Jacobs has a propensity for short, choppy sentences, or else some editor has betrayed him.As it stands, many of these random statements break up the idea he's conveying.Perhaps it's a trick to get the reader to review the prior material. Sometimes it works.Fortunately, it doesn't detract from Jacobs efforts to convey a picture of a shifting, changing Mesozoic world and its inhabitants.He covers ground [more than geographical] rarely addressed by others.He's a good read and a valuable human being.More of you should learn about him from this book.[stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

Where's the dinos?
I was really excited to find this book had been rereleased, and grabbed it the minute I saw it. It has a good reputation, and I had liked Jacob's "Lone Star Dinosaurs".Unfortunately, only about half the book is actually about dinosaurs.

A person writing about dinosaurs may have a scientific duty to make the point that dinosaurs were not alone in their world and a moral obligation to discuss the indigenous population if they're describing a dig in a third world country.I can even sympathise with the fact that Jacobs found the giant crocodile and early mammals his expeditions found as fascinating as the dinosaurs but knew that he'd have less of an audience if he didn't push the dinosaurs.But he (or his publishers) should have bitten the bullet and been more honest with the book's title once these other considerations were given as much paper as they were.

That being said, a chapter about Malawisaurus is currently the best source for the general public about Titanosaurid sauropods.As for African dinosaurs in general, this and Phillipe Taquet's interesting "Dinosaur Impressions" are our choices at the moment unless and until we get a book about the turn-of-the-century German expeditions or - more likely - Paul Sereno's recent work.A good, up-to-date work on the dinosaurs of Africa has yet to be written. ... Read more