Dinosaurs: A Concise Natural History

Description:

4th revised edition. The ideal textbook for non-science majors, this lively and engaging introduction encourages students to ask questions, assess data critically and think like a scientist. Building on the success of previous editions, Dinosaurs has been thoroughly updated to include new discoveries in the field, such as the toothed bird specimens found in China and recent discoveries of dinosaur soft anatomy. Illustrations by leading paleontological illustrator John Sibbick and new, carefully-chosen photographs, clearly show how dinosaurs looked, lived and their role in Earth history. Making science accessible and relevant through clear explanations and extensive illustrations, the text guides students through the dinosaur groups, emphasizing scientific concepts rather than presenting endless facts. Grounded in the common language of modern evolutionary biology - phylogenetic systematics - students learn to think about dinosaurs the way that professional paleontologists do.

* Unlike other introductory books, Dinosaurs is not a list of facts and figures but instead is concept-based, encouraging students to consider dinosaurs as a series of scientific questions to be answered

* Addresses the paleontology of dinosaurs exactly as the professionals in the field do, using phylogenetic systematic methods to reconstruct dinosaur relationships

* Specially commissioned drawings from acclaimed dinosaur illustrator John Sibbick, which have been updated for this edition to include many of the newest discoveries in dinosaur paleobiology

* High-resolution figures, topic question answers, all new lecture slides and a test bank available for instructors online

* Spectacular, Mesozoic toothed bird discoveries in China are now included with specimen photographs provided by the scientists working on these organisms

* Updated look at the history of the field engages with diversity and introduces an entire generation of young, game-changing paleontologists