Beautifully illustrated selection of 100 fossils that are essential to our understanding of life's evolution on earth

A History of Life in 100 Fossils showcases 100 key fossils that together illustrate the evolution of life on earth. Iconic specimens have been selected from the renowned collections of two of the world's premier natural history museums: the Smithsonian's Natural History Museum and and the Natural History Museum, London, including:
 
Dinosaur teeth (Iguanodon) 
Octopus skeleton (Palaeoctopus newboldi)
"Missing link" skull (Australopithecus africanus) 
Giant deer antlers (Megaloceros giganteus)
Chalk sponges (Polyblastidium)
Laetoli footprints (likely made by Australopithecus afarensis)

The fossils have been chosen not only for their importance in the history of life, but also because of the visual story they tell. This stunning book is perfect for all readers because its clear explanations and beautiful photographs illuminate the significance of these amazing pieces, including 3,600 million-year-old Burgess Shale that provides a window on early animal life in the sea, insects encapsulated by amber, the first fossil bird Archaeopteryx, and the remains of our own ancestors.
 
Contributor Bio(s)
 
PAUL D. TAYLOR has worked for 30 years in the Department of Paleontology at the Natural History Museum, London, heading the Invertebrate and Plants division between 1990 and 2003. His research focuses on fossil and living bryozoans, with subsidiary interests in evolution, paleoecology, and fossil folklore. He is the author of Fossil Invertebrates. AARON O'DEA is an Associate Staff Scientist at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama. He uses the fossil record to understand past climatic changes in the seas and their role in extinction and speciation, and how life in the past can help us predict the future.

Author Residence: London and Panama