Arthur Smith Woodward:: His Life and Influence on Modern Vertebrate Palaeontology

Arthur Smith Woodward:: His Life and Influence on Modern Vertebrate Palaeontology
ISBN-10
1862397414
ISBN-13
9781862397415
Category
Science
Pages
359
Language
English
Published
2016-02-26
Publisher
Geological Society of London
Authors
M. Smith, Z. Johanson, P.M. Barrett

Description

Arthur Smith Woodward was the Natural History Museum’s longest-serving Keeper of Geology and the world’s leading expert on fossil fish. He was also an unwitting victim of the Piltdown fraud, which overshadowed his important scientific contributions. The aim of this book is to honour Smith Woodward’s contributions to vertebrate palaeontology, discuss their relevance today and provide insights into the factors that made him such an eminent scientist. The last few years have seen a resurgence in fossil vertebrate (particularly fish) palaeontology, including new techniques for the ‘virtual’ study of fossils (synchrotron and micro CT-scanning) and new research foci, such as ‘Evo-Devo’ – combining fossils with the development of living animals. This new research is built on a strong foundation, like that provided by Smith Woodward’s work. This collection of papers, authored by some of the leading experts in their fields, covers the many facets of Smith Woodward’s life, legacy and career. It will be a benchmark for studies on one of the leading vertebrate palaeontologists of his generation.

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