This is the epic story of life on Earth, uniquely retold through someof the most significant fossils ever found. The book travels through 3.5 billion years of Earth's history and across all seven continents, showcasing the unusual and wonderful creatures that have played a pivotal role in our evolutionary past. Microbe-like structures in Australian rocks reveal what may be the earliest fossils of life on Earth, tiny Triassic snails demonstrate the effects of past mass extinctions, and the remains of our own ancestors tell us where we came from. Epic tales of survival and migration, evolution and destruction are hidden in the buried remains of animals and plants that lived long ago. The fossils have been selected from the renowned collections of the two premier natural history museums in the world, London's Natural History Museum and the Smithsonian Institution, Washington. Each fossil is beautifully illustrated with photographs to bring this unique story to life.

About the Author

Paul D. Taylor worked for almost forty years at the Natural History Museum, London, where he is now a Scientific Associate. His research focuses on fossil and living bryozoans, with interests in evolution, paleoecology, and fossil folklore.

Aaron O'Dea is a Scientist at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama. He uses the fossil record to understand past climactic changes in the seas and their role in extinction and speciation, and how life in the past can help us predict the future.

Book Information
ISBN 9780565095499
Author Paul D. Taylor
Format Paperback
Page Count 232
Imprint The Natural History Museum
Publisher The Natural History Museum