Overview

In movies, in novels, in comic strips, and on television, we've all seen dinosaurs--or at least somebody's educated guess of what they would look like. But what if it were possible to build, or grow, a real dinosaur without finding ancient DNA? Jack Horner, the scientist who advised Steven Spielberg on the blockbuster film Jurassic Park and a pioneer in bringing paleontology into the twenty-first century, teams up with the editor of the New York Times's Science Times section to reveal exactly what's in store. In the 1980s, Horner began using CAT scans to look inside fossilized dinosaur eggs, and he and his colleagues have been delving deeper ever since. At North Carolina State University, Mary Schweitzer has extracted fossil molecules--proteins that survived 68 million years--from a Tyrannosaurus rex fossil excavated by Horner. These proteins show that T. rex and the modern chicken are kissing cousins. At McGill University, Hans Larsson is manipulating a chicken embryo to awaken the dinosaur within--starting by getting it to grow a tail and eventually prompting it to grow the forelimbs of a dinosaur. All of this is happening without changing a single gene. This incredible research is leading to discoveries and applications so profound they're scary in the power they confer on humanity. How to Build a Dinosaur is a tour of the hot rocky deserts and air-conditioned laboratories at the forefront of this scientific revolution.

Full Product Details

9798200123223

Table of Contents

Reviews

"The authors cover highly technical scientific fields in a manner accessible to lay audiences, who will be captivated by Audie Award nominee Patrick Lawlor's Mr. Wizard-like zeal.-- ""Library Journal Audio Review"" ""Combining gross and molecular anatomy with genomic information, Horner believes, makes re-creating a dinosaur a genuine prospect that he urges his colleagues to pursue. Straight from the scientific frontier, Horner's work should excite anyone who's dreamed of walking with dinosaurs."" -- ""Booklist"" ""Horner wants to introduce readers to 'evo devo, ' a jazzy moniker for evolutionary development. But first he wants to tell a story--and it's a good one...The polished narrative has a comfortable, intelligent flow...[It's] evo devo for the everyday reader, with the personal stuff adding color."" -- ""Kirkus Reviews"" ""Patrick Lawlor's narration of Horner's fascinating book is mostly enthusiastic and engaging, and he's comfortable with the scientific jargon."" -- ""AudioFile"" ""Provocative."" -- ""Publishers Weekly"" ""Sure to appeal to dinosaur fans, this readable account of innovative science is recommended for public as well as academic library collections."" -- ""Library Journal"" ""The authors cover highly technical scientific fields in a manner accessible to lay audiences, who will be captivated by Audie Award nominee Patrick Lawlor's Mr. Wizard-like zeal."" -- ""Library Journal (audio review)"""

Author Information

James Gorman is deputy science editor of the New York Times and editor of its Science Times section. He is the author or coauthor of several books, including two previous books with renowned paleontologist Jack Horner. James lives near New York City. Jack Horner is a regents professor of paleontology at Montana State University, curator of paleontology at the Museum of the Rockies, and probably the best-known paleontologist in the world. The recipient of a MacArthur Fellowship, or genius award, he is the author or coauthor of several books on dinosaurs, has helped create several documentaries, and does field work in Montana and Mongolia. Jack lives in Bozeman, Montana. Patrick Lawlor, an award-winning narrator, is also an accomplished stage actor, director, and combat choreographer. He has worked extensively off Broadway and has been an actor and stuntman in both film and television. He has been an Audie Award finalist multiple times and has garnered several AudioFile Earphones Awards, a Publishers Weekly Listen-Up Award, and many starred audio reviews from Library Journal and Kirkus Reviews.

Tab Content 6

Customer Reviews

Recent Reviews

Countries Available