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Explorers of deep time : paleontologists and the history of life / Roy Plotnick

Author
Plotnick, Roy E.
Published
New York : Columbia University Press, [2022]
Physical Description
viii, 334 pages : illustrations ; 25 cm

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Contents
Those who know the past -- We have the best questions -- I'm not Ross (or Indiana Jones) -- Attending marvels -- Safe places -- Cool toys -- Big data and the big picture -- The ends of the worlds as we know them -- Lessons for and from the living -- The education of a paleontologist -- Living in the real world -- The face of paleontology -- The third reviewer -- Conferring, conversing, and otherwise hobnobbing -- Fighting over scraps -- This land is your land, your fossil is my fossil -- For the love of fossils -- Presenting the past -- Those who do not know the past -- Drawing on the past -- The world of paleontology -- Last thoughts : SWOT-ing at paleontology.
Summary
"Paleontology is one of the most visible yet most misunderstood fields of science. Children dream of becoming paleontologists when they grow up. Museum visitors flock to exhibits on dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals. The media reports on fossil discoveries and new clues to mass extinctions. Nonetheless, misconceptions abound: paleontologists are assumed only to be interested in dinosaurs and they are all too often pictured as bearded white men in battered cowboy hats. Roy Plotnick provides a behind-the-scenes look at paleontology as it exists today in all its complexity. He explores the field's aims, methods, and possibilities, with an emphasis on the compelling personal stories of the scientists who have made it a career. Paleontologists study the entire history of life on Earth; they do not only use hammers and chisels to unearth fossils but are just as likely to work with cutting-edge computing technology. Plotnick presents the big questions about life's history that drive paleontological research and shows why knowledge of Earth's past is essential to understanding present-day environmental crises. He introduces readers to the diverse group of people of all genders, races, and international backgrounds who make up the twenty-first-century paleontology community, foregrounding their perspectives and firsthand narratives. He also frankly discusses the many challenges that face the profession, with key takeaways for aspiring scientists. Candid and comprehensive, Explorers of Deep Time is essential reading for anyone curious about the everyday work of real-life paleontologists"--
Subject(s)
ISBN
9780231195348 (hardcover)
0231195346 (hardcover)
Bibliography Note
Includes bibliographical references (pages 287-319) and index.
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