Artikelname: A Colour Atlas of Rocks and Minerals in Thin Section
Artikelbeschreibung: In this concise, clear and handy-sized volume, aimed at the introductory undergraduate level, these highly respected and successful authors explain to the reader, with the help of 180 superb colour photomicrographs, how to observe, describe and identify thin section samples of rocks and minerals using the polarising microscope. The book highlights important diagnostic features of minerals and deals with all rock types - igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic - with equal emphasis and authority, giving students the knowledge and confidence to begin to identify specimens for themselves. Each photograph has been specially prepared for the book and has been reproduced in a generous size to the highest quality. In addition to its value to students and instructors in geology, geography, civil engineering and materials science, the book stands on its own as a beautiful collection of photomicrographs and a permanent source of reference and fascination for all those interested in the nature and science of the world of rocks and minerals.

Artikelname: A Dictionary of Earth Sciences
Artikelbeschreibung: This is the most authoritative and wide-ranging dictionary of earth sciences available in a single volume. Compiled with the help of a team of specialist contributors, it has been substantially revised and updated for this new edition. It is essential reference for all students of the subject, especially those on interdisciplinary courses. The 6,000 entries provide broad coverage of climatology, economic geology, geochemistry, oceanography, petrology, and volcanology. There are entries on planetary science, remote sensing, statistics, and sequence stratigraphy, and substantial updating in palaeontology, mineralogy, and geophysics. A useful section of appendices includes wind strengths and time scales.

Artikelname: AIDGAP GUIDE: Soil Types, a field identification guide
Artikelbeschreibung: This guide is intended for use in the field throughout Britain. It should be of use to beginners and more experienced students alike. A key to soil horizons is followed by a further two keys: an introductory key which is designed to enable beginners to identify major soil groups; then, a more advanced key to subdivisions of soil types. Soil formation processes are described and reviewed and notes for teachers are included, together with suggestions for field studies with students.

Artikelname: Amber: The Natural Time Capsule
Artikelbeschreibung: An overview of the prehistoric substance amber and its fossilized inclusions, this text describes how it is formed from the resin of ancient trees and where it is found. It tells how to distinguish genuine amber from fake, describes its uses, and recounts the search for DNA from insect inclusions.

Artikelname: Amber: Window to the Past
Artikelbeschreibung: The unique properties of amber (fossilized tree resin) have long intrigued many people, and never more so than now. This fascinating book, which accompanied the most comprehensive exhibition about amber ever mounted, organized by the American Museum of Natural History in New York, explores the various aspects of this remarkable material, from its part in delineating evolutionary history, though study of the folklore surrounding it, to its use in decorative arts and jewelry. The 230 gorgeous and amazingly varied photographs and drawings vividly illuminate the roles of amber in both nature and art. Author David A. Grimaldi, associate curator and chairman of the American Museum of Natural History's Department of Entomology, looks at the origins and properties of amber and discusses how the objects, called inclusions, preserved within it provide not only clues to where, when, and how species of flora and fauna originated and developed, but also fascinating stories of how particular ones lived and died. Reproductions of amber pieces are supplemented by historical engravings and photographs as well as line drawings by the author that "map" what is going on within amber samples, highlighted by his reconstruction of an ancient Dominican forest from the clues provided by amber found there. A selected bibliography and index round out this engrossing and readable book, now available as an affordable paperback, which will delight lovers of science, history, and art as well as anyone intrigued by stories of how we - and our world - have evolved.

Artikelname: Ammonites
Artikelbeschreibung: This is the first reference book of its kind, providing a complete yet accessible natural history of ammonites. It includes reconstructions of ammonites and their habitats and is supported by a gallery of photographs, making this a key book for anyone interested in fossils.

Artikelname: An Introduction to Geological Structures and Maps
Artikelbeschreibung: This is a concise text that should lead the students in easy stages from the simplest ideas on geological structures right through to the more advanced geological mapping techniques. The approach the book adopts is designed to help students with little or no supervision: each new topic is simply explained and illustrated by figures, and exercises are set on successive maps. If students are unable to complete a problem, they can read on to obtain more specific instructions on how theory may be used to solve the problem in question. This enlarged seventh edition aims to make the book even more user-friendly and bring it into line with present trends in map syllabuses. The photographs should significantly add to the understanding of geological structures already illustrated by text-figures and block diagrams in the appendix. The appendix has been fully updated and includes completed sections of all maps and solutions to the map problems, which enable the reader to check that his or her attempts have been successfully tried out.

Artikelname: An Introduction to Mineral Sciences
Artikelbeschreibung: The subject of mineralogy is moving away from the traditional systematic treatment of mineral groups toward the study of the behaviour of minerals in relation to geological processes. A knowledge of how minerals respond to a changing geological environment is fundamental to our understanding of many dynamic earth processes. By adopting a materials science approach, An Introduction to Mineral Sciences explains the principles underlying the modern study of minerals, discussing the behaviour of crystalline materials with changes in temperature, pressure and chemical environment. The concepts required to understand mineral behaviour are often complex, but are presented here in simple, non-mathematical terms for undergraduate mineralogy students. After introductory chapters describing the principles of diffraction, imaging and the spectroscopic methods used to study minerals, the structure and behaviour of the main groups of rock-forming minerals are covered, and the role of defects in the deformation and transformation of a mineral are explained. The energy changes and the rate of transformation processes are introduced using a descriptive approach rather than attempting a complete and rigorous treatment of the thermodynamics and kinetics. Examples and case histories from a range of mineral groups are set in an earth science context, such that the emphasis of this book is to allow the student to develop an intuitive understanding of the structural principles controlling the behaviour of minerals.

Artikelname: Basic Geological Mapping
Artikelbeschreibung: Geological mapping cannot be taught by lectures or in a laboratory, it must be learnt in the field. Now in its fourth edition, this is a basic guide to field techniques in mapping geology. It is concise and pocket sized so that it can be carried in the field for instant reference.

Artikelname: Collins Wildguides :Rocks & Minerals
Artikelbeschreibung: Covering 240 commonly-found types of rock, mineral and gemstone throughout the world, Wild Guide Rocks and Minerals is the perfect introduction to this popular subject. Author Adrian Jones is a lecturer at University College London, and as well as having a wealth of academic experience, has also contributed to a number of books. He is keen to see a beginners' guide that is relevant not only to the general public, but also to first-year undergraduates and other students of Geology, Earth Science and Engineering. Many of the institution offering these subjects have a list that students have to learn by heart -- Wild Guide Rocks & Minerals will cover these lists. Each type of rock or mineral is illustrated with a stunning full-colour photograph. Additional artwork may show the crystalline structure or other identification features. There is a description of each rock or mineral type which includes information on distribution, chemical composition, hardness, colour and texture, and an ID Fact File that offers information at a glance. There is also the opportunity to raise the public's awareness of Special Sites of Scientific Interest (SSSIs), many of which exist to protect endangered species if wildlife, but others are home to unique geological formations and rare rocks and minerals. The 'Where to see' and 'What next?' sections will contain practical advice and information for those wishing to take their interest further.

Artikelname: Cradle of Life: The Discovery of Earth's Earliest Fossils
Artikelbeschreibung: The quest to find Precambrian fossils began in the mid-1960s and culminated in one dramatic moment in 1993 when William Schopf identified fossilized micro-organisms three and half billion years old. This book blends his personal story with the basics needed to understand the science he describes.

Artikelname: Crystals and Crystal Growing
Artikelbeschreibung: Experiments and problems to be solved by the non-specialist to aid in his/her understanding of crystals.

Artikelname: Dino-birds: From dinosaurs to birds
Artikelbeschreibung: An exciting little book packed with information exploring the ever-growing evidence supporting the evolution of dinosaurs to birds. This book reveals the latest thinking on dino-birds and is beautifully illustrated with photographs of the original fossil specimens.

Artikelname: Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Life (DK)
Artikelbeschreibung:

Artikelname: Discover Dorset Fossils
Artikelbeschreibung: An easy to use volume that is very informative about fossil hunting on the dorset coast. Full details about how to collect and look after fossils and the best places to find them in Dorset.

Artikelname: Discovering Dorothea: The Life of the Pioneering Fossil-Hunter Dorothea Bate
Artikelbeschreibung: The untold life of Dorothea Bate, an intrepid woman adventurer and early scientific pioneer. In 1898, a 19-year-old girl marched into the Natural History Museum and demanded a job. At the time, no women were employed there as scientists, but for the determined Dorothea Bate this was the first step in an extraordinary career as a pioneering explorer and fossil-hunter and the beginning of an association with the Museum that was to last for more than fifty years. As a young woman in the early 1900s, she explored Cyprus, Crete and the little-known Majorca and Menorca, braving parental opposition and considerable physical hardship. In remote caves in mountains and sea-battered cliffs, she discovered fossil evidence of unique species of extinct fauna, previously unknown to science, including dwarf elephants and hippos, giant dormice and a strange, small, goat-like antelope. A woman of immense charm, wit and intelligence, she revelled in the social life of British-ruled Cyprus, playing croquet on the lawns of Government House and dancing with sailors on its asphalt tennis courts. In Crete she watched as archaeologists revealed the glories of the Minoan civilisation. Thirty years later in Palestine, she excavated against a background of violence and the growing threat of war. Her remarkable career brought her into contact with many of the greatest archaeologists and palaeontologists of the twentieth century, among them Sir Arthur Evans, Louis and Mary Leakey and Agatha Christie's husband, Sir Max Mallowan. Internationally respected as an outstanding palaeontologist during her lifetime, Dorothea was largely forgotten after her death. Now, working from unpublished letters, papers and work diaries and re-tracing her steps, Karolyn Shindler has rediscovered Dorothea's life. This vivid and engaging biography reveals not only a unique and indomitable woman, but also the splendid personalities who worked behind the scenes at the Natural History Museum and in the expanding world of archaeology in the first half of the twentieth century.

Artikelname: Field Guide to Rocks and Minerals
Artikelbeschreibung: Describes hundreds of minerals and lists their geographic distribution, physical properties, chemical composition, and crystalline structure.

Artikelname: Fossil Crinoids
Artikelbeschreibung: Crinoids have graced the oceans for more than 500 million years. Among the most attractive fossils, crinoids had a key role in the ecology of marine communities through much of the fossil record, and their remains are prominent rock forming constituents of many limestones. This is the first comprehensive volume which brings together their form and function, classification, evolutionary history, occurrence, preservation and ecology. The main part of the book is devoted to assemblages of intact fossil crinoids, which are described in their geological setting in 23 chapters ranging from the Ordovician to the Tertiary. The final chapter deals with living sea lilies and feather stars. The volume is exquisitely illustrated with abundant photographs and line drawings of crinoids from sites around the world. This authoritative account recreates a fascinating picture of fossil crinoids for palaeontologists, geologists, evolutionary and marine biologists, ecologists and amateur fossil collectors.

Contents

Prelude; Introduction; 1. Crinoid form and function; 2. Systematics, phylogeny and evolutionary history; 3. Fossil occurrence; 4. Taphonomy; 5. Ecology and ecological interactions; 6. Middle Ordovician Trenton Group of New York, USA; 7. Middle Ordovician of the Lake Simcoe area of Ontario, Canada; 8. Upper Ordovician of the Cincinnati, Ohio area, USA; 9. Silurian of Gotland, Sweden; 10. Middle Silurian Rochester Shale of western New York, USA, and southern Ontario, Canada; 11. Scyphocrinitids from the Silurian-Devonian boundary of Morocco; 12. Lower Devonian Manlius/Coeymans Formation of central New York, USA; 13. Lower Devonian Hunsrück Slates of Germany; 14. Middle Devonian Windom Shale of Vincent, New York, USA; 15. Middle Devonian Arkona Shale of Ontario and Silica Shale of Ohio, USA; 16. Lower Mississippian Hampton Formation at LeGrand, Iowa, USA; 17. Lower Mississippian Burlington Limestone along the Mississippi Valley in Iowa, Illinois, and Missouri, USA; 18. Lower Mississippian Edwardsville Formation at Crawfordsville, Indiana, USA; 19. Upper Pennsylvania LaSalle Member, Bond Formation of central Illinois, USA; 20. Permian; 21. Triassic Muschelkalk of central Europe; 22. Pentacrinites from the Lower Jurassic of the Dorset coast of southern England; 23. Lower Jurassic Posidonia Shales of southern Germany; 24. Middle Jurassic of southern England; 25. Middle Jurassic of northern Switzerland; 26. Upper Jurassic Solnhofen Plattenkalk of Bavaria, Germany; 27. Uintacrinus beds of the Upper Cretaceous Niobrara formation, Kansas, USA; 28. Tertiary; 29. Recent; Appendices; Bibliography; Index.

Also available in Card Covers at £35.00

Artikelname: Fossil Frogs and Toads of North America
Artikelbeschreibung: The heart of this book consists of detailed systematic accounts of the known fossil frogs and toads (anurans) of North America and their localities. Extinct fossil frogs and toads are fully discussed and illustrated, and in some cases are re-diagnosed and re-described. For fossil taxa still living, the book gives the modern characteristics, ecological attributes, and modern ranges, and includes illustrations of diagnostic skeletal elements. The volume begins with an overview of the anurans and anuran studies, a general account of the skeleton and bones, and a discussion of the early evolution of the Anura, along with the formal classification of anuran taxonomic groups found in the North American fossil record. The third part of the book presents an epoch-by-epoch discussion of Mesozoic, Tertiary, and Pleistocene anurans, the classification and phylogeny of the anurans, and a comprehensive list of references.

Artikelname: Fossil Horses:Systematics, Paleobiology, and Evolution of the Family Equidae
Artikelbeschreibung: The family Equidae have an extensive fossil record spanning the last 58 million years, and the evolution of the horse has frequently been used as a classic example of long-term evolution. In recent years, however, there have been many important discoveries of fossil horses, and these, in conjunction with such new methods as cladistics, and techniques like precise geochronology, have allowed us to achieve a much greater understanding of the evolution and biology of this important group. This book synthesizes the large body of data and research relevant to an understanding of fossil horses from several disciplines including biology, geology and palaeontology. Using horses as the central theme, the author weaves together in the text such topics as modern geochronology, palaeobiogeography, climate change, evolution and extinction, functional morphology, and population biology during the Cenozoic period.

Contents

Preface; 1. Introduction: why study fossil horses?; 2. A renaissance in paleontology; 3. Orthogenesis and scientific thought: old notions die hard; 4. Collections, museums, and exceptional discoveries; 5. Systematics and phylogeny: Ungulata, Perissodactyla, and Equidae; 6. Isotopes, magnetic reversals, fossils, and geological time; 7. Ancient geography, changing climates, dispersal, and vicariance; 8. Evolutionary processes: Variation, speciation, and extinction; 9. Rates of morphological and taxonomic evolution; 10. Trends, laws, direction, and progress in evolution; 11. What?s the use? functional morphology of feeding and locomotion; 12. Population dynamics, behavioral ecology, and ?paleoethology?; 13. Fifty-eight million years of community evolution; 14. Epilogue: summary and perspective; Appendix; References; Subject index; Taxonomic index.

Artikelname: Fossil Invertebrates
Artikelbeschreibung: Fossil Invertebrates is a window into the ancient Earth when the seas teemed with ammonites, corals, sponges, molluscs, crinoids and trilobites. Some have close relatives living today, and the book demonstrates how the fossil record can shed light on today's fauna. This book is a magnificent resource for anyone with an interest in fossils and the success story of the invertebrates.

Artikelname: Fossil Plants
Artikelbeschreibung: This publication focuses on plant fossils and is illustrated throughout with photographs of contemporary and ancient plant specimens. The text traces the origins of today's plants, comparing ancient forms with their modern counterparts. Plant fossils are used in palaeontology to help reconstruct bygone eras, looking back through layers of organic remains to determine past climates and the very landscape of ancient Earth.

Artikelname: Fossils at a Glance
Artikelbeschreibung: Fossils provide a powerful tool for the study of the nearly 4-billion-year history of life, and its role in the evolution of Earth systems. Fossils also provide important data for evolutionary studies, and contribute to our understanding of the extinction of organisms and the origins of modern biodiversity. Fossils At A Glance is written for students taking an introductory level course in paleontology. Short chapters introduce the main topics in the modern study of fossils. The most important fossil groups are discussed, from microfossils through invertebrates to vertebrates and plants, followed by a brief narrative of life on Earth. Diagrams are central to the book and allow the reader to see most of the important data "at a glance". Each topic covers two pages and provides a self-contained suite of information or a starting point for future study.

Artikelname: Fossils of Dorset
Artikelbeschreibung: Few places in the British Isles are as rich in fossils as Dorset, and the county is internationally famous as the source of some of the finest and rarest fossils in the world. Thanks to its remarkable geology and the instability of much of the coast, new and often important discoveries continue to be made, often by amateur collectors. Dorset's fossil record stretches back over 200 million years to the start of the Jurassic period, and the fossilised remains of the creatures and plants that then flourished range from the humble ammonite to huge reptiles such as ichthyosaurs and dinosaurs, from fossilised wood to fish, insects and primitive mammals.

Artikelname: Fossils of the Rhaetian Penarth Group
Artikelbeschreibung: The Rhaetian Penarth Group includes the former Westbury Beds, Cotham Beds, and White Lias. It crops out in a narrow strip from the Devon and Dorset coast to the mouth of the Tees, and is particularly well known from the exposures along the Bristol Channel. This diverse suite of late Triassic sedimentary rocks is internationally famous for the fossils that it yields, most notably from the bone beds. Coverage is comprehensive, with separate chapters on foraminifera, gastropods, bivalves, crustaceans, insects, echinoderms, other invertebrates, conodonts, fish, tetrapods, trace fossils and plants. There are background chapters on sedimentology, stratigraphy and the formation of the bone beds. The guide is copiously illustrated with specimens from all major UK public collections of Penarth Group fossils illustrated on 26 plates and 30 text-figures. It will be of use both to collectors who want to know more about this diverse and interesting suite of fossils, as well as to students of geology who wish to understand their conditions of deposition and accumulation.

Artikelname: Geology of Dorset
Artikelbeschreibung: Dorset's geology is amongst the most remarkable in the British Isles, and an up-to-date illustrated account of the 200 million years that comprise its known geological past has long been overdue. Uniquely, fossilised remains of mammals are preserved in rocks of four periods, something not found in any other county. The rocks that lie under Dorset's rich kaleidoscope of small-scale landscapes represent an extraordinary spectrum of environments - including periods when Dorset was submerged, desert, part of a river system, an arid plateau and a tropical lagoon. Subject to earth movements and once home to dinosaurs, Dorset's geological past provides the key to understanding its present.

Artikelname: Journeys from the Centre of the Earth
Artikelbeschreibung: Millions of Britons are drawn to the Mediterranean every year and whether they go for the beautiful scenery and relaxing beaches or the culture and architecture or food, none of it would be there were it not for geology. Forward-thinking geologist and television presenter Dr Iain Stewart, uncovers the hidden Mediterranean and brings a fresh and dramatic eye to geology to show just why it is that geology should be restored to its rightful place as the grandfather of sciences. From earthquakes and volcanoes to Roman architecture and cuisine, Iain discovers just how geology has shaped our lives and how we can expect it to affect us in years to come.

Artikelname: Life: An Unauthorized Biography
Artikelbeschreibung: guide to the Earth from the very earliest signs of life on the rims of volcanoes, to the first appearance of man. The book ranges across many scientific disciplines, analyzing their arguments and findings, and showing readers whose the discoveries have been and whose the arguments.

Artikelname: Minerals of Scotland
Artikelbeschreibung: A comprehensive and definitive account of Scotland's minerals and the men who discovered, collected and examined them. This study includes sections on the collectors themselves as well as a brief account of Scotland's geological evolution.

Artikelname: Photographic Guide to Minerals of the World
Artikelbeschreibung: A guide to the minerals of the world, aimed primarily at serious amateur geologists. There is a mineral-by-mineral guide, with sections on crystallography, physical and chemical properties, and identification characteristics, with references to where the minerals can be located.

Artikelname: Revealing the Buried Past: Geophysics for Archaeologists
Artikelbeschreibung: If scientific and technological advances continue at the same rate, the archaeologist may become superflous in years to come. This is a slight exaggeration, but an antiquarian at the beginning of the 20th century would have scarcely believed that, by the end of that century, archaeologists would have the capability to locate, identify and map sites without even breaking the surface of the soil. Written by two of the foremost experts in the field, this book draws the reader into the world of geophysics. Writtened for the seasoned archaeologist, student, amateur and for those who have seen the `geophys' techniques used and want to learn a little more, the book is well-written, clearly presented and has lots of illustrations and explanatory diagrams. An introduction to the history of geophysics is followed by a lucid discussion of the different techniques available, the methods and equipment used, survey logistics and post-survey analysis. Drawing on their work with the Time Team Gaffney and Gater present a series of case studies from prehistoric, early historic, later historic and modern sites where their expertise has been put to work. In conclusion, they consider the future for prospecting for the past and how this powerful surveying tool may be transformed in years to come. Foreword by Mick Asto

Artikelname: Rocks and Minerals
Artikelbeschreibung:

Artikelname: Sea Dragons: Predators of the Prehistoric Oceans
Artikelbeschreibung: In the days when dinosaurs dominated the earth, their marine counterparts - every bit as big and ferocious - reigned supreme in prehistoric seas. In this book, Richard Ellis takes us back to the Mesozoic era to resurrect the fascinating lives of these giant seagoing reptiles. Working from the fossil record, Ellis explores the natural history of these fierce predators, speculates on their habits, and tells how they eventually became extinct - or did they? He traces the 200-million-year history of the great ichthyosaurs, plesiosaurs and mosasaurs who swam the ancient oceans - and who may, according to some, still frequent the likes of Loch Ness. Picture if you will 70-foot dragons with foot-long serrated teeth, or an animal that looked like a crocodile crossed with a shark the size of a small yacht. With its impossibly long neck, Plesiosaurus conybeari has been compared to "a giant snake threaded through the body of a turtle". At a length of nearly 60 feet, Mosasaurus hoffmanni boasted powerful jaws that could crunch up even the hardest-shelled giant sea turtle. And Kronosaurus queenslandicus, perhaps the most formidable of the lot, had a skull nine feet long - more than twice that of Tyrannosaurus rex - with teeth to match. "Sea Dragons" draws upon up-to-date scientific research to vividly reconstruct their lives and habitats. Their fossils have been found all over the world - in Europe, Australia, Japan and even Kansas - in lands that once lay on the floors of Jurassic and Triassic seas. Along the way, the book also provides intriguing insights into and entertaining tales about the work, discoveries and competing theories that compose the world of vertebrate paleontology. The text is also accompanied by Ellis' own illustrations of how these creatures probably appeared and, through these likenesses, we are invited to speculate on their locomotion, their predatory habits and their lifestyles.

Artikelname: The Big Cats and Their Fossil Relatives: An Illustrated Guide to Their Evolution and Natural History
Artikelbeschreibung: More than 60 million members of the species "felis domesticus" - house cats - live in the United States alone. Welcomed into homes as part of the family and revered as gods by the ancient Egyptians, domestic cats are descendants of a proud lineage that includes the giant sabre-toothed tiger, the graceful cheetah of the African plains, and the powerful bobcat of the Americas. Acclaimed artist Mauricio Anton and renowned paleontologist Alan Turner collaborate to produce the first book of its kind - a fascinating natural history linking extinct larger feline species with those still living, including lions, tigers, cougars and cheetahs. Using superb illustrations and photos to supplement lucidly written text, "The Big Cats and Their Fossil Relatives" chronicles 25 million years of evolution, revealing the common ancestry of today's familiar big cats. In addition to a compelling account of the evolution and anatomy of big cats past and present, "The Big Cats and Their Fossil Relatives" also explores the behaviour of these magnificent creatures. Living species and fossil remains make possible the reconstruction of the cats' social and predatory behaviour, supplementing the reader's understanding of their physical forms with images of how they would have moved, hunted and interacted. Throughout the book, side-by-side comparisons of extinct species with their descendants illuminate the process and purpose of evolution. Turner guides the reader through such topics as the preservation of fossils, the reconstruction of an extinct species from fossil evidence and its living descendants, and the changing natural world of the cats and their food sources. This book is both a useful introduction for readers new to paleontology and a valuable reference for those already familiar with the field.

Artikelname: The Cambrian Fossils of Chengjiang, China: The Flowering of Early Animal Life
Artikelbeschreibung: The Chengjiang biota is one of the most remarkable fossil discoveries ever made. Among the hills and lakes of Yunnan Province, South China, deposits of ancient mudstone, 525 million years old, have yielded a spectacular variety of exquisitely preserved fossils that record the early diversification of animal life. Since the discovery of the first specimens in 1984, many thousands of fossils have been collected, exceptionally preserving not just the shells and carapaces of the animals, but also their soft tissues in fine detail. This special preservation has produced fossils of rare beauty; they are also of outstanding scientific importance as sources of evidence about the origins of the animal groups that have sustained global biodiversity to the present day. Much of the scientific documentation of the Chengjiang biota is in Chinese, and this is the first book in English to provide fossil enthusiasts with an overview of the fauna. The aim is to introduce professional and amateur paleontologists, and all those fascinated by evolutionary biology, to the aesthetic and scientific quality of the Chengjiang fossils.

Artikelname: The Carnivorous Dinosaurs
Artikelbeschreibung: The meat-eating dinosaurs, or Theropoda, include some of the fiercest predators that ever lived. Some of the group's members survive to this day--as birds. The theropod/ bird connection has been explored in several recent works, but this book presents 17 papers on a variety of other topics. It is organized into three parts. Part I explores morphological details that are important for understanding theropod systematics. Part II focuses on specific regions of theropod anatomy and biomechanics. Part III examines various lines of evidence that reveal something about theropods as living creatures. The contributors are Ronan Allain, Rinchen Barsbold, Kenneth Carpenter, Karen Cloward, Rodolfo A. Coria, Philip J. Currie, Peter M. Galton, Robert Gay, Donald M. Henderson, Dong Huang, James I. Kirkland, Yoshitsugu Kobayashi, Eva B. Koppelhus, Peter Larson, Junchang Lu, Lorrie A. McWhinney, Clifford Miles, Ralph E. Molnar, N. Murphy, John H. Ostrom, Gregory S. Paul, Licheng Qiu,J. Keith Rigby, Jr., Bruce Rothschild, Christopher B. Ruff, Leonardo Salgado, Frank Sanders, Julia T. Sankey, Judith A. Schiebout, David K. Smith, Barbara R. Standhardt, Kathy Stokosa, Darren H. Tanke, Francois Therrien, David Trexler, Kelly Wicks, Douglas G. Wolfe, and Lowell Wood.

Artikelname: The Crucible of Creation: The Burgess Shale and the Rise of Animals
Artikelbeschreibung: Located in the west of Canada, the Burgess Shale contains a unique collection of fossil remains, and has become an icon for those studying the history of life. This book takes the reader on a journey back in time through the Burgess Shale and its astonishing collection of pre-Cambrian creatures.

Artikelname: The Dinosauria
Artikelbeschreibung: When the The Dinosauria was first published more than a decade ago, it was hailed as "the best scholarly reference work available on dinosaurs" and "an historically unparalleled compendium of information." This second, fully revised edition continues in the same vein as the first but encompasses the recent spectacular discoveries that have continued to revolutionize the field. A state-of-the-science view of current world research, the volume includes comprehensive coverage of dinosaur systematics, reproduction, and life history strategies, biogeography, taphonomy, paleoecology, thermoregulation, and extinction. Its internationally renowned authors - forty-four specialists on the various members of the Dinosauria - contribute definitive descriptions and illustrations of these magnificent Mesozoic beasts. The first section of The Dinosauria begins with the origin of the great clade of these fascinating reptiles, followed by separate coverage of each major dinosaur taxon, including the Mesozoic radiation of birds. The second part of the volume navigates through broad areas of interest. Here we find comprehensive documentation of dinosaur distribution through time and space, discussion of the interface between geology and biology, and the paleoecological inferences that can be made through this link.

Artikelname: The Earth:an intimate history
Artikelbeschreibung: The paperback of the Sunday Times bestseller that reveals how the earth became the shape it is today. This book will change the way you see the world -- permanently. The face of the earth, criss-crossed by chains of mountains like the scars of old wounds, has changed constantly over billions of years. Its shape records a remote past of earthquakes, volcanos and continental drift, and the ongoing subtle shifts that bring our planet alive. Richard Fortey introduces us to the earth's distinct character, revealing the life that it leads when humans aren't watching. He follows the continual movement of seabeds, valleys, mountain ranges and ice caps and shows how everything -- our culture, natural history, even the formation of our cities -- has its roots in geology. In Richard Fortey's hands, geology becomes vital and exhilarating and unmistakably informs our lives in the most intimate way.

Artikelname: The Field Description of Igneous Rocks (Geological Society of London )
Artikelbeschreibung: Presents the information necessary to interpret igneous rocks in the field. The authors' approach allows the user to make analyses based on types of rocks present, and includes hand specimen petrography and crystal identification where possible. Covers the basic field relationships within and between outcrops, and provides an overall understanding of the mode of occurrence of igneous rocks and the processes occurring during the late-stage evolution of igneous magmas.

Artikelname: The Field Description of Metamorphic Rocks (Geological Society of London Handbook)
Artikelbeschreibung: Designed primarily for field use, this book provides a systematic framework that allows readers to produce useful and broadly similar descriptions of metamorphic rocks and rock-masses, despite possible differences of background or special interest. A companion volume to books on igneous and sedimentary rocks.

Artikelname: The Floating Egg: Episodes in the Making of Geology
Artikelbeschreibung: Using his geological background to full advantage, Osborne digs into the past to recover fragments of historical and scientific documents that authenticate his stories. Their language sets an appropriate tone to support the introduction of perfectly plausible fictional characters. Encompassing a wide array of sources, from seemingly unpromising geological strata and the mining of alum, or the discovery of fossil reptiles and ammonites from Jurassic age sea-cliffs, through hyena bones from Kirkdale cave and the ice age Lake Pickerin to well-known local heroes such as William Smith and Captain James Cook, Osborne excavates deep "shafts" through rich seams of the particular into the more general.

Artikelname: The Geological History of the British Isles
Artikelbeschreibung: Essential reading for first- and second-year Geology undergraduates, A-Level Geology teachers and students and enthusiastic amateur geologists. The book includes a comprehensive glossary, maps and excellent full-colour illustrations, and is based on part of a second-level Open University short course of the same name. The landscape and surface environment of the continental crust that now forms the islands of Great Britain, Ireland and the adjacent lesser isles has undergone dramatic changes during the geological history of the Earth. This book takes the reader on a geological tour of the British Isles, showing how changes in climate, sea-level and relief can be recognized and understood in the geological record. The reader is asked to use a variety of data and geological principles to interpret how and why different rocks formed, and to identify past environments and tectonic settings. By unravelling the geological history of the British Isles, a remarkable insight is gained into the geological evolution of the whole Earth.

Contents include

Geological time-scales

A Global view of Earth History

Plate tectonics

The main lithotectonic units of the British Isles

The Precambrian and Lower Palaeozoic Basement

The Caledonian Orogenic Belt

The Older Cover

The Variscan Orogenic Belt

The younger Cover

The Quaternary Period

Artikelname: The Geology of Britain
Artikelbeschreibung: This text covers the geological history of Britain from over 2000 million years ago to the present day. An introductory chapter covers basic geological principles, followed by chapters describing the rocks, minerals and fossils of each period.

Artikelname: The Geology of Cornwall
Artikelbeschreibung: Cornwall's geology has been the subject of considerable interest to academic and commercial geologists due to its diversity and complexity. This volume contains contributions by 21 leading geologists, providing an up-to-date review of current research.

Companion volume to the "Geology of Devon"

Artikelname: The Geology of Devon
Artikelbeschreibung: This completely revised edition has been rewritten to reflect the major changes in knowledge since the first edition. There are four additional chapters, on geological pioneers, engineering geology, environmental geology and off-shore geology. The book also lists all official and local sites of geological and geomorphological interest, includes an expanded reference list and a colour geological map. It is aimed at all readers with an amateur or professional interest in geology, and undergraduate fieldworkers should find the book particularly helpful. It is a companion volume to "The Geology of Cornwall"

Artikelname: The Great Ice Age: Climate Change and Life
Artikelbeschreibung: The Great Ice Age is also our age. Not only is it a period when the Earth experienced rapid and regular climatic changes, it is also the time when a life form evolved that is capable of studying and manipulating environmental systems. Part 1 of The Great Ice Age documents and explains the natural climatic changes that have occurred during the past 2.6 million years. Exploring a wide range of records of climate change, the authors demonstrate the interconnectivity of the components of the Earth's climate system and show how the evidence for past climatic change is obtained from oceanic and terrestrial realms. Such changes occurred over a range of time scales from millions of years, through tens of thousands of years, to mere centuries and decades. A number of explanations for past climatic shifts are explored, revealing that, as yet, no all embracing model has emerged that can adequately explain all the evidence reviewed in the book. In Part 2, some of the biological effects of the climatic upheavals described in Part 1 are examined, focusing on palaeoecological changes involving plants and animals, the evolution of human anatomy, and the way in which conscious social behaviour developed as a response to rapidly changing selection pressures. Global climate change increasingly drove human beings towards mastery of their surroundings: the resultant anthropogenically induced environmental change extends back a million years or more, but has increased dramatically during the last ten thousand years since the last retreat of huge ice sheets. The record of past environmental changes discussed in The Great Ice Age is the foundation on which to base our understanding of the global experiment we are conducting as the 'conscious forcing function' in the evolution of the Earth system.

Artikelname: The Hidden Landscape
Artikelbeschreibung: An exploration of time and place in which Fortey peels away the top layer of the land to reveal the hidden landscape - the rocks which contain the story of distant events. We travel with him as our guide throughout the British Isles and as the rocks change we learn to read the clues they contain.

Artikelname: The Illustrated Guide to Crystals
Artikelbeschreibung: In the chapter Living With Crystals, the author gives advice on choosing, cleansing and programming your crystals. The subsequent chapters deal with the use of crystals for a variety of purposes and include lists of helpful crystals in every case. These purposes include healing: physical, emotional and mental and how to make gem remedies; protection: safeguarding the aura and how to make talismans and amulets; divination with crystal balls; the qualities of crystals in dispersing negative energy, inducing peace, vitality, grounding, intuition and abundance; astrology: the crystals of earth, water, air and fire; wisdom, including crystals of vision, insight and wisdom for use in meditation.

Then follows the crystal directory that provides photographs, the source, appearance, properties and position in which to wear more than 150 stones.

Artikelname: The Last Giant of Beringia: The Mystery of the Bering Land Bridge
Artikelbeschreibung: The intriguing theory of a land bridge linking Siberia and Alaska during the coldest pulsations of the Ice Ages had been much debated since Jose De Acosta, a Spanish missionary working in Mexico and Peru, first proposed the idea of a connection between the continents in 1589. But proof of the land bridge - now named Beringia after eighteenth-century Danish explorer Vitus Bering - eluded scientists until an inquiring geologist named Dave Hopkins emerged from rural New England and set himself to the task of solving the mystery. This compelling narrative follows the life story of the eclectic Hopkins - the shy California geologist with glasses, long hair and a patchy beard who would draw on natural history, oral history and other specialties to piece together the story of the lost world of Beringia. Solving this mystery creates an international stir that solidified his place in history. The Last Giant of Beringia is a fascinating science detective story that at last confirmed the existence of the land bridge that served as the intercontinental migration route for such massive Ice Age beasts as woolly mammoths, steppe bison, giant stag-moose, dire wolves, short-faced bears and saber-toothed cats - and for the first humans to enter the New World from Asia. After proving unambiguously that the land bridge existed, Hopkins went on to show that the Beringian landscape cannot have been the "polar desert" that many had claimed, but provided forage enough to sustain a diverse menagerie of Ice Age behemoths. Thrilling and easily accessible, The Last Giant of Beringia is popular science writing at its best.

Artikelname: The Map That Changed the World: The Tale of William Smith and the Birth of a Science
Artikelbeschreibung: In the summer of 1815 an extraordinary hand-painted map was published in London. Some eight feet tall and six feet wide, brightly coloured - in sea-blue, green, bright yellow, orange, umber - it presented England and Wales in a beguiling and unfamiliar mixture of lines and patches and stippled shapes. It was the product of one man's obsession with rocks, a passion that sustained him whilst the rest of his life slid into ruin. For nearly 20 years, an Oxfordshire blacksmith's son named William Smith journeyed across Britain investigating and naming the layers of rock beneath his feet. Self-taught and determined, Smith had great expertise in practical geology, and this evolving science demanded a new sort of delineation. The beautifully executed map he produced was the first of its kind and transformed the way in which the world was understood. It was a document that laid the groundwork for the making of great fortunes in oil, iron and tin, and, elsewhere, in diamonds, platinum and silver, and was key to the development of one of the great fields of modern science. Smith's was a remarkable achievement, and all the more astonishing for having been completed single-handedly and without financial or professional support. Shatteringly, such heroic and painstaking work exacted a terrible price: imprisoned for debt, Smith was turned out of his home; his work was plagiarized; the scientific establishment turned its back on his trouble; and Smith's wife was diagnozed insane and he himself fell ill. It was not until 1829 that, in a fairy-tale twist of fate, Smith returned to London in triumph, to be hailed as a genius.

Artikelname: The Mapping of Geological Structures
Artikelbeschreibung: The Mapping of Geological Structures Ken McClay Department of Geology, Royal Holloway University of London, UK Detailed mapping and analysis of the structural features of rocks enable the 3D geometry of their structures to be reconstructed. The resulting evidence of the stresses and movement patterns which rocks have undergone indicates the processes by which they were formed, and allows evaluation of past deformations of the earth's crust. Written to show how one actually describes, measures and records rock structures such as folds and faults with the emphasis on accuracy, detail and on-going interpretation throughout, this handbook gives students and enthusiasts the practical information and guidance which allows their fieldwork to become vastly more rewarding. " the author is to be congratulated on producing such an excellent text. The whole range of mapping techniques that an undergraduate student will require are described and the book will still be immense help to post-graduates setting out on their research work.

Artikelname: The Microstructure of Dinosaur Bone: Deciphering Biology with Fine-scale Techniques
Artikelbeschreibung: For millions of years, clues to the biology of dinosaurs lie locked within the microscopic structure of their bones. In The Microstructure of Dinosaur Bone, one of the world's leading experts on fossil bone microstructure synthesizes more than 150 years of research to expose the techniques employed and the meaning of dinosaur bone microstructure. In this first book dedicated to dinosaur bone microstructure, Anusuya Chinsamy-Turan begins with a general overview of living bone structure and composition, and then explains how bone structure changes upon death and fossilization. She meticulously unravels how it is that the microscopic structure of fossil bone remains intact after millions of years of fossilization. She also provides a photographic atlas of the kinds of bone tissues found in dinosaurs and expounds on their biological significance. The final chapters offers insight into growth patterns of dinosaurs and the biology of Mesozoic birds, and the book concludes with a reflective discussion on what bone microstructure can and cannot disclose about dinosaur physiology. Drawing from sources across the field of bone histology, Chinsamy-Turan paints a holistic view of the current state of the science and presents a fresh perspective on the relevance of the field to understanding the Dinosauria.

Artikelname: The New Penguin Dictionary of Geology
Artikelbeschreibung: The science of geology is going through a remarkable period of expansion and advancement. The New Penguin Dictionary of Geology contains over 7,500 fully updated definitions, making it the most extensive dictionary of the Earth sciences ever produced. It includes a full bibliography of up-to-date works covering all areas of geology. Authoritative and accessible, this new edition will prove invaluable to researcher, student and amateur geologist.

Artikelname: The Primate Fossil Record
Artikelbeschreibung: The first comprehensive treatment of primate paleontology in more than 20 years. Profusely illustrated and up-to-date, it captures the complete history of the discovery and interpretation of primate fossils. The chapters range from primate origins to the advent of anatomically modern humans. Each emphasizes three key components of the record of primate evolution: history of discovery, taxonomy of the fossils, and evolution of the adaptive radiations they represent. The Primate Fossil Record summarises objectively the many intellectual debates surrounding the fossil record and provides a foundation of reference information on the last two decades of astounding discoveries and worldwide field research for physical anthropologists, paleontologists and evolutionary biologists.

Contents

Preface; Acknowledgements; 1. Introduction to the primate fossil record Walter Carl Hartwig; 2. The origin of primates David Tab Rasmussen; Part I. The Earliest Primates and the Fossil Record of Prosimians: 3. The earliest fossil primates and the evolution of prosimians Herbert H. Covert; 4. Adapiformes: phylogeny and adaptation Daniel L. Gebo; 5. Tarsiiformes: evolutionary history and adaptation Gregg F. Gunnell and Kenneth D. Rose; 6. Fossil lorisoids Erica Phillips and Alan C. Walker; 7. Quaternary fossil lemurs Laurie R. Godfrey and William L. Jungers; Part II. The Origin and Diversification of Anthropoid Primates: 8. The origin and diversification of anthropoid primates - introduction Marian Dagosto; 9. Basal anthropoids K. Christopher Beard; 10. Platyrrhine paleontology and systematics: the paradigm shifts Alfred L. Rosenberger; 11. Early platyrrhines of southern South America John G. Fleagle and Marcelo F. Tejedor; 12. Miocene platyrrhines of the northern neotropics Walter Carl Hartwig and D. Jeffrey Meldrum; 13. Extinct Quaternary platyrrhines of the Greater Antilles and Brazil Ross D. E. MacPhee and Ines Horovitz; Part III. The Fossil Record of the Early Catarrhines and Old World Monkeys: 14. Early catarrhines of the African Eocene and Oligocene David Tab Rasmussen; 15. The Pliopithecoidea David Begun; 16. The Victoriapithecidae, Cercopithecoidea Brenda Benefit and Monte L. McCrossin; 17. Fossil Old World monkeys: the Late Neogene radiation Nina G. Jablonski; Part IV. The Fossil Record of Hominoid Primates: 18. Perspectives on the Miocene Hominoidea David R. Pilbeam; 19. Late Oligocene to Middle Miocene catarrhines from Afro-Arabia Terry Harrison; 20. European hominoids David Begun; 21. The hominoid radiation in Asia Jay Kelley; 22. Middle and Late Miocene African hominoids Steven C. Ward and Dana Duren; Part V. The Fossil Record of Human Ancestry: 23. Introduction to the fossil record of human ancestry Henry M. McHenry; 24. Earliest hominids Tim D. White; 25. Early genus Homo Holly Dunsworth and Alan C. Walker; 26. Migrations, radiations and continuity: patterns in the evolution of Middle and Late Pleistocene humans Fred Smith; References cited; Index.

Artikelname: Thunder-Lizards: The Sauropodomorph Dinosaurs
Artikelbeschreibung: The large quadrupedal herbivores known as sauropods roamed the planet from the Jurassic to the end of the Cretaceous. With the longest necks and tails of all of the dinosaurs, some sauropods were 40 meters in length and weighed upwards of 100,000 kilograms. The popular image of these lumbering giants, placidly consuming ferns, has been greatly revised in recent years by new discoveries and new theories about behavior and physiology. This book presents 21 new studies of the sauropods. The volume is organized into four parts. Part I looks at some sauropods old and new, Part II at juvenile and adult specimens and ontogenetic variation within species. Part III concerns morphology and biomechanics, while Part IV takes up issues of biogeography. The contributors are Sebastian Apesteguia, Malcolm W. Bedell, Jr., David S. Berman, Matthew F. Bonnan, Kenneth Carpenter, Sankar Chatterjee, Rodolfo A. Coria, Fabio M. Dalla Vecchia, John R. Foster, Peter M. Galton, Jacques van Heerden, Takehito Ikejiri, Jean Le Loeuff, D. M. Mohabey, Ralph E. Molnar, John S. McIntosh, J. Michael Parrish, Bruce M. Rothschild, Leonardo Salgado, Steven W. Salisbury, Allen Shaw, Kenneth Stadtman, Kent A. Stevens, Virginia Tidwell, David L. Trexler, D. Ray Wilhite, Adam M. Yates, and Zhong Zheng.

Artikelname: Travels with the Fossil Hunters
Artikelbeschreibung: Travels with the Fossil Hunters tells twelve stories of expeditions to remote parts of the world in search of diverse fossils such as dinosaurs and human ancestors. Palaeontologists relate the problems and curiosities they encounter whilst working in extreme conditions, from the deserts of the Sahara and Yemen to the frozen wastes of Antarctica, from the mountains of India to the forests of Latvia. They tell us what field expeditions are really like: dodging bullets in West Africa or rabid dogs in Pakistan, surviving yak-butter tea in Tibet or raw fish in China. Along the way they also describe the palaeontology and geology of the countries they visit and the scientific reasons for their expeditions. Copiously illustrated with spectacular colour photographs and with a foreword from David Attenborough and an introduction from Richard Fortey, this fascinating book will appeal to anyone interested in travelling and fossils, amateurs and professionals alike.

Foreword Sir David Attenbourgh; Introduction Richard Fortey; 1. Across Tibet by jeep, pony and foot Andrew Smith; 2. Fishing - and some dinosaurs - in the Sahara Alison Longbottom and Angela Milner; 3. Digging the rock Chris Stringer; 4. A summer in Latvia Per Erik Ahlberg; 5. Brains in Abu Dhabi?s desert Peter J. Whybrow; 6. Thomas Hardy, Driver ants and some West African fossils Steve Culver; 7. Two passages to India Paul D. Taylor; 8. Digging for dragons in China Angela Milner; 9. Close encounterrs in Pakistan Peter J. Whybrow; 10. The day of a thousand fossils Peter Andrews; 11. Ancient bones in the frozen continent Jerry Hooker; 12. Arabia Felix, fossilised fruits and the price of frogs Peter J. Whybrow; Postscript; Index.

Artikelname: Trilobite
Artikelbeschreibung: This is is a trilobito-centric view of the world, unravelling the history of the crustacean-like animals which dominated the seas for three hundred million years. These arthropods witnessed continents move, mountain chains elevated and eroded; they survived ice ages and volcanic eruptions, evolving and adapting to their environment. They watched through their crystal eyes whilst life evolved. Their own evolution calibrated geological time itself.

Artikelname: When Life Nearly Died: The Greatest Mass Extinction of All Time
Artikelbeschreibung: There have been five big mass extinctions in the history of the Earth. One 65 million years ago wiped out the dinosaurs, but the greatest of all happened around 251 million years ago, at the end of the Permian period. In this cataclysm at least 90 per cent of life was killed, both on land and in the sea, almost bringing evolution to a halt. What caused destruction on such an unimaginable scale? Was the impact of a huge meteorite, or prolonged volcanic eruption in Siberia? The evidence is assembled and Michael Benton gives his verdict. "When Life Nearly Died" does more than document this catastrophic event - it is also a history of developing ideas, explaining how we know what we know about geology and palaeontology, and laying bare the arguments and egos of scientists. Benton shows that this is not an arcane story of interest only to the scientific community - the implications of this mass extinction millions of years ago for the present-day biodiversity crisis are very relevant, so that the past can truly be a guide to the present and future life on Earth.

Artikelname: Wonderful Life: Burgess Shale and the Nature of History
Artikelbeschreibung: An account of a revolution in our understanding of life's history, this book tells how three obscure British scientists completely changed our view of evolution by discovering a unique group of 530 million year-old creatures in the Burgess Shale fossil deposit in the Rockies.

Artikelname: Yorkshire Rock: A Journey Through Time
Artikelbeschreibung: The lost worlds of Yorkshire's 500 million year journey through time told by wildlife artist Richard Bell.