Prehistoric Life: An Examination of the History of Life and Evolution

Prehistoric Life: An Examination of the History of Life and Evolution is a concise, accessible textbook focusing on the history of life and evolution within geological and climatic contexts. The book begins with an introduction to the notion of science, the scientific method, and the limits of science. In the first half of the text, students learn about rocks, fossils, the geologic timescale, the structure of earth, abiogenesis, evolution, and classification. The second half of the book is devoted to exploring the past 3.8 billion years of life, from the earliest single-celled organisms in the Precambrian Eon through the rich evolutionary histories of the Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic Eras, to today’s modern organisms, including ourselves. The third edition has been updated to include new research and findings, including the reclassification of the T-Rex. The text includes new and updated pedagogical features, including key words, figure captions, photos, chapter summaries, and study points throughout the text at key intervals. Prehistoric Life is an ideal for courses in introductory courses in geology, biology, and paleontology.