Dinosaurs of the Air: The Evolution and Loss of Flight in Dinosaurs and Birds

Book Details

• Publisher: Johns Hopkins University Press

• Author: Gregory S. Paul

• Language: English

• Edition: 1

• ISBN: 9780801867637

• Pages: 472

• Cover: Hardcover

• Dimensions: 11.5 x 8.7 x 1.5 inches

About The Book

Dinosaurs of the Air: The Evolution and Loss of Flight in Dinosaurs and Birds by Gregory S. Paul, published by Johns Hopkins University Press, is a groundbreaking exploration of the evolutionary connection between dinosaurs and birds. This 472-page hardcover book is a must-read for both specialists in paleontology and interested lay readers who want to understand the complex evolution of flight in prehistoric creatures.

In this controversial and comprehensive work, renowned evolutionary scientist and dinosaur illustrator Gregory Paul synthesizes the latest research, arguing that modern birds are descendants of theropod dinosaurs. He provocatively suggests that, in some cases, the ancestor-descendant relationship between dinosaurs and birds can be reversed, with many dinosaurs being secondarily flightless descendants of bird-like creatures.

Dinosaurs of the Air offers new interpretations of key fossils, examines the ongoing debate on the origins of flight—comparing "ground-up" and "trees-down" theories—and takes an in-depth look at the famous Archaeopteryx. Paul also offers detailed analyses of bird and theropod phylogenetics, shedding light on how flight may have evolved in both groups.

With stunning illustrations by the author, this richly detailed book is accessible to a broad audience, providing a balanced and rewarding discussion of one of the most captivating aspects of evolutionary biology.