Description
Book SynopsisRecent fossil discoveries prove dinosaurs didn’t die out after al--instead, they turned into birds, opening up thrilling new possibilities in our knowledge of the prehistoric world.
Trade ReviewIn Flying Dinosaurs John Pickrell challenges everything you were told about dinosaurs as a child... Through extensive research and interviews with leading paleontologists, Flying Dinosaurs charts how each new discovery confirmed the link between dinosaurs and birds... The author's fascination with dinosaurs is evident throughout the book. But his passion aside, it takes a skilled science writer to transform the incremental progress of a field such as paleontology into a narrative that sustains a book. -- Nicky Phillips The Sydney Morning Herald After digesting all that Pickrell has to offer, it will be difficult for any reader to think about dinosaurs -- or birds -- in the same ways they had before. Publishers Weekly [An] engaging book. GrrlScientist - a Guardian Blog A remarkable book, with a wealth of interviews with palaeontologists and a comprehensive catalogue of virtually all the findings of feathered dinosaurs since 1996. It's a useful catch-up if you have lost track of this rapidly developing area of palaentology, and full of fascinating, unusual facts-did you know that birds are the closest living relatives to the crocodile? -- Bill Condie Cosmos Magazine [Flying Dinosaurs] deftly covers the history behind the decades-old debate over just when and how birds first arose. -- Bruce Dorminey Forbes Pickrell covers the history of changing thought on dinosaurs and the bird-dinosaur link... Pickrell's book is well written and accessible, and thus is an excellent companion. -- Greg Laden Greg Laden's Blog A detailed and timely overview of our rapidly-improving scientific understanding of how massive, lumbering dinosaurs evolved into agile, flying birds. -- Mike Lee The Conversation A readable introduction to the subject. -- Ian Paulsen The Bridbooker Report [A] fast-paced... Fascinating read. BirdWatching A well-structured overview of the various lines of evidence connecting the evolution of birds with that of theropod dinosaurs... Any general reader or student interested in dinosaurs should find it a pleasure to read... Highly recommended. Choice An exceptional read... I would recommend this volume not only to dinosaur aficionados, who will find in its pages a plethora of interesting facts about dinosaurs and birds, but also to professional paleontologists who are looking for a comprehensive yet quick account on the most recent research in dinosaur paleontology. -- Marco Signore Quarterly Review of Biology Delightful and accessible. I highly recommend it for readers of all ages and backgrounds. ZME Science
Table of ContentsForeword, by Philip Currie Preface Introduction: A whole new world Before we begin 1. The missing link 2. A feathered revolution begins 3. The dinosaur hunters 4. From dinosaur to bird 5. Fake fossils 6. The evolution of feathers 7. The struggle to the skies 8. Sex for T. rex 9. Colouring in the dinosaurs 10. Back from the dead 11. The survival game Relationships of the theropod dinosaurs An A-Z of feathered dinosaurs References Glossary Select bibliography Acknowledgments Index
