Remnants of Ancient Life, 9780691221168
Paperback
Ancient molecules unlock secrets of extinct life, rewriting our past.

Remnants of Ancient Life

the new science of old fossils

$55.54

  • Paperback

    288 pages

  • Release Date

    30 June 2025

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Summary

Unearthing the Secrets of the Past: A Journey into Ancient Biomolecules

The revolution in science that is transforming our understanding of extinct life.

We used to think of fossils as being composed of nothing but rock and minerals, all molecular traces of life having vanished long ago. We were wrong. Remnants of Ancient Life reveals how the new science of ancient biomolecules – pigments, proteins, and DNA that once functioned in living organisms t…

Book Details

ISBN-13:9780691221168
ISBN-10:0691221162
Author:Dale E. Greenwalt
Publisher:Princeton University Press
Imprint:Princeton University Press
Format:Paperback
Number of Pages:288
Release Date:30 June 2025
Weight:272g
Dimensions:203mm x 133mm
What They're Saying

Critics Review

“Winner of the PROSE Award in Earth Science, Association of American Publishers””[A] vivid, gripping book… . Dale Greenwalt … has written a riveting account of a field achieving revolutionary insights.”—Simon Ings, New Scientist”[An] eye-opening guide to this new world of understanding, one that encompasses chemistry along with biology.”—David P. Barash, Wall Street Journal“An accessible book on ancient life that focuses as much on chemistry as on biology.”—Wade Lee-Smith, Library Journal”[Fascinating] … an unabashedly excited report from the front lines”—Steve Donoghue, Open Letters Review“The book provides a fascinating journey through the very latest in research into the origins of life on Earth… . No one should be intimidated by this highly readable work.”—David Gascoigne, Travels with Birds“If you think you cannot stomach yet another popular book on palaeontology, think again. Remnants of Ancient Life is as fascinating as the inviting cover and subtitle suggest, managing to put a completely fresh gloss on the topic of palaeontology.”—Leon Vlieger, Inquisitive Biologist“Greenwalt’s book has few, if any, rivals and is thoroughly recommended as an accessible introduction to the rapidly emerging science of ancient biomolecules.”—Paul D. Taylor, Quarterly Review of Biology

About The Author

Dale E. Greenwalt

Dale E. Greenwalt is Resident Research Associate at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History, where he curates the Kishenehn Formation fossil insect collection.

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