Out of Thin Air: Dinosaurs, Birds, and Earth's Ancient Atmosphere
- ISBN-10
- 0309141230
- ISBN-13
- 9780309141239
- Series
- Out of Thin Air
- Category
- Science
- Pages
- 296
- Language
- English
- Published
- 2006-09-26
- Publisher
- National Academies Press
- Author
- Peter Ward
Description
For 65 million years dinosaurs ruled the Earth-until a deadly asteroid forced their extinction. But what accounts for the incredible longevity of dinosaurs? A renowned scientist now provides a startling explanation that is rewriting the history of the Age of Dinosaurs. Dinosaurs were pretty amazing creatures-real-life monsters that have the power to fascinate us. And their fiery Hollywood ending only serves to make the story that much more dramatic. But fossil evidence demonstrates that dinosaurs survived several mass extinctions, and were seemingly unaffected by catastrophes that decimated most other life on Earth. What could explain their uncanny ability to endure through the ages? Biologist and earth scientist Peter Ward now accounts for the remarkable indestructibility of dinosaurs by connecting their unusual respiration system with their ability to adapt to Earth's changing environment-a system that was ultimately bequeathed to their descendants, birds. By tracing the evolutionary path back through time and carefully connecting the dots from birds to dinosaurs, Ward describes the unique form of breathing shared by these two distant relatives and demonstrates how this simple but remarkable characteristic provides the elusive explanation to a question that has thus far stumped scientists. Nothing short of revolutionary in its bold presentation of an astonishing theory, Out of Thin Air is a story of science at the edge of discovery. Ward is an outstanding guide to the process of scientific detection. Audacious and innovative in his thinking, meticulous and thoroughly detailed in his research, only a scientist of his caliber is capable of telling this surprising story.
Get the book
Other editions
-
- 2006-09-26
- 296 pages
- Paperback
- National Academies Press
-
- 2022-01-18
- 272 pages
- Paperback
- Bloomsbury Sport
-
- 2020-11-12
- 281 pages
- Ebook
- Bloomsbury Publishing
-
- 2020-11-12
- 272 pages
- Ebook
- Bloomsbury Publishing
Similar books
-
Out of Thin Air: A True Story of Impossible Murder in Iceland
By Anthony AdeaneIn 1974, two men vanished without a trace under suspicious circumstances, shocking the people of Iceland, where serious crime is almost nonexistent.
-
Out of Thin Air: The Brief Wonderful Life of Network News
By Reuven FrankOut of Thin Air is the story of the news behind the news. Studded with personal anecdotes, this is the inside story of the people and events that shaped the...
-
Into Thin Air
By Jon Krakauer" He was wrong. By writing Into Thin Air, Krakauer may have hoped to exorcise some of his own demons and lay to rest some of the painful questions that still surround the event.
-
Thin Air: A Novel
By Richard K. MorganMixed in with the thriller-esque action and cyberpunk backdrop is a hard-boiled noir story complete with a twisting and turning plot that keeps readers on their toes.”—Los Angeles Times “Richard K. Morgan wants to destroy your Mars ...
-
Thin Air
By Kellie M. ParkerEight hours.
-
The Mercy of Thin Air
By Ronlyn DomingueTwo strands: first the story of Razi Nolan, growing up in New Orleans in the 1920s, smart, fearless, set on breaking the comfortable family mould by making a career as a doctor.
-
Out of Thin Air: A Story of Big Trees
By Nancy Eileen Muleady-MechamAn explanation of how trees, in particular,the giant sequoia, grow using the elements. It's told in a fun way with colorful cartoon illustrations but with a wealth of scientific information aimed at elementary and middle schoolers.
-
How to Make Money Out of Thin Air
By Brian SherBut they have managed to figure out one thing that others haven't - how to make money. In this groundbreaking new book, Brian Sher shows you that it's not difficult to do. You just have to know how.
-
Thin Air
By Lisa Gray"Lisa Gray explodes onto the literary stage with this taut, edge-of-the-seat thriller, and her headstrong protagonist, Jessica Shaw, reminiscent of Lee Child's Jack Reacher, delivers a serious punch.
-
Out of Thin Air
By Mary CrawfordWho will he find next? Dylan Palmer has gained a reputation for finding missing children. He's so good, he's been asked to lead a new task force devoted to cold...