The Bare Bones: An Unconventional Evolutionary History of the Skeleton

by Matthew F. Bonnan

What can we learn about the evolution of jaws from a pair of scissors? How does the flight of a tennis ball help explain how fish overcome drag? What do a spacesuit and a chicken egg have in common? Highlighting the fascinating twists and turns of evolution across more than 540 million years, paleobiologist Matthew Bonnan uses everyday objects to explain the emergence and adaptation of the vertebrate skeleton. What can camera lenses tell us about the eyes of marine reptiles? How does understanding what prevents a coffee mug from spilling help us understand the posture of dinosaurs? The answers to these and other intriguing questions illustrate how scientists have pieced together the history of vertebrates from their bare bones. With its engaging and informative text, plus more than 200 illustrative diagrams created by the author, The Bare Bones is an unconventional and reader-friendly introduction to the skeleton as an evolving machine.

Genres: Science, Nonfiction

524 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2016

Reviews

[Sierra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of this through First Reads.

First of all, I was very delighted to receive this and even more so when I discovered how long it was. A textbook! It may make me seem very bookish but it was a treat to be able to have such a large amount of information about this subject in one book.

Very well written, formatting was very nice and the illustrative diagrams included were interesting and engaging. (The family tree/evolution diagram on page 8 was a particular favorite. Sometimes simple is better.)

[Hamilton Scudder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this telling of the evolutionary history of vertebrate life. Hell of a treat for those of us with anatomical and evolutionary background and also, I suspect, it would be for those without. Bonnan writes with expertise and personability, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading this for Vertebrate Paleontology.

It's well organized, technical enough to understand details without getting granular, and has excellent diagrammatic figures. Solid read.

Also it has a line or two from Mack the Knife as one of the section preceders, love that.

[jess ☕️🍱🪐🦥 · Rating 3 out of 5]

read for university

[Mills College Library]

599.947 B7162 2016

[Lucas · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating journey through skeletal evolution.