Dinosaurs

Dinosaurs is an entertaining, educational, and strikingly illustrated guide to Earth’s prehistoric eras and animals, from the New York Times bestselling author and illustrator of Women in Science.

With an exciting blend of vivid artwork and astonishing scientific facts, Dinosaurs journeys through Earth’s inhospitable origins, when the only life-forms were single-celled organisms—to the beginnings of life as we know it during the Paleozoic Era: plants covering whole continents with forests, winged insects taking to the sky, and seafaring vertebrates evolving to survive on land. Traveling forward in time, you’ll explore the Mesozoic Era, when dinosaurs like the gargantuan Tyrannosaurus rex, the long-necked Brontosaurus, and the lumbering Stegosaurus walked the Earth. Then you’ll venture into the Cenozoic Era’s ice age, where you’ll meet mammals like the Woolly Mammoth and early humans.

Experience earth history like you’ve never seen it before with infographics, maps, and illustrations that bring dinosaurs and other fascinating extinct animals to life. With Dinosaurs, Rachel Ignotofsky makes paleontology accessible and entertaining for readers of all ages through a stunningly illustrated journey across more than 4.5 billion years.“An amazing account of the planet Earth and the vast array of life that has called it home . . . Come for the crowd-pleasing dinosaurs and stay for an extraordinary crash course on this amazing planet and the life it has supported throughout history.”—Booklist, starred review Rachel Ignotofsky is the New York Times bestselling author and illustrator of Women in Science, Women in Sports, Women in Art, The Wondrous Workings of Planet Earth, The History of the Computer, and the What’s Inside picture book series. Rachel’s art has been embraced by the science community and she has spoken at and partnered with institutions like NASA, the San Diego Natural History Museum, The Field Museum, and many more. When she is not drawing, you’ll find her hiking and fossil hunting for fun.Introduction

In 1905, the New York Times declared that “The Tyrant Lizard King” had arrived in Manhattan and “The newly discovered monster was the absolute warlord of the Earth in his day.” The bones of the Tyrannosaurus rex had been blasted out of rocks in the badlands of Montana by paleontologist Barnum Brown. Shipped by train to New York City, this “monstrous” fossil find was exactly what the American Museum of Natural History needed to draw in crowds.

Natural history museums had a lot of competition in the early 1900s. Opulent art museums easily attracted donors, while circus-style cabinets of curiosities could draw rowdy crowds with items such as “mermaids” made of different animal parts sewn together. Around this time, the American Museum of Natural History’s attendance had fallen. Dinosaur fossils were both pioneering science and spectacle—the perfect solution to their problems.

In 1906, the first T. rex bones went on display—without a head or a tail. Finally, in 1915, the first full Tyrannosaurus skeleton was mounted, and the American Museum of Natural History had lines around the block. The T. rex towered above the exhibit hall with its voracious jaw and giant teeth. Looking at its ghastly skull, it was obvious why this dinosaur captivated the public. An icon was born, and “dino-mania” took over the world.

Today, millions visit natural history museums to view the remains of dinosaurs and other prehistoric giants. When standing before the bones of long-extinct animals, you can’t help but wonder: How old is the Earth? How has our planet changed? The answers can be found by exploring geological time, using clues like fossils, and analyzing ancient rocks. This book is not only about ferocious dinosaurs—it is a journey through Earth’s more than 4.5-billion-year history. In the grand scheme of deep time, humanity has not been here for very long. By learning about geological time, we can better understand the current chapter of Earth’s history and our place in it.