End of Dinosaurs Siberia Tunguska Chicxulub Crater Mass Extinctions Cretaceous for Sale

End of Dinosaurs Siberia Tunguska Chicxulub Crater Mass Extinctions Cretaceous For Sale

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End of Dinosaurs Siberia Tunguska Chicxulub Crater Mass Extinctions Cretaceous:
$59.99

The End of the Dinosaurs: Chicxulub Crater and Mass Extinctions by Charles Frankel.

DESCRIPTION: Hardcover: 223 pages. Publisher: Cambridge University Press; (1999). ISBN: 0521474477. The discovery of the giant Chicxulub impact crater, buried off the coast of Mexico, unveiled the solution to one of Earth's greatest mysteries - what killed the dinosaurs. Scientists uncovered physical evidence to explain the mass extinction that rocked the Earth 65 million years ago. Step-by-step, The End of the Dinosaurs: Chicxulub Crater and Mass Extinctions tells this great scientific detective story. Charles Frankel recounts the birth of the cosmic hypothesis, which holds that the crash of a meteor on the Earth's surface killed two-thirds of life and all the dinosaurs. He first provides a dramatic account of the impact and its aftermath.

Frankel then goes on to detail the controversy that preceded the acceptance of the cosmic hypothesis, the search for the crater, its discovery and ongoing exploration, and the effect of the giant impact on the biosphere. In addition, he reviews other mass extinctions in the fossil record and the threat of asteroids and comets to our planet today. More than 70 photographs and diagrams enhance and help illustrate the material. Filled with drama and interesting science, The End of the Dinosaurs will readily appeal to both the general reader fascinated with the subject and the specialist always searching for more clues to this great mystery. Charles Frankel has written a number of articles on the earth sciences in books and magazines. His many books include Volcanoes of the Solar System (Cambridge University Press 1996).

CONDITION: Unblemished, unmarked, pristine in every respect. Satisfaction guaranteed. In stock, ready to ship.

PLEASE SEE IMAGES BELOW FOR JACKET DESCRIPTION(S) AND FOR PAGES OF PICTURES FROM INSIDE OF BOOK.

PLEASE SEE PUBLISHER, PROFESSIONAL, AND READER REVIEWS BELOW.

PUBLISHER REVIEW:

REVIEW: The End of the Dinosaurs gives a detailed account of the great mass extinction that rocked the Earth 65 million years ago, and focuses on the discovery of the culprit: the Chicxulub impact crater in Mexico. It recounts the birth of the cosmic hypothesis, the controversy that preceded its acceptance, the search for the crater, its discovery and ongoing exploration, and the effect of the giant impact on the biosphere. Other mass extinctions in the fossil record are reviewed, as is the threat of asteroids and comets to our planet today. The account of the impact and its aftermath is suitable for general readers. The description of the crater geology is given in enough detail to interest students of the Earth sciences. A detailed index and bibliography are included.

PROFESSIONAL REVIEWS:

REVIEW: Every schoolchild now knows that the dinosaurs were killed off by a meteor, but it took a while for scientists to accept the idea. Here's the story of how they changed their minds, by science writer Frankel. The discovery of Chicxulub crater in Mexico was the crucial clue in one of the great scientific detective stories of modern times. For more than a century, paleontologists had spun theories to explain the sudden disappearance of the dinosaurs at the end of the Cretaceous era, some 65 million years ago. The first clear indication that the extinction was sudden, rather than evolutionary, was the famous paper by Luis Alvarez and others, showing an increase in the rare element iridium in strata associated with the end of the Cretaceous, and suggesting a meteor impact as the cause.

The geological community, not used to the notion of extraterrestrial causes for earthly events, at first resisted the suggestion. But other scientists documented additional signs of meteoric activity: shocked quartz crystals, caused only by significant meteor impacts, and tektites, droplets of ejected material that cool into glass spheres. By this point, some scientists had begun to search for the impact crater - no sure thing, since there were two chances out of three that the meteor had landed in the ocean. Nonetheless, scientists were largely convinced by the discovery of the Chicxulub crater, which matched all the criteria for the “smoking gun” in this mystery. Frankel devotes a chapter to describing the probable aftereffects of the impact, from shock waves to burning ejecta to poisonous chemicals. He then expands his scope to look at the possibility that other mass extinctions were caused by impacts and at the possible implications of these discoveries for human civilization. A workmanlike job, covering the main events and key players of one of the great stories in modern science. (67 photos, 9 illustrations).

REVIEW: Approximately 65 million years ago, at the close of the Cretaceous era, Earth underwent a major bout of extinctions. Seventy percent of all species, including all of the dinosaurs, died out in a relatively short time. In this attractive volume, Frankel (Volcanoes of the Solar System) attempts to pinpoint the cause of this devastation. Summarizing a wealth of scientific information, he argues that either a comet or a huge asteroid slammed into Earth near Puerto Chicxulub, Mexico, releasing a massive amount of energy. The smoke from the enormous fires that ensued, coupled with the colossal amount of debris flung into the atmosphere by the impact, blocked sunlight, changed climate worldwide and led to the extinctions. A true science detective, Frankel marshals his facts, outlines the search for culprits, describes the scene of the crime and portrays the other sleuths on the case. His well-informed book, initially published in France in an earlier version, concludes with one chapter providing evidence linking many of Earth's other major extinction events to impacts, and another chapter discussing steps that can be taken to avert future collisions. 76 illustrations.

READER REVIEWS:

REVIEW: This great little book is far more than promised by the title -- although I must admit that I grabbed it because of the title, so I can hardly fault them for picking something dinosaur oriented. Yes, we get a history of the scientific controversies leading to the widespread acceptance of a meteorite/comet strike as the cause of the extinction of the dinosaurs. But there's more: the book reviews the evidence for associations between strikes and all of the major mass extinctions in earth history. In prose that's clear, but not dry, Frankel reveals what we know - and don't know - about these events. Good illustrations and intelligent speculation round out a first-rate and quite up-to-date overview of a rapidly developing field. One subtext of Frankel's work is how scientist adapt (and in some cases don't adapt) to new evidence. For example, the Siberian Tunguska explosion of 1908 is now widely acknowledged to have been a strike from a comet fragment, but only 20 or so years ago you could read about it primarily in UFO magazines and "mysteries of the unexplained" books. Because science lacked an explanation for it, the explosion was largely ignored.

REVIEW: This book is an entertaining and informative explanation of how scientists posed the theory that an asteroid had caused the mass extinction of the dinosaurs at the end of the Cretaceous, found evidence that supported the theory, searched for the crater, and eventually linked the Chicxulub Crater in the Yucatan Peninsula to the extinctions. This book is also a wonderful illustration of how the scientific process works, what scientific controversy looks like, and how people from many different scientific disciplines can work together to advance knowledge. The author provides enough background information for the lay reader to understand the basic situation, but not so much that the reader gets bogged down in details.

REVIEW: So many theories of the KT extinctions have been forwarded by scientist and lay person alike that it is almost refreshing to have it come down to the confrontation between two, or a few, major theories, in this case the "impactist" and "volcanist" theories. Frankel does a fine job of presenting a balanced and fair account of the contenting theories, particularly Courtillot's Deccan Traps volcanism and their supporting data. He is, however, thoroughly in the impactist camp. He gives an excellent description of the asteroid and of how scientists were able to work out its size, the size of its crater, and its subsequent atmospheric and environmental effects. This is probably the best of the three books (T. Rex and the Crater of Doom, Evolutionary Catastrophes, and End of the Dinosaurs) I've recently read on the subject, although all three are worth reading.

I always ship books Media Mail in a padded mailer. This book is shipped FOR FREE via USPS INSURED media mail (“book rate”). All domestic shipments and most international shipments will include free USPS Delivery Confirmation (you might be able to update the status of your shipment on-line at the USPS Web Site and free insurance coverage). A small percentage of international shipments may require an additional fee for tracking and/or delivery confirmation. If you are concerned about a little wear and tear to the book in transit, I would suggest a boxed shipment - it is an extra $1.00. Whether via padded mailer or box, we will give discounts for multiple purchases. International orders are welcome, but shipping costs are substantially higher.

Most international orders cost an additional $12.99 to $33.99 for an insuredshipment in a heavily padded mailer, and typically includes some form of rudimentary tracking and/or delivery confirmation (though for some countries, this is only available at additional cost). There is also a discount program which can cut postage costs by 50% to 75% if you’re buying about half-a-dozen books or more (5 kilos+). Rates and available services vary a bit from country to country. You can email or message me for a shipping cost quote, but I assure you they are as reasonable as USPS rates allow, and if it turns out the rate is too high for your pocketbook, we will cancel the sale at your request. ADDITIONAL PURCHASES do receive a VERY LARGE discount, typically about $5 per book (for each additional book after the first) so as to reward you for the economies of combined shipping/insurance costs. Your purchase will ordinarily be shipped within 48 hours of payment. We package as well as anyone in the business, with lots of protective padding and containers.

All of our shipments are sent via insured mail so as to comply with PayPal requirements. We do NOT recommend uninsured shipments, and expressly disclaim any responsibility for the loss of an uninsured shipment. Unfortunately the contents of parcels are easily “lost” or misdelivered by postal employees – even in the USA. That’s why all of our domestic shipments (and most international) shipments include a USPS delivery confirmation tag; or are trackable or traceable, and all shipments (international and domestic) are insured. We do offer U.S. Postal Service Priority Mail, Registered Mail, and Express Mail for both international and domestic shipments, as well United Parcel Service (UPS) and Federal Express (Fed-Ex). Please ask for a rate quotation. We will accept whatever payment method you are most comfortable with. If upon receipt of the item you are disappointed for any reason whatever, I offer a no questions asked return policy. Send it back, I will give you a complete refund of the purchase price (less our original shipping costs).

Most of the items I offer come from the collection of a family friend who was active in the field of Archaeology for over forty years. However many of the items also come from purchases I make in Eastern Europe, India, and from the Levant (Eastern Mediterranean/Near East) from various institutions and dealers. Though I have always had an interest in archaeology, my own academic background was in sociology and cultural anthropology. After my retirement however, I found myself drawn to archaeology as well. Aside from my own personal collection, I have made extensive and frequent additions of my own via purchases on (of course), as well as many purchases from both dealers and institutions throughout the world - but especially in the Near East and in Eastern Europe. I spend over half of my year out of the United States, and have spent much of my life either in India or Eastern Europe. In fact much of what we generate on Yahoo, Amazon and goes to support The Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, as well as some other worthy institutions in Europe connected with Anthropology and Archaeology.

I acquire some small but interesting collections overseas from time-to-time, and have as well some duplicate items within my own collection which I occasionally decide to part with. Though I have a collection of ancient coins numbering in the tens of thousands, my primary interest is in ancient jewelry. My wife also is an active participant in the "business" of antique and ancient jewelry, and is from Russia. I would be happy to provide you with a certificate/guarantee of authenticity for any item you purchase from me. There is a $2 fee for mailing under separate cover. Whenever I am overseas I have made arrangements for purchases to be shipped out via domestic mail. If I am in the field, you may have to wait for a week or two for a COA to arrive via international air mail. But you can be sure your purchase will arrive properly packaged and promptly - even if I am absent. And when I am in a remote field location with merely a notebook computer, at times I am not able to access my email for a day or two, so be patient, I will always respond to every email. Please see our "ADDITIONAL TERMS OF SALE."