The Meaning of Fossils: Episodes in the History of Palaeontology

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Good Modern Science History

A "must read" for palaeontology students!

The Meaning of Fossils: Episodes in the History of Palaeontology
Martin J. S. Rudwick
Manufacturer: University Of Chicago Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0226731030

Book Description

"It is not often that a work can literally rewrite a person's view of a subject. And this is exactly what Rudwick's book should do for many paleontologists' view of the history of their own field."—Stephen J. Gould, Paleobotany and Palynology

"Rudwick has not merely written the first book-length history of palaeontology in the English language; he has written a very intelligent one. . . . His accounts of sources are rounded and organic: he treats the structure of arguments as Cuvier handled fossil bones."—Roy S. Porter, History of Science

Customer Reviews:

Good Modern Science History.......2007-01-18

I only gave this book 4 stars because parts of it can be a little difficult to follow, but anyone really interested in the history of science in general or the largely neglected history of paleontology in particular will find a wealth of fascinating information within it. For example it untangles what Cuvier really thought about geological catastrophes from the beliefs of the English geologists who used his work in support of natural theology, a topic on which there has been considerable confustion, especially in the English speaking world. Rudwick is careful to treat each topic in proper historical context that lets you understand what the people involved and their contemporaries really thought about what they were doing, not just what those developments would mean to the future. This book was written more than a decade before the "Science Wars" of the 1990's but it clearly demonstrates that it is possible to find a middle way and write science history in a way that puts each development in the proper philosophical and social context for its time, without loosing track of the fact that science is a progressive activity in which knowledge builds on itself and improves over time. The discussion of the complexities of the pre 18th century debate on the nature and origin of fossils, which seems so obvious to us today, but was far from obvious at the time, is alone worth the price of the book.

A "must read" for palaeontology students!.......2000-09-07

Rudwick chose the title "The Meaning of Fossils: Episodes in the History of Palaeontology" for his book, but I think that a subtitle more descriptive of the contents would be something like "Essays on the History of Palaeontology." A subtle difference, perhaps, but meaningful, since in many respects this book is about the people behind the fossils as much as it is about fossils themselves.

The book includes the following contents:

1) Fossil objects -- this section presents ideas about what people thought fossils were before they realized they were related in any way to once-living things. It also includes early work on fossils, their descriptions, the light bulb going on about where fossils really come from, and related topics.

2) Natural antiquities -- this section presents an example describing how we came to the realization that fossils really are parts and pieces of things that were one alive -- all from study of fossil and living sharks' teeth. This section also describes alternative explanations (from antiquity) that explain where fossils came from...interesting stuff.

3) Life's revolutions -- this section describes Cuvier's work and evidence he presented that showed that there is, in fact, a process of extinction that operates on earth. This thought, that a kind of living thing (a species), that was once alive are all now dead was a revolutionary thought! This section also introduces the notion of geologic time...deep time, of a length not realized or considered before...another revolution in thought.

4) Uniformity and progress -- this section includes a description of Lyell's new view of geology and geologic processes, that an ongoing gradual process of small magnitude can, over long periods of time produce all observable geological features. That idea fed into the new ideas being applied to fossils, the appearance and disappearance of fossil species.

5) Life's ancestry -- this section discusses the importance of actually looking and seeing for one's self, as Heinrich-Georg Bronn's work did by "Being taught by nature (Natura doceri)." There is also a discussion of what "species" means, and how that plays into the whole idea of fossil and extinct things as described by the evolutionary theories of Wallace and Darwin.

This is a good book with good examples. It provides an excellent historical perspective on the development of thinking relative to palaeontology. This book should be read by every student of palaeontology, and by most biology students as well!

Great stuff!

5 stars all the way (though the title could use a little work).

Alan Holyoak, Dept of Biology, Manchester College, IN

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The Meaning of Fossils : Episodes in the History of Palaeontology
Martin J. S. Rudwick
Manufacturer: University Of Chicago Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OPYB24

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The Meaning of Fossils. Episodes in the History of Palaeontology.
Martin J. S. Rudwick
Manufacturer: Science History Publications/Neale Watson Academic
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000JEGE9I

Product Description

This second edition contains numerous revisions to both text and plans. Warwick Clay's cruising guide covers the South Pacific from the Mariana Islands in the northwest across to the Galapagos in the east then down passed Easter Island to New Zealand in the Southwest. The guide covers this vast area in detail and virtually every anchorage is described with supporting plans produced from the author's own information.

Amazon.com

Meticulous 14-year-old Lindsay isn't exactly thrilled about moving to the chaos that she believes is New York City. Her flighty "career college student" mom, now divorced, has dumped her on her city engineer dad, "a man who lived his life twenty minutes behind schedule and in a perpetual state of apology." Lindsay is certain that nothing better awaits her than prep school boredom and constant battles with her evil stepbrother Todd. But she is wrong. Quite by accident, Lindsay discovers an unusual boy named Talon who resides in a secret city beneath New York--a kind of underground Oz called the Downside. Talon and Lindsey are fascinated by the differences in their dual worlds and soon grow equally fascinated with each other. But when Lindsay's dad's construction project hits a snag that reveals the Downside, it is not only the blooming relationship that hangs in the balance, but the entire future of the Downside as well.

Downsiders is both funny and compelling. But while Lindsay and Talon's observations of their distinct environments is humorous (Talon compares Lindsay's French braid to a "gator's tail" and, despite Talon's explanation that "time is of low importance," Lindsay still thinks it's strange that Talon wears his watch around his ankle), Neal Shusterman also uses their relationship to illustrate how much a particular culture both shapes our identity and affects how we view people from backgrounds other than our own. This call to look beneath the surface is cleverly and subtly woven through an original story with broad appeal. (Ages 10 to 16) --Jennifer Hubert

Book Description

Talon lives Downside, that is, underneath New York City. There is a strict code of secrecy among the Downsiders. However, when Talon accidentally meets a young woman named Lindsay, who is a Topsider (from above the ground), the two worlds inevitably collide. They become friends and love blossoms. The punishment for Talon's lack of discretion could be death. What will happen to them? Will the entire Downsider community be discovered?

Customer Reviews:

Worlds Collide.......2007-02-12

Underneath the streets of New York City, there is a whole other world. It is a world filled with buildings and tunnels and animals--and an entire society of people, who call themselves the Downsiders. These people have a sort of innocence and a simple society based on goodness and community. They think that those who live above the ground--the Topsiders--are evil or misguided. The Downsiders are very secretive about their world. They are afraid that if the Topsiders knew about them, they would destroy the Downside. They are probably right.

Talon is a teenaged Downsider. Each teen must make rotations through the different jobs in their society. One of these jobs is "Catcher." The catchers watch through sewer gates or subway tunnels, looking for Topsiders who are despondent and ready to end their lives. The catchers then adopt these people into the Downside. While on catching duty, Talon meets Lindsey and falls in love. She finds him intriguing and exciting, and is thrilled when he takes her on a tour of the Downside. Unfortunately, bringing a Topsider into the Downside is a crime punishable by death. Talon is sentenced to death, but his execution is unsuccessful. What will he decide to do now that his life seems to have been pardoned? Is there a way for the Downside and the Topside to coexist? Now that Talon has experienced both, will he be able to save his world?

I loved the descriptions of the Downside, both the location and the society. I thought this was a great story, with a great ending. I found it a bit hard to believe, though, that no Downsider had even been drawn in by the allure of the Topside before Talon.

AMAZING!.......2006-07-27

"The Downsiders" is nothing less than the work of a genius, intertwining fact and fiction to create a complex world beneath ours. This book is, at the least, an imaginitive and riveting tale that gives you a whole new look at the things around you. Breathtaking imagery and imagination. A must-read for people that enjoy romance and science fiction... yes, this book will no doubt appeal to both.

What Lurks Below.......2005-11-29

Underneath the streets of Manhattan lies a network of forgotten tunnels and passages. Unknown to the city's residents, these tunnels are inhabited by people who call themselves Downsiders. They keep to themselves and do not mix with the surface people except when catching the fallen who can join their ranks.

But the forces of change are upon both worlds as a Downsider boy becomes fascinated with a surface girl and a new water project begins to dig deep into the foundations of the city. Talon has always been somewhat of a wild child but now he has committed a great crime by letting a surface person know about the Downside. This act propels him and his friends through a series of events that lead them to unforseen acts and ideas.

This is a fascinating book about young people beginning to take on the responsibilities of adulthood. It also ties in some interesting true history of the world under the city although like many that deal with the subject, they miss some of the other facts (i.e. all of the water in Manhattan has to be brought in and comes through pumping stations located 900 feet below the surface). But despite such omissions this is still a wonder-filled book that will have readers paying a little more attention to the darker places in the world.

Downsiders.......2005-10-04

My book was Downsiders. It is a book by Neal Shusterman. The story is based in New York City. It is somewhat close to winter and there are four main characters. The first main character is a girl named Lindsay Matthias. She is on her way to New York City to live with her dad for the next three years and her mom has gone to Africa. The second person is a boy named Talon Angler. He is a boy that lives beneath the city in the old subway tunnels. The third person is Todd, hwo is Lindsay's old stepbrother. Last there is Lindsay's father.
While Todd is having a New Year's party Talon secretly sneeks in the hole in the wall in the middle of the hallway. He secretly hides in Lindsay's bedroom and is startled when she finds him. Talon lives in the old subway tunnels and knows this different way of life called the downside. The downside is a secret place that the regular life people of New York never knew exsited. Until the night that Talon showed up in Lindsay's bedroom. Lindsay noticed that while she was walking home one day that she was being followed by Talon and got pulled down a storm drain. This is when she finds the downside exists. One day while her father was working, they suddenly find the downside. Then from there on out it was war. The "topside" was cut off from all major utilites.
There is probably a buch of major plots, but I will pick out the main four. The first one would be Talon going into Lindsay's room and she attacks him with pepper spray. The next would be Talon taking Lindsay to the downside and showing her everything. The next to last thing is Railborn and Gutta, Talon's best frinds are cought in this explosion, so Railborn take Gutta to the topside to get medical help. The last thing is the topside breaking down into the downside and it was declared war. Soon after that everything almost was fixed. Talon became "most-beloved" which for us would be like being the mayor.
If I would recommend this book to read I would recommend as a very good book. I loved it. Although in the end I was kind of disappointed because it kind of left you hanging. If I were the author then I would surely make a sequel. The ending cane of a surprise because they ended up living on the roof right beside the water tower. I choose this book because it sparked my intrest by the name of the book. I would recommend this book to other people. I think anyone who likes a book that you can't put down, then this is the book for you.

Downsiders! .......2005-01-26

I read this book a few years ago and it suddenly just poped in my mind that I wanted to read it again, It is great, I loved it

Soooooo much,

ok this review sounds as if it was written by and idiot but there are no words to describe just how amazingly fantastic this book is

get it ?
got it ?

good!

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All the magic of Harry Potter with some mind-bending causality
A fun weekend read
Excuse me, I believe that's MY zombie you've got there...
we love reginald pepper!
Page Turning fun

Reginald Pepper is Out of Time
Neil Sorenson
Manufacturer: Neil Sorenson
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0615142613

Book Description

"No summoning the spirits of the dead on a schoolnight!" Being the son of a world-famous paranormal troubleshooter isn't all it's cracked up to be. Just ask Reginald Pepper. Sure, he'd say there's fun to be had chatting with ghosts in moldering crypts or tinkering with preternatural gadgetry in his dad's lab, but he'd also be the first to admit that meddling in the realm of the supernatural can have nasty consequences. And being yanked 100 years into the past would certainly qualify as a nasty consequence. When Reginald uncovers a strange family secret hidden in a forgotten well, he and his older sister are plunged backward in time to the year 1905, where they find themselves in a desperate race to thwart the tangled schemes of a vengeful vampire. Time is running out for them to fix the disasters of the past and decipher the mystery behind the leering crystal skull that holds the key to their family's future.

Customer Reviews:

All the magic of Harry Potter with some mind-bending causality.......2007-05-18

If you've got a geekish bent, then you'll love this young-adult book that, for me, had all the fun of a good time-twisting Star Trek episode. The skinny is this: Reginald Pepper is a young man whose mother goes missing. Over the months that pass, he learns of clues to here whereabouts and learns that they are her "when"-abouts when the clues come in the form of old items that he's taken for granted all the years of his life.

There are some delicious juxtapositions between modern day times (though there's magic in our present) and the times of a hundred years ago, set in rural New Hampshire. The author has a great way of subtly illustrating that though we might be able to dress in an old-timey-way, we'd be dead giveaways when it comes to the slang department.

Some of the incidental-dialogue from bit players in the distant past were some of the best dialogue I'd read in a young adult book. Clearly, the details of the time had been researched and incorporated - with extremely believable results. When you subtract the (admittedly cool) paranormal stuff, you're still left with a wonderful example of how much different the times were.

As previously stated, time-travel is a big part of this book. I greatly look forward to my own son getting a little bit older so that I can use this book to wrap his brain around those causality concepts that are often presented dryly in other works. Here, they come alive and invite the young reader to consider time-based wierdness they might not have thought of.

I found this to be very fun and, as a result, I blew through it in a few days of bus-trips during my daily commute. I *highly* recommend this to any parent who has kids that like Harry Potter, but are looking for something slightly more challenging.

A fun weekend read.......2007-05-08

Reginald Pepper is a fun and enjoyable weekend read. It echoes faintly of the books I craved when I was in my early teens, such as The Three Investigators by Robert Arthur. This novel successfully intertwines technology and supernatural into a flavor all its own.

Excuse me, I believe that's MY zombie you've got there..........2007-05-08

Highly imaginative fun!...Mayan ruins, vampires, ghosts, nameless "things", time travel, a zombie, and more are weaved together to create an unforgettable adventure that will have you wishing you could trade places with Reginald Pepper. Can Reginald's love for his family help him outsmart time to change their fate? Read to find out!

I agree with other reviewers that Reginald Pepper is a good read for adults and young adults alike.

Did I mention that there is a zombie? Who doesn't like zombies?!

we love reginald pepper!.......2007-05-07

This book about a young brother and sister trying to time travel to find their mother and bring her back from the past kept me up many nights, from wanting to just finish the chapter before trolling off to sleep.
Imaginative and creative writing by Neil Sorenson (when is the next book?!).
This book is pegged for the younger pre-teen set, but is well written and more than engaging enough for an adult.
Excellent details, and an author that accurately captures and explains both scientific & paranormal terms as well as the heart and mind of our young hero.
If you enjoyed the Phillip Pullman books, this is a must read for you by a talented new writer.

Page Turning fun.......2007-05-02

Zombies, Vampires, spooks oh my!!! Its easy to get caught up in the adventures of Reginald as he and his sister try to unravel the mystery of their Mother's disappearance.

There is never a dull moment once Reginals finds the clues that will help him rescue his Mother while trying to stay one step ahead of an evil vampire bent on destroying the Pepper Family. This is a fun read for young adults as well as parents, a good mix of real adventure with supernatural events

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Downsiders : A Novel
Neal Shusterman
Manufacturer: Simon and Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000PHTB6M

Book Description

This high-quality laboratory manual may accompany any comparative anatomy text, but especially Kardong's Vertebrates: Comparative Anatomy, Function, Evolution or Kent/Carr's Comparative Anatomy. This text carefully guides students through dissections and is richly illustrated.

Customer Reviews:

A great improvement.......2001-08-24

Having written a rather scathing review of the previous edition of this guide, I thought it only appropriate that I write a review for this fantastic rewrite. My biggest problem with the previous edition was the quality of the images. However, the majority of the poor images of the previous edition have been replaced by wonderful drawings for this latest edition. There are still a few problematic pictures (such as the alligator skull with many of the sutures not drawn), but as a whole I give the new pictures 5 stars because of the extreme detail and the ease of use. The addition of repeating the most important images at the back of the book add to this books use. And, the fact that the pages are perforated, means that a student could easily put the pictures in any order that they please. Although I had been planning on changing lab texts, I now see no point as Kardong and Zalisko, 3rd ed. is the best out there.

Excellent art, very clear directions.......2001-08-16

This 3rd edition is filled with updated art that in many respects exceeds any of its competition. Further, nearly every piece of art is printed again in the back of the laboratory manual to allow the figures to be sorted and reviewed separate from the laboratory text. This feature is especially attractive to my students.

The skeletal material is well illustrated and includes detailed descriptions of turtles and alligators not addressed in other laboratory manuals. The text is succinct and clearly organized. Especially unique and useful are the numerous short boxed essays describing particular aspects of structure-function relationships and the evolution of the specific anatomy under examination.

I strongly recommend this manual as an attractive, clearly written, and thoroughly illustrated manual to support any course in comparative vertebrate anatomy. It also makes for a wonderful reference book for vertebrate biologists.

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Labs for Vertebrate Zoology : An Evolutionary Approach, 2nd Edition
Erik W. Gergus , and Gordon W. Schuett
Manufacturer: Biological Sciences Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1884125786

Product Description

Labs for Vertebrate Zoology: An Evolutinary Approach is a lab manual for upper division college courses in vertebrate and comparative zoology. Designed to accompany such textbooks as Vertebrate Life by F. Harvey Pough,this lab text takes the phylogenetic systematics approach and integrates the most current evolutionary approaches. Lab 1 provides an introduction to Systemmatics, giving the utility and methods of phylogentic and taxonomic analysis. Subsequent labs cover Craniata, Gnathostomata, Osteichthyes, Tetrapoda and Amniota.

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Vertebrates Lab Manual
Norman K. Wessells , and Elizabeth M. Center
Manufacturer: Jones & Bartlett Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Textbook Binding

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ASIN: 0867208538

Book Description

This book presents up-to-date mathematical results in asymptotic theory on nonlinear regression on the basis of various asymptotic expansions of least squares, its characteristics, and its distribution functions of functionals of Least Squares Estimator. It is divided into four chapters. In Chapter 1 assertions on the probability of large deviation of normal Least Squares Estimator of regression function parameters are made. Chapter 2 indicates conditions for Least Moduli Estimator asymptotic normality. An asymptotic expansion of Least Squares Estimator as well as its distribution function are obtained and two initial terms of these asymptotic expansions are calculated. Separately, the Berry-Esseen inequality for Least Squares Estimator distribution is deduced. In the third chapter asymptotic expansions related to functionals of Least Squares Estimator are dealt with. Lastly, Chapter 4 offers a comparison of the powers of statistical tests based on Least Squares Estimators. The Appendix gives an overview of subsidiary facts and a list of principal notations. Additional background information, grouped per chapter, is presented in the Commentary section. The volume concludes with an extensive Bibliography. Audience: This book will be of interest to mathematicians and statisticians whose work involves stochastic analysis, probability theory, mathematics of engineering, mathematical modelling, systems theory or cybernetics.

Asymptotic properties of s-estimators for nonlinear regression models with dependent, heterogeneous processes (Discussion paper)

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Asymptotic properties of s-estimators for nonlinear regression models with dependent, heterogeneous processes (Discussion paper)
Shinichi Sakata
Manufacturer: University of California, San Diego, Dept. of Economics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

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jungle lord

Tarzan of the Apes + The Son of Tarzan + Tarzan at the Earth's Core + Tarzan Triumphant (COMPLETE / UNABRIDGED, 4 Novels in 1 Volume)

Manufacturer: Avenel Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000I9QLAQ

Customer Reviews:

jungle lord.......2007-05-15

what can i say about this volume of great work by EGB. i have most of the Tarzan comics.... and i wanted to read the books and i am in the process of looking for the rest of the novels.... great...awesome...

Tarzan Of The Apes: 4 Volumes In 1 (Tarzan)

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Tarzan Of The Apes: 4 Volumes In 1 (Tarzan)
Edgar Rice Burroughs
Manufacturer: Random House Value Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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