The revolution in science that is transforming our understanding of extinct life
We used to think of fossils as being composed of nothing but rock and minerals, all molecular traces of life having vanished long ago. We were wrong. Remnants of Ancient Life reveals how the new science of ancient biomolecules—pigments, proteins, and DNA that once functioned in living organisms tens of millions of years ago—is opening a new window onto the evolution of life on Earth.
Paleobiologists are now uncovering these ancient remnants in the fossil record with increasing frequency, shedding vital new light on long-extinct creatures and the lost world they inhabited. Dale Greenwalt is your guide to these astonishing breakthroughs. He explains how ancient biomolecules hold the secrets to how mammoths dealt with the bitter cold, what colors dinosaurs exhibited in mating displays, how ancient viruses evolved to become more dangerous, and much more. Each chapter discusses different types of biomolecules and the insights they provide about the physiology, behavior, and evolution of extinct organisms, many of which existed long before the age of dinosaurs.
A marvelous adventure of discovery, Remnants of Ancient Life offers an unparalleled look at an emerging science that is transforming our picture of the remote past. You will never think of fossils in the same way again.
- 288 pages
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
eBook - ePub
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Information
Print ISBN
9780691221168
9780691221144
Subtopic
EvolutionTable of contents
- Cover Page
- Title Page
- Copyright Page
- Contents
- Acknowledgments
- Introduction
- 1. A Blood-Engorged Mosquito
- 2. In Situ
- 3. The Purple Fossil
- 4. The Black Pigment
- 5. Dino Feathers
- 6. Ancient Biometals
- 7. Proteins and Proteomes
- 8. Dino Bones
- 9. Ancient DNA’s Tenuous Origins
- 10. Our Inner Neandertal
- 11. Plants
- 12. The Future of Studying the Past
- Notes
- Illustration Credits
- Index
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Yes, you can access Remnants of Ancient Life by Dale E. Greenwalt in PDF and/or ePUB format. We have over 1.5 million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.