The Mesozoic Era

Dinosaurs have captured the imaginations of children and adults alike since the first fossil discoveries mapped them onto our general body of knowledge. This book journeys to an era long before humans, where dinosaurs were once masters of land, sky, and sea. In addition to accounts of significant dinosaur species and their extinction, readers will learn about the major life forms, both plant and animal, alongside whom dinosaurs dwelled, as well as the geographical and environmental factors that affected their subsistence.

Dinosaurs have filled us with wonder since the first monstrous bones were pulled from the earth thousands of years ago. For centuries, we imagined dinosaurs as giant, clumsy brutes--but science has since revealed them to be so much more. They were living, breathing animals that had moments of great power and ferocity, but also periods of quiet beauty. Of course, science cannot tell us how they behaved or how they interacted with their environments. For that, we need our imaginations. The Amazing World of Dinosaurs is an intersection where imagination and knowledge meet. It features James Kuether's breathtaking dinosaur paleoart that accurately reflects our current knowledge. These captivating images are paired with Kuether's research and insights, which make dinosaurs and the Mesozoic Era accessible to anyone. From famous creatures like Tyrannosaurus rex to lesser-known species such as Monolophosaurus, dinosaurs continue to spark the imaginations of children and adults everywhere. Let The Amazing World of Dinosaurs guide you through this incredible time in history.

One of the most geologically complex and diverse states, California spent much of the age of dinosaurs under water. While most of the fossils found in the state are those of reptiles that lived in the sea (thalattosaurs, ichthyosaurs, mosasaurs, plesiosaurs, and turtles), some are those of birds and pterosaurs that soared above it. Other fossils come from terrestrial animals that died and were washed into the ocean. These include turtles, crocodiles, lizards, and dinosaurs such as armored ankylosaurs, duck-billed hadrosaurs, and a variety of carnivorous dinosaurs. Richard Hilton is the first to tell the unsung story of the dinosaurs and reptiles of land, sea, and sky that lived in California and Baja California during the Mesozoic era (245 million-65 million years ago), in addition to the history of their discovery. Vibrantly illustrated with more than three hundred photographs, paintings, and drawings, this book provides geological and environmental details, describes the significance of the major fossils, and chronicles the adventures involved in the discovery, preparation, and publishing of the finds. Hilton also includes accounts of the scientists, teachers, students, ranchers, and weekend fossil hunters who endured (and continue to endure) harsh weather, fires, wild animals, and the usual challenges of fieldwork to collect fossil remains and make major discoveries. These enthusiasts managed to safeguard an abundance of fossil resources, some of which would otherwise have been destroyed by quarrying, paving, and housing developments. Dinosaurs and Other Mesozoic Reptiles of California takes this legacy one step further by documenting information about the fossils and their finders in accessible prose and vivid artistic renderings, creating a valuable contribution to our understanding of California’s prehistoric past.

This is a discount Black and white version. Some images may be unclear, please see BCCampus website for the digital version.This book was born out of a 2014 meeting of earth science educators representing most of the universities and colleges in British Columbia, and nurtured by a widely shared frustration that many students are not thriving in courses because textbooks have become too expensive for them to buy. But the real inspiration comes from a fascination for the spectacular geology of western Canada and the many decades that the author spent exploring this region along with colleagues, students, family, and friends. My goal has been to provide an accessible and comprehensive guide to the important topics of geology, richly illustrated with examples from western Canada. Although this text is intended to complement a typical first-year course in physical geology, its contents could be applied to numerous other related courses.

A diverse range of organisms and rock formations have survived for many millennia, originating prior to the emergence of human life forms. These geological formations--some of which even predate the dinosaurs--reveal much about Earth's climate and the types of life forms that can endure certain environmental conditions. Using fossil records and geological evidence, this comprehensive series examines all aspects of prehistory, including the ascendancy of dinosaurs and the beginnings of humankind. Numerous photographs and illustrations invite the reader to pay homage to the genesis of life as we know it. - Detailed charts organize dates for easy reference - Expert discussions on significant species and concepts - Illustrations help readers visualize extinct organisms

Given by American Petroleum Institute, Brazos Valley Chapter.

*Includes pictures *Includes a bibliography for further reading The current view of science is that planet Earth is around 4.6 billion years old. The first four billion years of its development are known as the Precambrian period. For the first billion years or so, there was no life in Earth. Then the first single-celled life-forms, early bacteria and algae, began to emerge. We don't know where they came from or even if they originated on this planet at all. This gradual development continued until around four billion years ago when suddenly (in geological terms!) more complex forms of life began to emerge. Scientists call this time of an explosion of new forms of life the Paleozoic Era and it stretched from around 541 to 250 million years ago (Mya). First of all, in the oceans and then on land, new creatures and plants began to appear in bewildering variety. By the end of this period, life on Earth had exploded into a myriad of complex forms that filled virtually every habitat and niche available in the seas and on the planet's only continent, Pangea. Then a mysterious event that became known to early paleontologists as "The Great Dying" wiped out more than 95% of all life on Earth. No-one is entirely certain what caused this, but the effect of this cataclysm was as if someone had pressed a great, cosmic "reset" button and it took thirty million years for the development of life on Earth to start again. The next period of Earth's history is known as the Mesozoic Era, from about 252 to 66 Mya. This era is further divided into three periods, the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous. During this era, one type of life came to dominate the planet more completely and for a longer period than had been seen before or since; this was the Age of Reptiles. Beginning in the Triassic but especially in the Jurassic period, reptiles came to dominate the oceans, the land and even the skies. There has never been anything else quite like this period in terms of the success of a particular type of creature. For almost two hundred million years, reptiles were the only significant creatures on Earth. They were so successful and so diverse that they evolved to take advantage of every available habitat and no other type of large creature had a chance to develop. To put the two hundred million years of reptile dominance in perspective, the entire span of recorded Human history, the time since people advanced from tribes of primitive, nomadic hunter-gatherers into recognizable societies, covers less than six thousand years. To put this in context, if the entire history of the planet were to be laid out on the length of a football field, the period of dominance of the age of reptiles would not begin until the five-yard line and would stretch for twelve feet. All of Human history would occupy a tiny strip at the end of the field, less than the width of a human hair. It was during the Jurassic period that reptiles began to rule the Earth and some of the best-known prehistoric creatures first emerged. This is the fascinating, complex and occasionally baffling story of the Jurassic period. The Age of Reptiles: The History and Legacy of the Mesozoic Era and the Dinosaurs looks at the development of the era, the extinction events that occurred, and how dinosaurs began to evolve and die out. Along with pictures depicting important people, places, and events, you will learn about the Mesozoic Era like never before.