Rhinos in Nebraska by
Twelve million years ago, rhinos, elephants, and camels roamed North America. They would gather at nearby watering holes--eating, drinking, and trying not to become someone else's lunch. But one day, in what we now know as Nebraska, everything changed. The explosion of a supervolcano a thousand miles away sent a blanket of ash that buried these animals for millennia. Until 1953, when a seventeen-year-old farm worker made an unbelievable discovery. Rhinos in Nebraska tells the story of the Ashfall Fossil Beds, where more than two hundred perfectly preserved fossils have been found. Step into the past with author Alison Pearce Stevens and uncover the mysteries of Ashfall.
National Geographic Readers: Prehistoric Mammals by
From woolly mammoths to saber-toothed cats, prehistoric mammals once roamed Earth. With beautiful and engaging illustrations, authentic photos, and accessible text, kids will learn all about these mighty mammals in this level 2 reader.
Ancient Animals: Saber-Toothed Cat by
Welcome to California, sixteen thousand years ago. A saber-toothed cat is waiting for prey. Perfect for beginning readers who love dinosaurs and prehistoric beasties, this clear and succinct introduction explains how we think saber-toothed cats lived, hunted, and became extinct. Full of interesting facts, new vocabulary, and compelling illustrations, kids are sure to enjoy poring over this thrilling and scientifically accurate adventure. Back matter explores other large-toothed predators and provides additional print, visual, and web resources.
Vertebrates by
Most readers are familiar with small lizards they see at the zoo and the fluffy pet mammals they may keep, from dogs to bunnies. But in prehistoric times, some reptiles and mammals were enormous, terrifying creatures! In this volume, readers can discover reptiles, mammals, sea creatures, and birds of the prehistoric era they may have never heard of. Fascinating details accompany illustrations of what each creature was likely to look like, and what it would have eaten, where it lived, and its size. A concluding timeline aids understanding of prehistory.
Mammoths and Mastodons by
Mammoths and Mastodons gives young readers a glimpse at the furry, elephantlike mammals that roamed Earth until about 10,000 years ago. Learn more about how and where these animals spent their time during the Ice Age.
Prehistoric Ancestors of Modern Animals by
What if elephants were as small as dogs? What if frogs were protected by armor? In prehistoric times, they were! In fact, other than a few unique changes, lots of prehistoric beasts looked similar to modern animals that live on Earth. Hedgehogs had long tails and no quills, some birds laid eggs the size of footballs, and dragonflies could eat reptiles and amphibians! If these extinct beasts came to life, they might look familiar--but you wouldn't want to get in their way! Read this book to learn more about the incredible and terrifying prehistoric ancestors of modern animals.
Mammal Fossils by
What did horses look like millions of years ago? How big were mammoths and mastodons? This book gives readers an in-depth look into the world of prehistoric mammals by investigating the remains they left behind. Readers will study colorful images of mammal fossils to learn about the size and shape of each animal, but also the behavior and lifestyle they may have lived. The text is paired with a fact-file design, complete with sidebars and diagrams, to give readers a well-rounded and exciting reading experience. Readers will learn to think like a paleontologist as they uncover these amazing mammal fossils!
The Rise of Mammals by
Team up with Ackerley the Acanthostega to travel back 66 million years to the Tertiary and Quaternary periods of prehistoric Earth, when mammals came to dominate the planet. Many of them are now extinct--but not the most powerful of all: humans! Discover the facts, fossils, and fun science of behind the intriguing mammals of this time period, including killer pigs, the largest land mammal ever, and the earliest humans. The fourth part of the exciting story of life on Earth unfolds through amazing lifelike illustrations and fascinating diagrams, all narrated by a friendly prehistoric guide.
Baby Mammoth Mummy: Frozen in Time by
Meet Lyuba--the most perfectly preserved baby mammoth ever discovered! Found lying along a riverside 31,000 years after her birth, Lyuba provides a never-before-seen view of prehistoric life in Siberia. Together with award-winning author Christopher Sloan, kids learn the story of her discovery by the indigenous Nenet people and peak inside Lyuba's mysterious prehistoric world. Readers will join scientists as they recreate Lyuba's life and death using cutting edge science--including paleontology, radiology, and forensic science--and reveal new information about mammoths and their ice age home. Lyuba's incredible story, which debuted as a National Geographic Channel exclusive and as articles inNational Geographic magazine and National Geographic Kids magazine, is certain to be a fascinating read for kids and a great complement to science curriculum.
Learn about animals from a time gone by. From Explora Elementary's homepage, select "Animals" from the list of topics, then "Endangered and Extinct Animals," and then "Extinct Species." Then scroll through the list of specific animals to learn more about them.
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End of the Megafauna by
The fascinating lives and puzzling demise of some of the largest animals on earth. Until a few thousand years ago, creatures that could have been from a sci-fi thriller--including gorilla-sized lemurs, 500-pound birds, and crocodiles that weighed a ton or more--roamed the earth. These great beasts, or "megafauna," lived on every habitable continent and on many islands. With a handful of exceptions, all are now gone. What caused the disappearance of these prehistoric behemoths? No one event can be pinpointed as a specific cause, but several factors may have played a role. Paleomammalogist Ross D. E. MacPhee explores them all, examining the leading extinction theories, weighing the evidence, and presenting his own conclusions. He shows how theories of human overhunting and catastrophic climate change fail to account for critical features of these extinctions, and how new thinking is needed to elucidate these mysterious losses. Along the way, we learn how time is determined in earth history; how DNA is used to explain the genomics and phylogenetic history of megafauna--and how synthetic biology and genetic engineering may be able to reintroduce these giants of the past. Until then, gorgeous four-color illustrations by Peter Schouten re-create these megabeasts here in vivid detail.
Fossils and Ancient Mammals by
Earth was a lot different when dinosaurs were alive. They lived alongside many ancient mammals that can no longer be found. Incredible changes on Earth have left us with fossils that scientists use to learn more about the ancestors of today's mammals.
Prehistoric Life by
With an extensive catalog at its heart, Prehistoric Life profiles hundreds of fascinating species in incredible detail. The story starts in earnest 3.8 billion years ago, with the earliest-known form of life on Earth, a bacteria that still exists today, and journeys through action-packed millennia, charting the appearance of new life forms as well as devastating extinction events. Of course, the ever-popular and endlessly intriguing dinosaurs feature large, but Prehistoric Life gives you the whole picture, and the plants, invertebrates, amphibians, birds, reptiles, and mammals that are the ancestors of today's species also populate its pages, making this book unprecedented in its coverage of prehistory. Specially commissioned artworks use cutting-edge technology to render species in breathtakingly realistic fashion, with astonishing images of prehistoric remains, such as skeletons and fossils, to complete the story. To put all the evidence in context, the concept of geological time is explored, as is the classification of species and how the evidence for their evolution is preserved and can be deciphered.
Prehistoric Life by
"The Eyewitness Visual Dictionaries differ from the Eyewitness books in that the text is longer and the vocabulary more difficult.... The photographs are outstanding.... The brief text compresses many details into a few sentences, The vocabulary is scholarly...and charts combined with the text give a clear overview of the subject s ". -- RQ
Stone Age Beasts by
The spectacle of Stone Age life stampedes off the page in an engaging, eye-popping gift book illustrated by a Kate Greenaway Medal winner. Are you brave enough to come face-to-face with the biggest and most awe-inspiring prehistoric beasts? In this dramatic introduction to the Stone Age world, the stupendous giants that shared the earth with our human ancestors--from the woolly mammoth and the fearsome saber-toothed cat to the elephant bird and the giant wombat--leap, slither, and swoop to life on eighteen atmospheric and densely packed double-page spreads spotlighting animals from around the globe. Each lively profile is anchored to a stunning illustration by Kate Greenaway Medal winner Grahame Baker-Smith and features jaw-dropping facts about the animal's anatomy and behavior, with an emphasis on how it interacted with early humans. Sidebars highlight scientific name, weight, territorial range, and extinction dates, while a glossary and end notes offer additional color and context to round out a boldly packaged and richly absorbing journey of discovery.
When Fish Got Feet, Sharks Got Teeth, and Bugs Began to Swarm by
Take a fun, fact-filled trip back to Earth as it was 430 million years ago. Then, watch as continents drift and oceans take shape. Watch out (!) as fish get toothier, plants stretch skywards and bugs get bigger. Soon fish get feet and four-legged creatures stalk the planet. Here's the story of Earth in conversational text, informative illustrations, and humorous cartoons. Complete with time line, pronunciation guide, glossary and index.