The Story of Life in 25 Fossils : Tales of Intrepid Fossil Hunters and the Wonders of Evolution.
Material type:
- text
- computer
- online resource
- 9780231539425
- 560
- QE723 .P76 2015
Intro -- Table of Contents -- Preface -- Acknowledgments -- 1. Planet of the Scum: The First Fossils (Cryptozoon) -- 2. Garden of Ediacara: The First Multicellular Life (Charnia) -- 3. "Little Shellies": The First Shells (Cloudina) -- 4. Oh, Give Me a Home, When the Trilobites Roamed: The First Large Shelled Animals (Olenellus) -- 5. Is It a Worm or an Arthropod? The Origin of Arthropods (Hallucigenia) -- 6. Is It a Worm or a Mollusc? The Origin of Molluscs (Pilina) -- 7. Growing from the Sea: The Origin of Land Plants (Cooksonia) -- 8. A Fishy Tale: The Origin of Vertebrates (Haikouichthys) -- 9. Mega-Jaws: The Largest Fish (Carcharocles) -- 10. Fish out of Water: The Origin of Amphibians (Tiktaalik) -- 11. "Frogamander": The Origin of Frogs (Gerobatrachus) -- 12. Turtle on the Half-Shell: The Origin of Turtles (Odontochelys) -- 13. Walking Serpents: The Origin of Snakes (Haasiophis) -- 14. King of the Fish-Lizards: The Largest Marine Reptile (Shonisaurus) -- 15. Terror of the Seas: The Largest Sea Monster (Kronosaurus) -- 16. Monster Flesh-Eater: The Largest Predator (Giganotosaurus) -- 17. Land of the Giants: The Largest Land Animal (Argentinosaurus) -- 18. A Feather in Stone: The First Bird (Archaeopteryx) -- 19. Not Quite a Mammal: The Origin of Mammals (Thrinaxodon) -- 20. Walking Into the Water: The Origin of Whales (Ambulocetus) -- 21. Walking Manatees: The Origin of Sirenians (Pezosiren) -- 22. Dawn Horses: The Origin of Horses (Eohippus) -- 23. Rhinoceros Giants: The Largest Land Mammal (Paraceratherium) -- 24. The Ape's Reflection? The Oldest Human Fossil (Sahelanthropus) -- 25. Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds: The Oldest Human Skeleton (Australopithecus afarensis) -- Appendix: The Best Natural History Museums -- Index.
Every fossil tells a story. Best-selling paleontology author Donald R. Prothero describes twenty-five famous fossils in a gripping scientific history. Recounting the adventures behind the discovery of these objects and interpreting their significance within the larger fossil record, Prothero creates a riveting history of life on our planet.
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Electronic reproduction. Ann Arbor, Michigan : ProQuest Ebook Central, 2024. Available via World Wide Web. Access may be limited to ProQuest Ebook Central affiliated libraries.
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