Best of
Palaeontology

2004

Chased by Sea Monsters: Prehistoric Predators of the Deep


Nigel Marven - 2004
    Following the hugely successful "Walking with Dinosaurs" and Walking with "Prehistoric Beasts," DK dives into the past to swim with prehistoric reptiles and mammals in "Chased by Sea Monsters." Exploring the underwater world where he "encounters" amazing creatures, Nigel Marven presents a unique record of a lost world never revealed before now.

Feathered Dragons: Studies on the Transition from Dinosaurs to Birds


Philip J. Currie - 2004
    With each new small theropod find the ties became stronger, until the discovery of Sinosauropteryx--a dinosaur with feathers! Though not all scientists accept the concept of birds' being phylogenetically nested within the Dinosauria, others are now focusing on the evolution of feathers and avian flight. This book presents 15 new pieces of research, including the first detailed description of Bambiraptor, a remarkable new specimen from Montana.Contributors are Robert T. Bakker, David Burnham, Sankar Chatterjee, Luis M. Chiappe, James M. Clark, Philip J. Currie, Stephen J. Godfrey, Gerald Grellet-Turner, Thomas P. Hopp, Frankie K. Jackson, Peter J. Makovicky, Mark A. Norell, Fernando E. Novas, Mark J. Orsen, Gregory J. Retallack, Dale A. Russell, R. J. Templin, David J. Varricchio, Peter Wellnhofer, and Joanna L. Wright.

Fossil Plants (Living Past)


Paul Kenrick - 2004
    The soft remains rarely fossilized, but sometimes leaves, flowers, and branches would fall into soft mud or be encased by the ash of exploding volcanoes. These plants were preserved and now offer a sampling of life in the distant past and a contrast to our present flora.This complete guide to fossil plants explains both the lives of ancient plants and why certain plants became fossilized. Kenrick and Davies trace the evolution of land plants, ferns, conifers, and their relatives, the flowering plants. Interwoven are snapshots of landscapes and environments of various periods, focusing on plant and animal interactions. The included photographs present these ancient, sometimes delicate, pieces of shale in a unique way, and Kenrick and Davies explain both what they were and what story they tell about the past.