Overview

This scientific detective story is the first book which explains clearly the science used by paleontologists, and the new, cutting-edge techniques that led to the discovery of Seismosaurus, the longest dinosaur yet known––and possibly the largest land animal to have ever lived. Gillette's first-person account of the project answers the most frequently asked questions about Seismosaurus: How was it discovered? How do we know it is a new species? How did it die? Part catalogue of the workings of paleontological science in the 1990s, the book also illustrates the exciting collaboration between Gillette, the chemists and physicists who helped to reconstruct Seismosaurus.

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9780231078740

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Here is a work destined to be of great historical importance in the field of paleontology...There have been no comparably detailed exegeses on the history of a single excavation. Earth Sciences History

The fascinating tale of the excavation and analysis of the longest and perhaps heaviest dinosaur known to science. Gillette begins his story with the serendipitous 1979 discovery of several large bones by two hikers in the New Mexico desert. At the time curator of paleontology at the New Mexico State Museum of Natural History, Gillette was put in charge of unearthing the skeleton. After excavating eight tail vertebrae, he realized they didn't match those of any known dinosaur genus. He affectionately dubbed his animal Sam and named the new genus Seismosaurus, Latin for Earth-shaking lizard - rather appropriate for a 150-foot-long, 100-ton behemoth. Seismosaurus was a sauropod, the infraorder of dinosaurs that includes the Brachiosaurus of Jurassic Park fame. Most of Sam's bones were so deeply embedded in sandstone that Gillette solicited help from scientists at the nearby Los Alamos National Laboratory. The result, he explains, was the first experiment in high-tech paleontology, as scientists tried to pinpoint bone inside solid rock with such gizmos as ground-penetrating radar and magnetometers. These methods were only partially successful, and Gillette emphasizes that the bulk of the work still involved low-tech hammers, picks, and shovels. The resulting seven-year dig revealed a wealth of bones and 240 plum-sized stones that may have stirred digestive juices in Sam's gut. The second half of the book is devoted to scientific analysis of the fossils and the mysterious process of fossilization. While Gillette neglects to shed much light on the hottest dinosaur controversies, such as their warm- or cold-bloodedness and their evolutionary link to birds, he covers a dazzling range of topics related to dinosaur paleontology. Most important, he sticks primarily to the facts and lets the reader know when he engages in speculation. Fast-paced, almost conversational, and particularly enjoyable for dinosaur buffs. (Kirkus Reviews)

Here is a work destined to be of great historical importance in the field of paleontology...There have been no comparably detailed exegeses on the history of a single excavation. -- Earth Sciences History

Author Information

David D. Gillette, Ph.D., is the coeditor of Dinosaur Tracks and Traces and coauthor of Glyptodonts of North America.Mark Hallett is a well-known illustrator of prehistoric animals and their environments. His work has graced the pages of Life, Smithsonian, and Natural History and has been featured in internationally televised programs.

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