Unlike most books on climate change, this one examines the current trends in climate--and predictions for the future--relative to similar events in Earth's history. This history paints a picture of repeated cataclysms in which most life on Earth was lost. However, our planet now hosts a species potentially capable of mitigating, regulating, and/or moderating the factors affecting global climate. According to widely accepted data, we have a narrowing window of time to make the necessary changes before we become just another name on a long list of species wiped out through climate catastrophes. Trexler, a paleontologist in Montana, makes powerful and specific suggestions for how the challenges facing our planet can be lessened or avoided.
"THE ULTIMATE DINOSAUR BIOGRAPHY," hails Scientific American: A thrilling new history of the age of dinosaurs, from one of our finest young scientists. "A masterpiece of science writing." —Washington Post A New York Times Bestseller • Goodreads Choice Awards Winner • A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: Smithsonian, Science Friday, The Times (London), Popular Mechanics, Science News "This is scientific storytelling at its most visceral, striding with the beasts through their Triassic dawn, Jurassic dominance, and abrupt demise in the Cretaceous." —Nature The dinosaurs. Sixty-six million years ago, the Earth’s most fearsome creatures vanished. Today they remain one of our planet’s great mysteries. Now The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs reveals their extraordinary, 200-million-year-long story as never before. In this captivating narrative (enlivened with more than seventy original illustrations and photographs), Steve Brusatte, a young American paleontologist who has emerged as one of the foremost stars of the field—naming fifteen new species and leading groundbreaking scientific studies and fieldwork—masterfully tells the complete, surprising, and new history of the dinosaurs, drawing on cutting-edge science to dramatically bring to life their lost world and illuminate their enigmatic origins, spectacular flourishing, astonishing diversity, cataclysmic extinction, and startling living legacy. Captivating and revelatory, The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs is a book for the ages. Brusatte traces the evolution of dinosaurs from their inauspicious start as small shadow dwellers—themselves the beneficiaries of a mass extinction caused by volcanic eruptions at the beginning of the Triassic period—into the dominant array of species every wide-eyed child memorizes today, T. rex, Triceratops, Brontosaurus, and more. This gifted scientist and writer re-creates the dinosaurs’ peak during the Jurassic and Cretaceous, when thousands of species thrived, and winged and feathered dinosaurs, the prehistoric ancestors of modern birds, emerged. The story continues to the end of the Cretaceous period, when a giant asteroid or comet struck the planet and nearly every dinosaur species (but not all) died out, in the most extraordinary extinction event in earth’s history, one full of lessons for today as we confront a “sixth extinction.” Brusatte also recalls compelling stories from his globe-trotting expeditions during one of the most exciting eras in dinosaur research—which he calls “a new golden age of discovery”—and offers thrilling accounts of some of the remarkable findings he and his colleagues have made, including primitive human-sized tyrannosaurs; monstrous carnivores even larger than T. rex; and paradigm-shifting feathered raptors from China. An electrifying scientific history that unearths the dinosaurs’ epic saga, The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs will be a definitive and treasured account for decades to come. Includes 75 images, world maps of the prehistoric earth, and a dinosaur family tree.
Renowned paleontologist Robert T. Bakker and award-winning paleoartist Luis V. Rey combine forces in this oversized picture book about the evolution of dinosaurs. From the conquest of land by dino ancestor Acanthostega during the Devonian Period, through the mass die-off of dinosaurs at the end of the Cretaceous Period, Bakker and Rey take readers on a safari through time while paying subtle homage to the 1960 Giant Golden Book Dinosaurs and Other Prehistoric Reptiles that inspired them both as young dinophiles. With stops along the way to look at monster bugs, ferocious fin-backs, fluffy dinosaurs, sea monsters and the 12-year-old girl who discovered them, dinosaur orchestras, tickling tyrannosaurs, and much, much more, this is a journey readers will never forget. It's a perfect gift for young dinosaur lovers as well as adult fans of Dr. Bakker and Luis Rey!"
This big book of 96 info-packed pages introduces young readers to all the key science and facts about dinosaurs in a fun question and answer format. The book's wide-ranging Q&As include: How did dinosaurs become fossils? What happens at a dinosaur dig? Who invented the word "dinosaur"? Were dinosaurs striped and feathery? Which dinosaur's bite was the most powerful? Did dino poops become fossils? What sounds did dinosaurs make? Did dinosaurs build nests? And what happened to the dinosaurs? - Perfect for early elementary earth science projects about fossils - Detailed diagrams show how fossils formed - Shows paleontologists and other scientists at work - Packed with photos and high-quality 3D digital illustrations - Close picture and text match with lots of labels - Carefully-leveled text for newly fluent readers - Key content vocabulary with helpful phonetic pronunciations - Includes a glossary and comprehension quiz This high-interest topic is perfect for introducing students to non-fiction reading. And the fantastic imagery and quantity of information will have kids returning to the book again and again, making it a valuable resource for classrooms and libraries.
“Takes readers on illuminating scientific adventure, beginning sixty-six million years ago, that connects dinosaurs, comets, DNA, and the future of the planet.” —Huffington Post In this brilliant exploration of our cosmic environment, the renowned particle physicist and New York Times–bestselling author of Warped Passages and Knocking on Heaven’s Door uses her research into dark matter to illuminate the startling connections between the furthest reaches of space and life here on Earth. Sixty-six million years ago, an object the size of a city descended from space to crash into Earth, creating a devastating cataclysm that killed off the dinosaurs, along with three-quarters of the other species on the planet. What was its origin? In Dark Matter and the Dinosaurs, Lisa Randall proposes it was a comet that was dislodged from its orbit as the Solar System passed through a disk of dark matter embedded in the Milky Way. In a sense, it might have been dark matter that killed the dinosaurs. Working through the background and consequences of this proposal, Randall shares with us the latest findings—established and speculative—regarding the nature and role of dark matter and the origin of the Universe, our galaxy, our Solar System, and life, along with the process by which scientists explore new concepts. In Dark Matter and the Dinosaurs, Randall tells a breathtaking story that weaves together the cosmos’ history and our own, illuminating the deep relationships that are critical to our world and the astonishing beauty inherent in the most familiar things. “Randall has woven a beautiful account of how life on Earth is intimately connected to the cosmos.” —The Daily Telegraph (UK)
A kid’s guide to amazing feats of memorization with “a variety of engaging memory exercises [and] methods for all different types of learners.” —Kirkus Reviews Nelson Dellis, the four-time USA Memory Champion, reveals the secrets to his phenomenal ability to remember almost anything. From presidents to state capitals, from mathematical theorems to the periodic table, kids have so much to remember for school! This incredibly helpful book is structured as an entertaining and fantastical narrative in which the author guides the reader as they attempt to climb Mount Foreverest. Up there, the goal is to defeat the Memory Thief, a villain plotting to steal everyone’s memories. On the journey, while encountering pirates, forest dwarves, and mummies, you’ll also find tools and tricks to remember the US presidents in order, foreign word meanings, countries and capitals, the periodic table, long numbers, and multiplication tables. These easily understandable exercises can help build skills to remember any kinds of words, lists, numbers, or concepts. Whether you’re trying to become a better student or just want to amaze friends and family, Memory Superpowers! is one unforgettable book. “[Steph] Stilwell’s bright illustrations accompany this book that’s full of useful tips that will help students enjoy learning to study better.” ?Booklist
From ancient Egypt to medieval jousts, from office jobs to grocery shopping, one boy reimagines the modern world with dinosaurs in hiding. This fun, light read will tickle readers’ funny bones while subtly introducing themes of conservation and stewardship, inspiring children to question the world around them.
This textbook introduces research on dinosaurs by describing the science behind how we know what we know about dinosaurs. A wide range of topics is covered, from fossils and taphonomy to dinosaur physiology, evolution, and extinction. In addition, sedimentology, paleo-tectonics, and non-dinosaurian Mesozoic life are discussed. There is a special opportunity to capitalize on the enthusiasm for dinosaurs that students bring to classrooms to foster a deeper engagement in all sciences. Students are encouraged to synthesize information, employ critical thinking, construct hypotheses, devise methods to test these hypotheses, and come to new defensible conclusions, just as paleontologists do. Key Features Clear and easy to read dinosaur text with well-defined terminology Over 600 images and diagrams to illustrate concepts and aid learning Reading objectives for each chapter section to guide conceptual learning and encourage active reading Companion website (teachingdinosaurs.com) that includes supporting materials such as in-class activities, question banks, lists of suggested specimens, and more to encourage student participation and active learning Ending each chapter with a specific "What We Don’t Know" section to encourage student curiosity Related Titles Singer, R. Encyclopedia of Paleontology (ISBN 978-1-884964-96-1) Fiorillo, A. R. Alaska Dinosaurs: An Ancient Arctic World (ISBN 978-1-138-06087-6) Caldwell, M. W. The Origin of Snakes: Morphology and the Fossil Record (ISBN 978-1-4822-5134-0)
