The Paleobiological Revolution

Author : David Sepkoski,Michael Ruse
Publisher : University of Chicago Press
Page : 581 pages
File Size : 54,6 Mb
Release : 2015-03-04
Category : Science
ISBN : 9780226275710

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The Paleobiological Revolution by David Sepkoski,Michael Ruse Pdf

The Paleobiological Revolution chronicles the incredible ascendance of the once-maligned science of paleontology to the vanguard of a field. With the establishment of the modern synthesis in the 1940s and the pioneering work of George Gaylord Simpson, Ernst Mayr, and Theodosius Dobzhansky, as well as the subsequent efforts of Stephen Jay Gould, David Raup, and James Valentine, paleontology became embedded in biology and emerged as paleobiology, a first-rate discipline central to evolutionary studies. Pairing contributions from some of the leading actors of the transformation with overviews from historians and philosophers of science, the essays here capture the excitement of the seismic changes in the discipline. In so doing, David Sepkoski and Michael Ruse harness the energy of the past to call for further study of the conceptual development of modern paleobiology.

Author : David Sepkoski
Publisher : University of Chicago Press
Page : 441 pages
File Size : 48,6 Mb
Release : 2012-03-19
Category : Science
ISBN : 9780226748580

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Rereading the Fossil Record by David Sepkoski Pdf

Rereading the Fossil Record presents the first-ever historical account of the origin, rise, and importance of paleobiology, from the mid-nineteenth century to the late 1980s. Drawing on a wealth of archival material, David Sepkoski shows how the movement was conceived and promoted by a small but influential group of paleontologists and examines the intellectual, disciplinary, and political dynamics involved in the ascendency of paleobiology. By tracing the role of computer technology, large databases, and quantitative analytical methods in the emergence of paleobiology, this book also offers insight into the growing prominence and centrality of data-driven approaches in recent science.

Author : Derek Turner
Publisher : Cambridge University Press
Page : 241 pages
File Size : 49,8 Mb
Release : 2011-04-28
Category : Science
ISBN : 9781139497787

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Paleontology by Derek Turner Pdf

In the wake of the paleobiological revolution of the 1970s and 1980s, paleontologists continue to investigate far-reaching questions about how evolution works. Many of those questions have a philosophical dimension. How is macroevolution related to evolutionary changes within populations? Is evolutionary history contingent? How much can we know about the causes of evolutionary trends? How do paleontologists read the patterns in the fossil record to learn about the underlying evolutionary processes? Derek Turner explores these and other questions, introducing the reader to exciting recent work in the philosophy of paleontology and to theoretical issues including punctuated equilibria and species selection. He also critically examines some of the major accomplishments and arguments of paleontologists of the last 40 years.

Author : Michael J. Benton
Publisher : Thames & Hudson
Page : 352 pages
File Size : 51,8 Mb
Release : 2019-06-11
Category : Science
ISBN : 9780500774694

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Dinosaurs Rediscovered: The Scientific Revolution in Paleontology by Michael J. Benton Pdf

In this fascinating and accessible overview, renowned paleontologist Michael J. Benton reveals how our understanding of dinosaurs is being transformed by recent fossil finds and new technology. Over the past twenty years, the study of dinosaurs has transformed into a true scientific discipline. New technologies have revealed secrets locked in prehistoric bones that no one could have previously predicted. We can now work out the color of dinosaurs, the force of their bite, their top speeds, and even how they cared for their young. Remarkable new fossil discoveries—giant sauropod dinosaur skeletons in Patagonia, dinosaurs with feathers in China, and a tiny dinosaur tail in Burmese amber—remain the lifeblood of modern paleobiology. Thanks to advances in technologies and methods, however, there has been a recent revolution in the scope of new information gleaned from such fossil finds. In Dinosaurs Rediscovered, leading paleontologist Michael J. Benton gathers together all the latest paleontological evidence, tracing the transformation of dinosaur study from its roots in antiquated natural history to an indisputably scientific field. Among other things, the book explores how dinosaur remains are found and excavated, and especially how paleontologists read the details of dinosaurs’ lives from their fossils—their colors, their growth, and even whether we will ever be able to bring them back to life. Benton’s account shows that, though extinct, dinosaurs are still very much a part of our world.

Author : Ken McNamara
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 304 pages
File Size : 55,7 Mb
Release : 2007
Category : Evolutionary paleobiology
ISBN : OCLC:1193407219

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The Evolution Revolution by Ken McNamara Pdf

Author : Donald R. Prothero
Publisher : Columbia University Press
Page : 689 pages
File Size : 40,7 Mb
Release : 2013-11-05
Category : Science
ISBN : 9780231536905

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Bringing Fossils to Life by Donald R. Prothero Pdf

One of the leading textbooks in its field, Bringing Fossils to Life applies paleobiological principles to the fossil record while detailing the evolutionary history of major plant and animal phyla. It incorporates current research from biology, ecology, and population genetics, bridging the gap between purely theoretical paleobiological textbooks and those that describe only invertebrate paleobiology and that emphasize cataloguing live organisms instead of dead objects. For this third edition Donald R. Prothero has revised the art and research throughout, expanding the coverage of invertebrates and adding a discussion of new methodologies and a chapter on the origin and early evolution of life.

Author : Long
Publisher : Melbourne Univ. Publishing
Page : 302 pages
File Size : 42,6 Mb
Release : 2013-05-24
Category : Social Science
ISBN : 9780522863925

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The Evolution Revolution by Long Pdf

3.8 billion years ago life evolved. 540 million years ago came the first complex animals. 380 million years ago fish had evolved fins with arm bones that humans have today. So are humans a case study for or against evolution? The Evolution Revolution takes you on a rollicking ride through the past 3.8 billion years of life on Earth exploring the complex and often controversial issue of evolution. Join two of Australia's most accomplished popular science writers, palaeontologists Ken McNamara and John Long, on field trips that unearth some of the world's most significant fossils, from microbes to mighty mammals, including the feathered dinosaurs that make the link between reptiles and birds. The authors take us through the dramatic transition from fins to limbs, how the first insects flew, why dinosaurs got so big and how life has evolved into nearly every nook and cranny on Earth. The major fossil discoveries of the past decade they have documented comprehensively debunk the notion of intelligent design. Like it or not, along with dinosaurs, donkeys and dahlias we too came from bacteria that swam in the primordial soup. Impeccably researched, remarkably readable and punctuated with good humour, The Evolution Revolution puts a human face on the enterprise of palaeontology. It is essential reading for anyone interested in fossils and the big events in life history.

Author : Sergio F. Vizcaíno,M. Susana Bargo,Guillermo H. Cassini,Néstor Toledo,Gerardo De Iuliis
Publisher : Indiana University Press
Page : 313 pages
File Size : 41,6 Mb
Release : 2024
Category : Nature
ISBN : 9780253070487

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Vertebrate Paleobiology by Sergio F. Vizcaíno,M. Susana Bargo,Guillermo H. Cassini,Néstor Toledo,Gerardo De Iuliis Pdf

An essential introduction to the paleobiology of animal body size, locomotion, and feeding. Paleobiology is the branch of evolutionary biology involved in the reconstruction of the life histories of extinct organisms. It answers the questions, How do we use fossils to reconstruct the size of prehistoric animals, and How did they move and feed? Drawing on a rich inventory of South American Miocene fossils, Vertebrate Paleobiology: A Form and Function Approach examines different aspects of functional morphology and how they are tested by paleontologists, anatomists, and zoologists. Beginning with a review of various methodologies to interpret fossils, the authors turn to the main concepts important to functional morphology and give examples of each. They conclude by showing how functional morphology enables a dynamic, broadscale reconstruction of the life of prehistoric animals during the South American Miocene. Originally published in Spanish, Vertebrate Paleobiology: A Form and Function Approach provides a broad sweep of recent developments, including theoretical and practical techniques, applied to the study of extinct vertebrates.

Author : David Sepkoski
Publisher : University of Chicago Press
Page : 441 pages
File Size : 41,8 Mb
Release : 2015-03-05
Category : Science
ISBN : 9780226272948

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Rereading the Fossil Record by David Sepkoski Pdf

Rereading the Fossil Record presents the first-ever historical account of the origin, rise, and importance of paleobiology, from the mid-nineteenth century to the late 1980s. Drawing on a wealth of archival material, David Sepkoski shows how the movement was conceived and promoted by a small but influential group of paleontologists and examines the intellectual, disciplinary, and political dynamics involved in the ascendency of paleobiology. By tracing the role of computer technology, large databases, and quantitative analytical methods in the emergence of paleobiology, this book also offers insight into the growing prominence and centrality of data-driven approaches in recent science.

Author : Ken McNamara,John Long
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 316 pages
File Size : 41,7 Mb
Release : 1998-10-22
Category : Science
ISBN : UVA:X004159292

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The Evolution Revolution by Ken McNamara,John Long Pdf

In the last two decades the study of fossils has come of age, taking a central role in the formulation of ideas on evolution. The unravelling of the fossil record by continual new discoveries has played a major role in stimulating new ideas on patterns and rates of evolution, and on our understanding of the underlying processes and mechanisms of evolution. The Twentieth Century has seen an extraordinary increase in the rate and the range of palaeontological research worldwide. Fossil specimens in world collections have increased a million-fold since Charles Darwin’s day. These new fossil finds have filled in many pieces in the great jigsaw of life . We are now experiencing a revolution in the way in which the fossil record is contributing to our understanding of the patterns and processes that have crafted the living world as we see it today. Witty vignettes on the "lucky" rise of the vertebrates, polar dinosaurs, and many other interesting narratives … a fun but educational excursion throughout the history of life. Michael L. McKinney, University of Tennessee, Knoxville … immensely enjoyable … a fascinating book, nicely illustrated, exciting and often humorous on the one hand, but seriously scientific on the other. I would recommend it to anyone interested in the fossil record and what it has to tell us. Euan N. K. Clarkson, University of Edinburgh Popular Science

Author : Lukas Rieppel
Publisher : Harvard University Press
Page : 337 pages
File Size : 52,5 Mb
Release : 2019-06-10
Category : Science
ISBN : 9780674737587

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Assembling the Dinosaur by Lukas Rieppel Pdf

Lukas Rieppel shows how dinosaurs gripped the popular imagination and became emblems of America’s industrial power and economic prosperity during the Gilded Age. Spectacular fossils were displayed in museums financed by North America’s wealthiest tycoons, to cement their reputation as both benefactors of science and fierce capitalists.

Author : Michael J. Benton,David A. T. Harper
Publisher : John Wiley & Sons
Page : 1001 pages
File Size : 45,7 Mb
Release : 2013-04-25
Category : Science
ISBN : 9781118685402

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Introduction to Paleobiology and the Fossil Record by Michael J. Benton,David A. T. Harper Pdf

This book presents a comprehensive overview of the science of the history of life. Paleobiologists bring many analytical tools to bear in interpreting the fossil record and the book introduces the latest techniques, from multivariate investigations of biogeography and biostratigraphy to engineering analysis of dinosaur skulls, and from homeobox genes to cladistics. All the well-known fossil groups are included, including microfossils and invertebrates, but an important feature is the thorough coverage of plants, vertebrates and trace fossils together with discussion of the origins of both life and the metazoans. All key related subjects are introduced, such as systematics, ecology, evolution and development, stratigraphy and their roles in understanding where life came from and how it evolved and diversified. Unique features of the book are the numerous case studies from current research that lead students to the primary literature, analytical and mathematical explanations and tools, together with associated problem sets and practical schedules for instructors and students. “..any serious student of geology who does not pick this book off the shelf will be putting themselves at a huge disadvantage. The material may be complex, but the text is extremely accessible and well organized, and the book ought to be essential reading for palaeontologists at undergraduate, postgraduate and more advanced levels—both in Britain as well as in North America.” Falcon-Lang, H., Proc. Geol. Assoc. 2010 “...this is an excellent introduction to palaeontology in general. It is well structured, accessibly written and pleasantly informative .....I would recommend this as a standard reference text to all my students without hesitation.” David Norman Geol Mag 2010 Companion website This book includes a companion website at: www.blackwellpublishing.com/paleobiology The website includes: · An ongoing database of additional Practical’s prepared by the authors · Figures from the text for downloading · Useful links for each chapter · Updates from the authors

Author : Robert M. Sullivan,Spencer G. Lucas,Justin A. Spielmann
Publisher : New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science
Page : 736 pages
File Size : 54,6 Mb
Release : 2011
Category : Fossils
ISBN : 8210379456XXX

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Fossil Record 3 by Robert M. Sullivan,Spencer G. Lucas,Justin A. Spielmann Pdf

Author : Warren D. Allmon,Margaret M. Yacobucci
Publisher : University of Chicago Press
Page : 434 pages
File Size : 47,8 Mb
Release : 2016-10-05
Category : Science
ISBN : 9780226377445

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Species and Speciation in the Fossil Record by Warren D. Allmon,Margaret M. Yacobucci Pdf

The literature of paleobiology is brimming with qualifiers and cautions about using species in the fossil record, or equating such species with those recognized among living organisms. Species and Speciation in the Fossil Record digs through this literature and surveys the recent research on species in paleobiology. In these pages, experts in the field examine what they think species are - in their particular taxon of specialty or more generally in the fossil record. They also reflect on what the answers mean for thinking about species in macroevolution. The first step in this approach is an overview of the Modern Synthesis, and paleobiology’s development of quantitative ways of documenting and analyzing variation with fossil assemblages. Following that, this volume’s central chapters explore the challenges of recognizing and defining species from fossil specimens, and show how with careful interpretation and a clear species concept, fossil species may be sufficiently robust for meaningful paleobiological analyses. Tempo and mode of speciation over time are also explored, exhibiting how the concept of species, if more refined, can reveal enormous amounts about the interplay between species origins and extinction and local and global climate change.

Author : Georgina M. Montgomery,Mark A. Largent
Publisher : John Wiley & Sons
Page : 712 pages
File Size : 51,5 Mb
Release : 2015-10-07
Category : Science
ISBN : 9781119072225

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A Companion to the History of American Science by Georgina M. Montgomery,Mark A. Largent Pdf

A Companion to the History of American Science offers a collection of essays that give an authoritative overview of the most recent scholarship on the history of American science. Covers topics including astronomy, agriculture, chemistry, eugenics, Big Science, military technology, and more Features contributions by the most accomplished scholars in the field of science history Covers pivotal events in U.S. history that shaped the development of science and science policy such as WWII, the Cold War, and the Women’s Rights movement