{"product_id":"dinosaurs-isbn-9781588345820","title":"Dinosaurs","description":"Dinosaurs are one of the most spectacular groups of animals that have  ever existed. Many were fantastic, bizarre creatures that still capture  our imagination: the super-predator \u003ci\u003eTyrannosaurus\u003c\/i\u003e, the plate-backed \u003ci\u003eStegosaurus\u003c\/i\u003e, and the long-necked, long-tailed \u003ci\u003eDiplodocus\u003c\/i\u003e. \u003ci\u003eDinosaurs: The Ultimate Guide to How They Lived \u003c\/i\u003etaps  into our enduring interest in dinosaurs, shedding new light on  different dinosaur groups. Leading paleontology experts Darren Naish and  Paul Barrett trace the evolution, anatomy, biology, ecology, behavior,  and lifestyle of a variety of dinosaurs. They also remind us that  dinosaurs are far from extinct: they present evidence supporting the  evolution of dinosaurs to birds that exist today as approximately ten  thousand different species. Throughout their narrative Naish and Barrett  reveal state-of-the-art new findings shaping our understanding of  dinosaurs. Readers will discover, for example, how the use of  CT-scanning enables scientists to look inside dinosaur skulls, thus  gaining new insight into their brains and sense organs. \u003ci\u003eDinosaurs\u003c\/i\u003e is a must-have for all those wanting to keep up to date about these dynamic, complicated creatures.\u003cb\u003eQUARTERLY REVIEW OF BIOLOGY\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFinally, a modern, intelligent, trade book on dinosaurs for thoughtful readers. \u003ci\u003eDinosaurs: How They Lived and Evolved\u003c\/i\u003e is written by two authoritative specialists, and is beautifully  produced with full-color illustrations. It is not a volume to sit down  and read cover to cover; it is a little dense for that. Take it in small  bits. The book is a startling testament to how far dinosaur  paleontology has come.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBBC WILDLIFE MAGAZINE\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThere are countless books on dinosaurs, yet this one sets itself aside. Covering everything from digital reconstructions of stegosaur locomotion to overhauling our understanding of the K-Pg asteroid-based extinction 66 (yes, not 65) million years ago, this clear and accessible book will appeal to anyone with an interest in evolutionary ecology. With the authors being titanosaurs of the palaeontological community and brilliant communicators, this book is a must-have.\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eLIBRARY JOURNAL\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThose who think dinosaurs are nature’s failed experiment with slow-witted, shambling, overgrown lizards will quickly find their minds changed by Naish (Tetrapod Zoology blog, \u003ci\u003eScientific American\u003c\/i\u003e) and Barrett (merit researcher, the Natural History Museum, London). In plain language, albeit hindered by passive voice, the authors resurrect fleet-footed, sometimes feathered and festooned, possibly warm-blooded creatures, some of which were direct ancestors of modern birds. Naish and Barrett detail dinosaur anatomy; phylogeny and cladistics; the adaptations that made these Mesozoic giants successful for eons; and maniraptoran theropod dinosaurs’ relation to birds. They carefully describe functional morphology, paleoecology, and other methods by which paleontologists reconstruct the past. Images and captions work seamlessly with and enhance the text. However, the authors provide no references to other scientists’ efforts. They also fail to translate fully most Latin names. This resource complements several slightly older titles, such as M.K. Brett-­Surman and Thomas R. Holtz Jr.’s \u003ci\u003eThe Complete Dinosaur\u003c\/i\u003e and John Pickrell’s \u003ci\u003eFlying Dinosaurs: How Fearsome Reptiles Became Birds\u003c\/i\u003e, while Stephen L. Brusatte’s \u003ci\u003eDinosaur Paleobiology \u003c\/i\u003eoffers a more technical treatment. VERDICT For those who enjoy science but haven’t thought about dinosaurs in a while, this volume brings these creatures to mind in a whole new way.—Eileen H. Kramer, Georgia Perimeter Coll. Lib., Clarkston\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePUBLISHERS WEEKLY\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003eMore than 1,000 dinosaur species have been named, so describing for  laypersons the attributes of this large and complex group of animals is a  daunting task, but paleontologists Naish and Barrett largely succeed in  this extensively illustrated volume. They provide ample background  material demonstrating some of the techniques scientists use to gain a  deeper understanding of the evolutionary relationships, anatomy,  physiology, behavior, and community ecology of extinct animals. The  authors regularly explain how the views of scientists have changed in  the face of a constantly growing set of fossils and new methods of  analysis. For example, they assert that what had previously been  described as a miniature version of Tyrannosaurus rex, a dwarf dinosaur  called Nanotyrannus, is actually a juvenile T. rex. Similarly, they  reassess the origin of flight in birds as well as the shape of the  fleshy parts of many dinosaur faces, concluding that the “standard”  interpretations might not be correct. The book’s least successful aspect  is the overly detailed and technical chapter on dinosaur cladistics, in  which the authors attempt to build a full family tree of all of the  subgroups of dinosaurs. Otherwise, Naish and Barrett provide an  interesting perspective on the current state of dinosaur knowledge.  Illus. \u003ci\u003e(Oct.)\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eCHOICE\u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003eDoes the world really need yet another book about dinosaurs? Well, in  this case, the answer is yes. This work is well organized, is  exceedingly well written, and covers a huge swath of territory, not just  about the evolution of dinosaurs and their anatomy (chapters two and  three) but also about how paleontologists have used scientific methods  to learn about the biology and ecology of dinosaurs. One theme of the  book is getting on board with the fact that birds of today are, in fact,  dinosaurs. Thus, the end-Cretaceous extinction is really an extinction  of the “non-bird” dinosaurs. As a result, there is an entire chapter on  the origin of birds and their evolutionary relations to other dinosaurs.  A second theme tracks how recent discoveries have truly transformed the  science of dinosaur study; therefore, readers are introduced to the  history and modernization of dinosaur studies. The book is beautifully  illustrated in color and positively peppered with phylogenies; diagrams  show evolutionary patterns and relationships. A final chapter on the  terminal Cretaceous extinction event is followed by a mercifully short  glossary.\u003ci\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cbr\u003eThere are countless books on dinosaurs, yet this one sets itself aside. Covering everything from digital reconstructions of stegosaur locomotion to overhauling our understanding of the K-Pg asteroid-based extinction 66 (yes, not 65) million years ago, this clear and accessible book will appeal to anyone with an interest in evolutionary ecology. With the authors being titanosaurs of the palaeontological community and brilliant communicators, this book is a must-have.DARREN NAISH is a lecturer, academic researcher, and technical consultant based at the University of Southampton. PAUL BARRETT is head of the Vertebrates and  Anthropology Palaeobiology division of the Earth Science department of  the Natural History Museum, London. He is the author of many books  including \u003ci\u003eNational Geographic Dinosaurs\u003c\/i\u003e.A state-of-the-art overview of dinosaurs, emphasizing the latest developments from around the world and providing insight into how dinosaurs lived and evolved","brand":"Smithsonian Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46305508589797,"sku":"NP9781588345820","price":29.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9781588345820.jpg?v=1767725155","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/products\/dinosaurs-isbn-9781588345820","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}