Prehistoric Life

Explores the origins of life on earth, from the first algae to the first humans.

Take a journey back in time to discover the incredible plants and animals of prehistoric Earth. It’s the ultimate first dinosaur book for young readers! From the first living cells to fearsome dinosaurs and giant mammals, this children’s book brings your budding paleontologist face-to-face with these awe-inspiring creatures! Inside the pages of this dinosaur encyclopedia from DK Books, you’ll discover: • Large pictures and clear, jargon-free text • A handy, pronunciation guide for each animal or plant • Visual index arranged chronologically, so species can be found quickly • Detailed profiles of each featured species with key information and fun facts such as size, time period, and location Little dinosaur lovers will be captivated by the amazing range of prehistoric beasts on display! Detailed artworks bring the past to life, painting a spectacular portrait of the supersized, the scary, and the downright bizarre animals and plants that inhabited Earth in ancient times. Throughout the pages of this fascinating prehistoric book, you’ll discover how the Earth has changed over time, why fossils formed, and the arrival of early humans. A pronunciation guide helps kids with tricky names and encourages early learning and language development. The helpful visual index provides a quick overview of every species in the book. Learn more about prehistoric animals and plants through detailed profiles of 50 key species. Your little one will love reading about famous favorites such as the mighty Tyrannosaurus and the huge Woolly Mammoths! They will also get to know lesser-known dinosaurs, including sail-backed Dimetrodon and airplane-sized pterosaur Quetzalcoatlus. These profiles are jargon-free and based on the latest science. The Prehistoric World Awaits! Packed with jaw-dropping images, fascinating facts, and straightforward explanations, it’s the perfect gift for children aged 5 to 8 with a love of prehistoric beasts and dinosaurs.

A comprehensive pocket guide to dinosaurs and prehistoric animals and the world they inhabited millions of years ago. Packed with more than seven hundred full-color illustrations, this definitive pocket guide paints a vivid portrait of extraordinary dinosaurs and prehistoric animals, and the ecosystems they lived in millions of years ago. This guide features authoritative text, crystal-clear illustrations, and a straightforward approach to revealing the fascinating lives and habitats of dinosaurs, pterosaurs, marine reptiles, and prehistoric beasts. The introductory section explains classification systems, geological timelines, the evolution of the dinosaurs, and how fossils form and are discovered by paleontologists. For ease of reference, the main body of the book is divided into three sections: the Precambrian and Paleozoic eras, when animals first began evolving; the Mesozoic era, which saw the flourishing and eventual extinction of the dinosaurs; and the Cenozoic era, when giant mammals walked the Earth. Each section is broken down into its geological time periods, and, within these, the species are organized according to habitat--whether they lived on land, in the water, or in the air. There are detailed profiles of 200 dinosaurs and other ancestors of modern animals. Each entry combines a precise, jargon-free description with full-color illustrations, skeletons, and replica models, annotated to showcase the unique features of the species. Maps show where each animal's fossils have been found, and many profiles are supported by photographs to show actual excavation sites.

Text and digitally-created illustrations cover more than one hundred of the earliest beasts with profiles on their physical characteristics, habitat, behavior, and distribution across prehistoric Earth.

Prehistoric life is the archive of evolution preserved in the fossil record. This book focuses on the meaning and significance of that archive and is designed for introductory college science students, including non-science majors, enrolled in survey courses emphasizing paleontology, geology and biology. From the origins of animals to the evolution of rap music, from ancient mass extinctions to the current biodiversity crisis, and from the Snowball Earth to present day climate change this book covers it, with an eye towards showing how past life on Earth puts the modern world into its proper context. The history of life and the patterns and processes of evolution are especially emphasized, as are the interconnections between our planet, its climate system, and its varied life forms. The book does not just describe the history of life, but uses actual examples from life’s history to illustrate important concepts and theories.

Presents an introduction to prehistoric life, describing dinosaurs, plant life, and the evolutionary stages of early man, with images of fossil remains and discussions of the possible events that led to the extinction of many early life forms.

From the origin of life, through the age of dinosaurs stalked by the terrifying Tyrannosaurus rex, to the earliest humans, this book tells the story of life on Earth. Dinosaurs may be the stars of the show, but the book is truly comprehensive, with fossil plants, invertebrates, amphibians, fish, birds, reptiles, mammals, and even early bacteria conjuring up an entire past world. To put all of these extinct species in context, the book explores geological time and the way life forms are classified. It also looks at how fossils preserve the story of evolution and how that story can be deciphered. The "Young Earth" chapter explains how forces shaped Earth and steered the course of life. The main part of the book, "Life on Earth," lays out and catalogs the rich story of life, from its beginnings 4 billion years ago, through each geological period, such as the Jurassic and Cretaceous, to the present. The stunning visuals and authoritative text make Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Life a fascinating and revealing encyclopedia that will appeal to the whole family.

Profiles of dinosaur species with photographs and information about habitats.