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In this fascinating exploration of the fossil record, Niles Eldredge overturns the traditional view of evolution as a slow and inevitable process, and he shows that lifeforms generally do not evolve to any significant degree until after massive extinction. This rhythm of life--a concept developed by Eldredge and Stephen Jay Gould known as punctuated equilibria in evolution-- is revealed by the fossilized remains of the earth's ancient flora and fauna. Distinguished photographer Murray Alcosser augments Eldredge's text with 160 luminous color plates illustrating more than 250 different fossil specimens. In this new paperback edition, Fossils becomes an accessible text with appeal to a broad audience, including natural history readers and students. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Great customer servic
The seller promised fast delivery and thats exactly what I got. I ordered it on Saturday afternoon(my assignment was due the next Thursday) and I had it by Tuesday which gave me two full days with the book. It's very rare to find sellers that are that dependable and I lucked out. Definitely recommend.

A Book for the Rest of Us
Scientists love to write books for other scientists, and overall deplore having to explain their science to the public.Universities work overtime to close their walls to the general public, even going as far as removing their funding from the general scrutiny of the public by catagorizing themselves as "non-constitutional" and in effect keeping themselves out of the public eye.While the general rule for professors is "publish or perish" they tend to attempt to publish in a university press, which is usually a black hole that sucks out lots of money from the university, and is usually funded by grants and endowments and hardly ever from sales - unless those sales are done by making those books "required reading" for University or College students, who can hardly afford another expensive item in their life.

In the introduction to thisbook Steven Jay Gould laments this problem by saying "In one particularly distressing example... scholars often look down their noses at large format books filled with attractive photographs "coffee table books" in the dismissive jargon."Mr. Gould goes on to say, however "I love this book because it embodies such a fine marriage of these tow m odes of our central vision - palpable photographs of matrials things with a distinctive text of life's history."

I couldn't say it better.Frankly, most books like this aren't very good, this one is perfect for someone with my background:a high school eduction, no chance of ever going back to college, and a overbearing curiosity for all things ancient.

Since starting to collect fossils in the Nebraska road side a year ago, my curiosity of fossils has grown tremendously.Thanks to an effort by a few scientists willling to speak of these things in lay terms, I am able to learn more about the collecting and the science of fossils every day.Books like this are useful to maintain the support scholars need to keep their science alive, and I for one am very happy to see this inexpensive effort from a scientist published and available to the general pubic.

A true "coffee table book"
The book indeed has some splendid photographs but the text moves from general to very very specific.A poor attempt to condense all fields of paleontology into a coffee table book.Buy it for the pictures not the text.

A new and exciting look at Earth's earliest hisory.
Fossils are a window into time, revealing unexpected insights into the evolution of the staggering variety of forms that life has taken on our planet. This fascinating exploration of fossils overturns the traditional view of evolution as a slow and inevitable process and shows that lifeforms gernerally do not evolve to any significant degree until massive extinction clears the way for new species. This rhythm of life--stability punctuated by burst of change--is revealed by the fossilized remains of Earth's ancient flora and fauna protrayed in 160 luminous cdolor plates and described in in a vivid style that puts the reader in touch with the most current thinking about the evolution of life and the forces that drive it. ... Read more

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This detailed guide to fossils and palaeontology is intended for keen amateurs, and includes information on techniques and equipment, and on the formation of fossils. A comprehensive identification guide to over 300 different fossils, illustrated in full colour. ... Read more

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The Chesapeake Miocene will always be considered a paleontological treasure. Given the richness and accessibility of the Maryland and Virginia Miocene shell beds, it seems remarkable that very few people have ever described new species from these strata over the past 185 years. Until now. Integrating elements from paleontology, geology, environmental science, and ecology, Molluscan Paleontology of the Chesapeake Miocene assembles previous research and the authors’ experience into a synoptic field guide.

The most complete compendium of Miocene species created since 1904, this long-awaited resource lists nearly 500 species. It contains illustrations of 260 species, including more than 60 not found in any previous book and 26 newly discovered. It describes Chesapeake molluscan faunas in terms of local geology, paleoceanography, and marine paleobiology. Organized by stratigraphic geology, the book covers fossils of the Eastover, St Mary’s, Choptank, and Calvert Formations. It illustrates 24 collecting sites and fossil exposures, showing details of in situ specimens, along with maps of 4 Miocene paleoseas and detailed stratigraphic columns for Maryland and northern Virginia. The text is accompanied by a CD-ROM with color illustrations of the forty known species of ecphora shells. Armed with these, you should be able to identify the species found in the amazingly rich shell beds of the Chesapeake Bay area.

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This beautifully illustrated volume describes the entire flora and fauna of the famous Lower Cretaceous Crato Formation of Brazil - one of the world's most important fossil deposits, exhibiting exceptional preservation. A wide range of invertebrates and vertebrates are covered, including extended sections on pterosaurs and insects. Two chapters are devoted to plants. Many of the chapters include descriptions of new species and re-descriptions and appraisals of taxa published in obscure places, rendering them available to a wider audience. Fossil descriptions are supported by detailed explanations of the geological history of the deposit and its tectonic setting. Drawing on expertise from around the world and specimens from the most important museum collections, this book forms an essential reference for researchers and enthusiasts with an interest in Mesozoic fossils. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Thank Heaven for Fossil Collectors
The Crato fossils are facinating. Whenever I see that a book is a collection of articles by various authors I pause. This volume is an exception, all of the 33 authors have produced high quality sections that flow easily into the other chapters. There are many excellent photos including a whole section of color plates. There is a lot of new information here and it is accessable to most readers. some of the individual descriptions are techinical, but this is to be expected.
Thank heaven that fossil collectors and dealers saved these fossils and got them to people that cared for them. I see that these fossils are often crushed and turned into cement. I think that Brazil should try harder to save the fossils. I see also that the Brazil government makes it illegal for the miners to sell fossils. Perhaps Brazil should have a scientist examine the fossils, put unique ones into a Brazil museum and allow the others to be sold to other museums, schools and collectors. This would be benificial to all parties and create more income for Brazil.
The fossils are found by the thousands and most are not rare. Books like this one should be done on other interesting fossil sites!
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Customer Reviews (2)

classic invertebrate fossil book.
This book is the former standard reference for invertebrate paleontology.It covers all the major groups of inverts in detail with lots of drawings of individual species.It is dated now, with much of the classification for some groups, like trilobites, completely outdated.Still an excellent book, though you might want to invest in more modern material as well.

classic treatise covering the subject
This is a "must-have" reference for both amateur fossil hunters and professional geologists and paleontologists in North America.Covers all major aspects of the subject.Some information a bit dated, especiallythat referring to graptolites and other problematica that have been workedout in the last 30 years or so.Still the best general treatment of thesubject around. ... Read more

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Because of its unique geographic and temporal position, the La Venta badlands in central Columbia hold special significance for understanding the evolution of vertebrate faunas in South America. John Flynn, Curator of Geology at The Field Museum, and other contributors present detailed information and interpretation about the paleobiology and environment of La Venta animals. Includes taxonomic index. ... Read more

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Fabulous Fossils is a timely and significant contribution to evolutionary paleontology. It details humanity s interest and developing understanding of trilobites from the recovery of these fossils at 15,000 year-old Paleolithic sites, to the 18th century appreciation that they were arthropod fossils. This volume details the development of modern trilobite research in Australia and a number of American, European, and Asian countries. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Guide for Fossil Hunters
This is an excellent booklet on fossil hunting.It gives you a background on fossils, tips on where to look for fossils, and the tools that will be needed.The booklet then gives you information on common Illinois fossils via text and pictures.

I would recommend this booklet to anyone interested in fossil hunting. ... Read more

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Discusses career opportunities on the paraprofessional level-jobs within various professions that require less education and training than those with a professional status. ... Read more

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Chapters: Paleontology, Fossil, Punctuated Equilibrium, Trilobite, Quantum Evolution, Tetrapod, Index Fossil, Acritarch, Ammonite, Crinoid, Coccolithophore, Machaerid, Anomalocaridid, Cambrian Explosion, Ediacara Biota, Small Shelly Fauna, Debate About Cambrian Lophotrochozoans, List of Fossil Sites, Labyrinthodontia, Bivalvia, Ammonoidea, Taxonomy of Commonly Fossilised Invertebrates, Living Fossil, Transitional Fossil, Palynology, History of Invertebrate Paleozoology, Fossil Collecting, Diatomaceous Earth, Invertebrate Paleontology, Geologic Record, Lagerstätte, Petrified Wood, Micropaleontology, Al 333, List of U.s. State Fossils, Discredited Hypotheses for the Cambrian Explosion, Biostratigraphy, Permineralization, Megabalanus, Beecher's Trilobite Type Preservation, Stegocephalia, Signor-lipps Effect, Biretia, Fossil Cabin, Hurdia, Transfer Technique, Phosphatic Fossilization, Palynofacies, Bone Bed, Nummulite, Allotrioceras, Prehistoric Insects, Submerged Forest, Scolecodonts, Macrofossil, Fern Spike, Pygidium, Fossil Collecting Code, Eozoon Canadense, Subfossil, Petrifaction, List of Fossils, Compression Fossil, Faunal Assemblage, Cryptospores, Doritites Bosniackii, Tricuspes, Paracrinoid, Ramonalinidae, Fossil Park, Fossil Wood, Calcimicrobe, Culoptila Aguilerai, Heterastridium, Carbonaceous Film, Heuweltjie, Derived Fossil, Indian Bead, Driftwood Canyon Provincial Park, Copaline, Ichthyolith, Carpolite, Didymograptus. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 475. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: The Cambrian explosion or Cambrian radiation was the relatively rapid appearance, over a period of many million years, of most major groups of complex animals around , as found in the fossil record. This was accompanied by a major diversification of other organisms, including animals, phy...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=19349161 ... Read more

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History of Paleontology. Paleontology, Palaeotherium, Fossil, Transitional fossil, Cretaceous, Ordovician, Cambrian explosion, Principle of faunal succession, Mary Anning, William Buckland, Gideon Mantell, William Lonsdale, Charles Doolittle Walcott, Simon Conway Morris, Martin Glaessner, Bone Wars, Geologic time scale ... Read more

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Unit Overview
Students will learn about paleontology, the study of fossils and ancient life forms.
This units covers geologic time and the different plants and animals that lived in
the ancient past, as well as why they are important to study and preserve.
Students will come along on a radio broadcast of a real life expedition to
Aniakchak National Monument in Alaska where the ancient footprint of a
hadrosaur was recently discovered.

This unit is designed for grades 5-9, although many of the activities can be
adapted for both younger and older grades. Check out "Teaching Paleontology
in the National Parks", for second and third graders. ... Read more