Getting Down with Dinosaurs: An Introduction to the Science Behind the Bones

This text introduces students to dinosaurs. That is no small undertaking because of the wide-ranging reasons why students enroll in a dinosaur course. Some take such a course because it fulfills a graduation mandate. Others enroll out of casual interest in that dinosaurs are “cool” or because they are genuinely fascinated by these incredibly intriguing animals. Given the diversity of interests, this text was prepared to equip all readers with a basic understanding of dinosaurs and how scientists perform paleontological research. The approach was to lay out the basics in what I intended to be a straightforward (as implied by the title) and hopefully enjoyable format.

There is a plethora of dinosaur books, so why bother authoring another? I am pro-student and that is the underlying reason why I decided to prepare this text! Specific topics are stressed based on what I have experienced are the most challenging for students to grasp. Concepts are presented from the perspective of relatable experiences to help students truly learn the principles in introductory dinosaur courses. To that end, the information is laid out concisely and compactly to enhance memorization. Further, exercises are rolled out throughout some chapters that encourage students to pause reading and develop their critical thinking skills. Important terms are identified in bold, while tips to improve memorization and thought-provoking questions are provided to help students excel in their studies. And in case you are wondering: yes, there are some bad jokes, too, but what text is really complete without them?

The text opens with an explanation of why dinosaurs are important to study and an explanation of the scientific method—the approach that all scientists utilize to perform research. From there, students learn the fundamentals of geology such as rock categories, how to reconstruct the world that dinosaurs thrived in, and concepts regarding the reconstruction of the chronology of deep time. Taphonomy is then discussed; specifically, the process of turning what was living into stone. Thereafter, students learn about the roots and development of dinosaur paleontology and that dovetails into how and why dinosaurs are defined as a distinct and unified group of animals. Main clades of dinosaurs are covered, as well as dinosaur appearance, potential metabolic scheme, and modes of life. An entire chapter is also devoted to discussing how dinosaurs relate to us; specifically, the ailments they faced and the lines of evidence that document the same. The final two chapters discuss the changing Mesozoic climate (and the agents that controlled it) and the extinction event at the end of the Cretaceous that wiped out non-avian dinosaurs and its possible cause. A note or two is also included concerning the future of dinosaur paleontology.

I hope that all readers benefit from this text in a big way and that it spurs their interest in dinosaurs, the Mesozoic world, and, on a broader level, the wonder of natural processes. Best wishes to everyone who is about to embark on a journey back through a magical time of Earth’s unique history and please do not feed the dinosaurs along the way.