Fantastic Fossils: A Guide to Finding and Identifying Prehistoric Life

Nothing fills us with a sense of wonder like fossils. What looksat first like a simple rock is in fact a clue that reveals thestaggering diversity of ancient environments, the winding pathwaysof evolution, and the majesty of a vanished earth. But as much asone might daydream of digging a hole in the backyard and finding aTyrannosaurus, only a few places contain these buriedtreasures, and when a scientist comes across a remnant ofprehistoric life, great care must be taken. What do buddingpaleontologists need to know before starting their search?In Fantastic Fossils, Donald R. Prothero offers anaccessible, entertaining, and richly illustrated guide to thepaleontologist's journey. He details the best places to look forfossils, the art of how to find them, and how to classify the majortypes. Prothero provides expert wisdom about typical fossils thatan average person can hope to collect and how to hunt fossilsresponsibly and ethically. He also explores the lessons that commonand rarer discoveries offer about paleontology and its history, aswell as what fossils tell us about past climates and presentclimate change. Captivating illustrations by the paleoartist MaryPersis Williams bring to life hundreds of important specimens.Offering valuable lessons for armchair enthusiasts and paleontologystudents alike, Fantastic Fossils is an essentialcompanion for all readers who have ever dreamed of going in searchof traces of a lost world.