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The Jurassic Period: The History and Legacy of the Geologic Era Most Associated with Dinosaurs
*Includes pictures
*Includes a bibliography for further reading
The early history of our planet covers such vast stretches of time that years, centuries and even millennia become virtually meaningless. Instead paleontologists and scientists who study geochronology divide time into periods and eras. The current view of science is that planet Earth is around 4.6 billion years old. The first four billion years of its development are known as the Precambrian period. For the first billion years or so, there was no life in Earth. Then the first single-celled life-forms, early bacteria and algae, began to emerge. We don’t know where they came from or even if they originated on this planet at all. This gradual development continued until around four billion years ago when suddenly (in geological terms!) more complex forms of life began to emerge.
Scientists call this time of an explosion of new forms of life the Paleozoic Era and it stretched from around 541 to 250 million years ago (Mya). First of all, in the oceans and then on land, new creatures and plants began to appear in bewildering variety. By the end of this period, life on Earth had exploded into a myriad of complex forms that filled virtually every habitat and niche available in the seas and on the planet’s only continent, Pangea.
Then a mysterious event that became known to early paleontologists as “The Great Dying” wiped out more than 95% of all life on Earth. No-one is entirely certain what caused this, but the effect of this cataclysm was as if someone had pressed a great, cosmic “reset” button and it took thirty million years for the development of life on Earth to start again. The next period of Earth’s history is known as the Mesozoic Era, from about 252 to 66 Mya. This era is further divided into three periods, the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous. During this era, one type of life came to dominate the planet more completely and for a longer period than had been seen before or since; this was the Age of Reptiles.
Beginning in the Triassic but especially in the Jurassic period, reptiles came to dominate the oceans, the land and even the skies. There has never been anything else quite like this period in terms of the success of a particular type of creature. For almost two hundred million years, reptiles were the only significant creatures on Earth. They were so successful and so diverse that they evolved to take advantage of every available habitat and no other type of large creature had a chance to develop.
To put the 200 million years of reptile dominance in perspective, the entire span of recorded human history, the time since people advanced from tribes of primitive, nomadic hunter-gatherers into recognizable societies, covers less than 6,000 years. To put this in context, if the entire history of the planet were to be laid out on the length of a football field, the period of dominance of the age of reptiles would not begin until the five-yard line and would stretch for twelve feet. All of human history would occupy a tiny strip at the end of the field, less than the width of a human hair.
It was during the Jurassic period that reptiles began rule the Earth and some of the best-known prehistoric creatures first emerged. The Jurassic The History and Legacy of the Geologic Era Most Associated with Dinosaurs looks at the development of the era, the extinction events that preceded it, and how life began to evolve during it. Along with pictures depicting important people, places, and events, you will learn about the Jurassic Period like never before.
*Includes a bibliography for further reading
The early history of our planet covers such vast stretches of time that years, centuries and even millennia become virtually meaningless. Instead paleontologists and scientists who study geochronology divide time into periods and eras. The current view of science is that planet Earth is around 4.6 billion years old. The first four billion years of its development are known as the Precambrian period. For the first billion years or so, there was no life in Earth. Then the first single-celled life-forms, early bacteria and algae, began to emerge. We don’t know where they came from or even if they originated on this planet at all. This gradual development continued until around four billion years ago when suddenly (in geological terms!) more complex forms of life began to emerge.
Scientists call this time of an explosion of new forms of life the Paleozoic Era and it stretched from around 541 to 250 million years ago (Mya). First of all, in the oceans and then on land, new creatures and plants began to appear in bewildering variety. By the end of this period, life on Earth had exploded into a myriad of complex forms that filled virtually every habitat and niche available in the seas and on the planet’s only continent, Pangea.
Then a mysterious event that became known to early paleontologists as “The Great Dying” wiped out more than 95% of all life on Earth. No-one is entirely certain what caused this, but the effect of this cataclysm was as if someone had pressed a great, cosmic “reset” button and it took thirty million years for the development of life on Earth to start again. The next period of Earth’s history is known as the Mesozoic Era, from about 252 to 66 Mya. This era is further divided into three periods, the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous. During this era, one type of life came to dominate the planet more completely and for a longer period than had been seen before or since; this was the Age of Reptiles.
Beginning in the Triassic but especially in the Jurassic period, reptiles came to dominate the oceans, the land and even the skies. There has never been anything else quite like this period in terms of the success of a particular type of creature. For almost two hundred million years, reptiles were the only significant creatures on Earth. They were so successful and so diverse that they evolved to take advantage of every available habitat and no other type of large creature had a chance to develop.
To put the 200 million years of reptile dominance in perspective, the entire span of recorded human history, the time since people advanced from tribes of primitive, nomadic hunter-gatherers into recognizable societies, covers less than 6,000 years. To put this in context, if the entire history of the planet were to be laid out on the length of a football field, the period of dominance of the age of reptiles would not begin until the five-yard line and would stretch for twelve feet. All of human history would occupy a tiny strip at the end of the field, less than the width of a human hair.
It was during the Jurassic period that reptiles began rule the Earth and some of the best-known prehistoric creatures first emerged. The Jurassic The History and Legacy of the Geologic Era Most Associated with Dinosaurs looks at the development of the era, the extinction events that preceded it, and how life began to evolve during it. Along with pictures depicting important people, places, and events, you will learn about the Jurassic Period like never before.
132 pages, Paperback
First published April 23, 2020
About the author
Charles River Editors
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
December 24, 2020
Very good information without being boring!
The Jurassic Period by Charles River Editors is a book that has a wealth of information crammed in a small book. There are pictures too but never enough for me! 😁 I love reading about the prehistoric creatures and times. I know that some of the information repeats what I have already read somewhere else but I strive for the extra bits of new things I stumble upon. This made some of the information clearer.
The Jurassic Period by Charles River Editors is a book that has a wealth of information crammed in a small book. There are pictures too but never enough for me! 😁 I love reading about the prehistoric creatures and times. I know that some of the information repeats what I have already read somewhere else but I strive for the extra bits of new things I stumble upon. This made some of the information clearer.
March 4, 2021
Loved the audiobook on mammoths and had big hopes for this one. This wasn't as enjoyable as it feelt very rambley even though it was just two hours long and some information would have done much better in a book but the long ramblings with numbers and miles and so on was just annoying to listen to. Some of it was very interesting but this was still a disappointing read.
August 23, 2021
Very informative. The subject matter can run a little dry, but this kept me interested until the end.
November 17, 2020
This book had numerous errors that detracted from my enjoyment. The introduction and first chapter were taken from Charles Rivers Editors' similar books on the Triassic and Cretaceous Periods and they failed to make many of the few minor changes that were necessary to customize it for the Jurassic. Even so, it gives a reasonable summary of the geological, climatic, and evolutionary changes that occurred during this period in the history of our planet.
January 26, 2021
Non male, ma ripetitivo
Utile per studenti, peccato per poche immagini e per “copy and paste” fatti da altri libri dello stesso autore e da diverse sezioni dello stesso libro!
Utile per studenti, peccato per poche immagini e per “copy and paste” fatti da altri libri dello stesso autore e da diverse sezioni dello stesso libro!
Read
August 31, 2021Repetitive
October 25, 2021
I really enjoy these books. Actually, I listened to the audio version, so I did not have access to any figures or illustrations.
This is an interesting overview of the topic. Clear and concise.
This is an interesting overview of the topic. Clear and concise.
November 4, 2024
Great info but it was too short and there was alot of repetition.
My science teacher nerdy heart was happy tho and that's what matters!
Will definitely read the rest.
My science teacher nerdy heart was happy tho and that's what matters!
Will definitely read the rest.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews