Fossils: The Evolution and Extinction of Species - Hardcover

Eldredge, Niles

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0810933055 ISBN 13: 9780810933057

Publisher: Harry N Abrams Inc, 1991

Synopsis

Paleontologist Eldredge (curator, Dept. of Invertebrates, American Museum of Natural History, NYC) overturns the traditional view of evolution. Instead of a slow and inevitable process, he shows that life forms, generally, do not evolve to any significant degree until after a massive extinction. Still-life nature photographer Murray Alcosser provides 160 luminous colorplates illustrating some 250 different fossil specimens. The introduction is by Stephen J. Gould. A lovely volume. 11x10". Annotation copyright Book News, Inc. Portland, Or.

About this title

From the Publisher:

In this fascinating exploration of the fossil record, Niles Eldredge overturns the traditional view of evolution as a slow and inevitable process, and he shows that lifeforms generally do not evolve to any significant degree until after massive extinction. This rhythm of life a concept developed by Eldredge and Stephen Jay Gould known as punctuated equilibria in evolution is revealed by the fossilized remains of the earth's ancient flora and fauna. Distinguished photographer Murray Alcosser augments Eldredge's text with 160 luminous color plates illustrating more than 250 different fossil specimens. In this new paperback edition, Fossils becomes an accessible text with appeal to a broad audience, including natural history readers and students.

From the Back Cover:

Fossils, with its stimulating text and the best photographs of fossils ever published, is indeed splendid."--Ernest Mayr, author of The Growth of Biological Thought

Eldredge has cleverly combined our knowledge of living organisms with instructive insights into the fossil record to convincingly argue that evolution is, indeed, the grand unifying idea of biology."--Donald C. Johanson, author of Lucy: The Beginning of Humankind

About this edition

• Publisher: Harry N Abrams Inc
• Publication date: 1991
• ISBN 10: 0810933055
• ISBN 13: 9780810933057
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 220