Dinosaurs are usually pictured in warm, tropical environments, but fossils found at the poles are filling in the gap of knowledge about how and where these creatures lived. Evidence from bones and teeth to trackways and skin impressions raises important questions: How did dinosaurs cope with three months of total darkness in winter? What plants grew in the polar regions? How cold was it? What are the implications for today, as glaciers retreat, ice shelves melt, and permafrost thaws? The polar regions are a unique "library" of the past, and Caroline Arnold introduces readers to the gigantic prehistoric creatures that inhabited them.
Donald R. Prothero's science books combine leading research with first-person narratives of discovery, injecting warmth and familiarity into a profession that has much to offer nonspecialists. Bringing his trademark style and wit to an increasingly relevant subject of concern, Prothero links the climate changes that have occurred over the past 200 million years to their effects on plants and animals. In particular, he contrasts the extinctions that ended the Cretaceous period, which wiped out the dinosaurs, with those of the later Eocene and Oligocene epochs. Prothero begins with the "greenhouse of the dinosaurs," the global-warming episode that dominated the Age of Dinosaurs and the early Age of Mammals. He describes the remarkable creatures that once populated the earth and draws on his experiences collecting fossils in the Big Badlands of South Dakota to sketch their world. Prothero then discusses the growth of the first Antarctic glaciers, which marked the Eocene-Oligocene transition, and shares his own anecdotes of excavations and controversies among colleagues that have shaped our understanding of the contemporary and prehistoric world. The volume concludes with observations about Nisqually Glacier and other locations that show how global warming is happening much quicker than previously predicted, irrevocably changing the balance of the earth's thermostat. Engaging scientists and general readers alike, Greenhouse of the Dinosaurs connects events across thousands of millennia to make clear the human threat to natural climate change.
A fascinating study of the thousands of new animal species that walked in the footsteps of the dinosaurs—and the climate changes that brought them forth. The fascinating group of animals called dinosaurs became extinct some 65 million years ago (except for their feathered descendants). In their place evolved an enormous variety of land creatures, especially mammals, which in their way were every bit as remarkable as their Mesozoic cousins. The Age of Mammals, the Cenozoic Era, has never had its Jurassic Park, but it was an amazing time in earth’s history, populated by a wonderful assortment of bizarre animals. The rapid evolution of thousands of species of mammals brought forth many incredible creatures―including our own ancestors. Their story is part of a larger story of new life emerging from the greenhouse conditions of the Mesozoic, warming up dramatically about 55 million years ago, and then cooling rapidly so that 33 million years ago the glacial ice returned. The earth’s vegetation went through equally dramatic changes, from tropical jungles in Montana and forests at the poles. Life in the sea underwent striking evolution reflecting global climate change, including the emergence of such creatures as giant sharks, seals, sea lions, dolphins, and whales. Engaging and insightful, After the Dinosaurs is a book for everyone who has an abiding fascination with the remarkable life of the past.
"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
"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.
What can long-dead dinosaurs teach us about our future? Plenty, according to paleontologist Kenneth Lacovara, who has discovered some of the largest creatures to ever walk the Earth. By tapping into the ubiquitous wonder that dinosaurs inspire, Lacovara weaves together the stories of our geological awakening, of humanity’s epic struggle to understand the nature of deep time, the meaning of fossils, and our own place on the vast and bountiful tree of life. Go on a journey––back to when dinosaurs ruled the Earth––to discover how dinosaurs achieved feats unparalleled by any other group of animals. Learn the secrets of how paleontologists find fossils, and explore quirky, but profound questions, such as: Is a penguin a dinosaur? And, how are the tiny arms of T. rex the key to its power and ferocity? In this revealing book, Lacovara offers the latest ideas about the shocking and calamitous death of the dinosaurs and ties their vulnerabilities to our own. Why Dinosaurs Matter is compelling and engaging—a great reminder that our place on this planet is both precarious and potentially fleeting. “As we move into an uncertain environmental future, it has never been more important to understand the past.”
Travel back in time to the Ice Age in this installment of the hit nonfiction graphic novel series about prehistoric Earth! After the dinosaurs died out, Earth was by no means empty. There were still some little resourceful critters around who, without big predators to hunt them down, survived and thrived. Who were these scrappy creatures? Early mammals, our ancestors! In the Cenozoic Era, mammals rose to dominance and spread over the globe, resulting in woolly mammoths, saber-toothed tigers, and eventually all of humankind. In this adventure, readers will meet the three kinds of mammals—monotremes, marsupials, and placental mammals—as well as the other amazing ancient beasts they shared the Earth with during the Cenozoic Era. Travel along on this fascinating journey through time, from 66 million years ago to present day. Want more adventures in prehistoric Earth? Check out the other books in the Earth Before Us series: Dinosaur Empire! and Ocean Renegades!
"The Dinosaur Delusion" effectively refutes the erroneous concept that dinosaurs lived millions of years before humans. In this 244 page book, the authors masterfully weave the scientific and historical evidence into the Biblical model of creation, showing that true science does not contradict an accurate reading of the Bible.
Introduction: The scary animals that used to roam the Earth were called dinosaurs, and we have always been fascinated by them. There were millions of these amazing animals living on Earth for millions of years. As the temperature changed, so did the number of these animals. The dinosaur story is a demonstration of how diverse and adaptable our world is, and it is told through the lens of that diversity and adaptability. For about 180 million years, dinosaurs lived and did well in a lot of different places, from wet tropical jungles to dry deserts, and from the poles to the equator. Their amazing ability to live for such a long time shows that they can adapt to constantly changing environments, making them some of the most successful people on Earth. Changes in climate factors like temperature, rainfall, and the make-up of the air had a big effect on how dinosaurs evolved and died out, so the connection between dinosaurs and the climate was very important. Figuring out this difficult connection can help us understand how climate may have affected life on Earth in the past and how it might affect life in the uncertain future that lies ahead because of the problems caused by climate change right now. During their long lives, dinosaurs changed to take on many different roles in the environment. There are a lot of different kinds of dinosaurs, from big, long-necked sauropods to fast, meat-eating raptors. This shows that dinosaurs were able to adapt to their surroundings and weather changing. Because they were so flexible, they could eat a lot of different things. For example, they could graze on ferns and conifers and hunt smaller dinosaurs and other animals. Their ability to adapt to changing environmental conditions and ecological processes is shown by this change. One of the most important ways that the temperature affected dinosaurs was by changing the types of plants that lived there. During the Mesozoic Era, which is also known as the "dinosaur era," temperature had a big impact on the types of plants that lived on Earth. In turn, dinosaurs changed the kinds of plants that lived and thrived on Earth. Herbivorous dinosaurs had plenty of food when the climate was hot because most of the world was covered in lush plants. It's also possible that when temperatures were lower or conditions were drier, there were fewer types of plants, making it harder for these huge snakes to find food. The way that climate, plants, and dinosaurs changed over time shows how closely these extinct animals were connected to the Earth's environment. When the locations of fossils are studied, it becomes even more clear how weather affected the range and variety of dinosaurs. Except for Africa, fossils of dinosaurs have been found on every continent except Antarctica. Dinosaurs may have been able to survive in a wide range of climates and environments because they lived in many places. Antarctica, which was once a part of the supercontinent Gondwana, is a well-known example of how weather patterns have changed greatly over geological time. Recent discoveries of dinosaur bones in places that are now covered in ice and very cold serves as a sobering warning of how the Earth's climate is changing. The K-T extinction, which happened about 66 million years ago, may have been the most important event in the history of dinosaurs and climate. About 66 million years ago, this happened. Many species, including all dinosaurs that were not birds, went extinct because of this terrible event, which is usually thought to have been caused by an asteroid or comet hitting Earth. Unfortunately, the impact had terrible effects on the environment almost right away. Many species died out because of big fires, the "nuclear winter" effect from the dust and debris that they sent into the air, and the changes in the temperature that followed. The K-T extinction event is a somber warning of what could happen when climate change happens quickly and badly. What it shows is that even the most popular and well-known species can go extinct when their habitat changes drastically. The dinosaurs' extinction was a sad part of Earth's past, but it was also an important step in the evolution of mammals that made it possible for humans to appear. After the K–T extinction event, there were more types of mammals, and new species took over the natural roles that dinosaurs used to play. Because of this change, the Earth's biosphere and temperature went through huge changes. As warm-blooded animals, mammals had different energy needs and ways of interacting with their environments than their reptile ancestors. What came after the dinosaurs on Earth was formed in part by their effects on plant groups, their eating of smaller animals, and their ability to adapt to changing weather. The emergence of mammals after the dinosaurs' demise shows a process called "ecological succession," in which the species that live in an environment change over time. This shows how ecosystems can recover and change in response to big changes in climate and species makeup. This is a process that is very important for helping us understand how climate change affects ecosystems right now. A recap of what happened in the history. The history of dinosaurs, which were beautiful animals that lived on Earth in the past, is an interesting part of our planet's history. Earth was run by these amazing creatures during the Mesozoic Era. They had a lasting effect on the climate and ecosystems of the Earth. During the Mesozoic era, they were in charge for millions of years. It was impossible to separate their rise and fall from the earth's constantly changing climate, which taught us a lot about how to adapt to new environments. The weather in the Mesozoic Era was always changing, but dinosaurs were able to respond very well, even though they were much smaller and weaker than humans. They lived through times of extreme heat, when tropical temperatures reached arctic areas, as well as times when it cooled down and became drier. They also had to deal with very bad weather conditions caused by climate change. This ability to adjust shows how determined they were and how important it is to be able to deal with the problems caused by the current climate. Dinosaurs not only lived, but they also made the places where they lived better places to live. The way they interacted with plants and other animals was very important for keeping the ecosystem in balance. Herbivore populations were kept in check by carnivorous dinosaurs, which stopped overgrazing and ecosystem loss. The way herbivorous dinosaurs grazed affected plant communities, while predatory dinosaurs-controlled herbivore numbers. These complicated links show how important it is to protect biodiversity and learn about how species are linked in today's ecosystems. The K-T extinction event, which happened around 66 million years ago, was a sad turning point in the history of dinosaurs. Together, this terrible event and the impact of a huge rock or comet wiped out about 75% of the species on Earth. This included all dinosaurs that were not birds. On the other hand, it caused a big change in the Earth's temperature, which gave animals new chances to spread and adapt to different environments. The temperature on Earth has changed a lot because of this evolutionary change in the main animals that live on land. The demise of the dinosaurs is a good example of how unpredictable climate-changing events can be and how important it is to be ready for them and come up with ways to lessen their effects. Because these kinds of disasters are possible, we need to be more careful than ever to protect our world and the people who live on it. When the dinosaurs died out, mammals took their place as the most important animals. Their presence led to ecosystem diversification and big changes. This change put more attention on how species are linked and had a big effect on weather patterns. It also brought attention to how important biodiversity is for changing the Earth's temperature and its capacity to respond to it. There are important lessons we can learn from the past of dinosaurs right now, when people are trying to solve the big problems caused by climate change. Their ability to adjust, their role in maintaining ecological balance, and the lessons we can learn from their extinction can help us protect biodiversity, see how ecological systems are linked, and be better ready for climate disasters that we can't predict. By doing this, we not only honor the legacies of these historical giants, but we also make sure that the stories of these ancient people will continue to motivate and guide our efforts to solve the climate problem we are currently facing.
"Inspired by the spectacular discoveries of the past two decades from the Age of Reptiles in China, Riddle of the Feathered Dragons explores how these miraculous fossils have transformed the contentious arena of bird and dinosaur evolution. Aside from being the most comprehensive discussion of these avian and associated discoveries, the author delves into the world of investigative journalism to expose the darker side of the world of fossil birds and dinosaurs. The book exposes the massive unfounded speculation that has characterized the field of vertebrate paleontology and published extensively in the world's most prestigious journals, including everything from supposed dinosaur protein to so-called feathered dinosaurs. The book questions the validity of the foundational tenets of the now "unquestionable orthodoxy" of bird and dinosaur evolution, including bird origins, feathered dinosaurs, flight origin from the ground-up and hot-blooded dinosaurs and their proteins. It exposes how speculation has gone far beyond the ability of the currently available evidence to yield answers. The author concludes that birds are best defined by a more traditional definition of the possession of feathers and avian flight architecture, that the so-called "feathered dinosaurs" are most likely derived avians, and that flight clearly originated from the trees-down, from ancestors that antedated the dinosaurs, rather than a direct linear descent"--
