Dinosaurs Rediscovered

The Scientific Revolution in Paleontology

By: Michael J. Benton

Narrated by: Matthew Waterson

Length: 6 hrs and 52 mins

Publisher's summary

Over the past 20 years, the study of dinosaurs has transformed into a true scientific discipline. New technologies have revealed secrets locked in prehistoric bones that no one could have previously predicted. We can now work out the color of dinosaurs, the force of their bite, their top speeds, and even how they cared for their young.

Remarkable new fossil discoveries - giant sauropod dinosaur skeletons in Patagonia, dinosaurs with feathers in China, and a tiny dinosaur tail in Burmese amber - remain the lifeblood of modern paleobiology. Thanks to advances in technologies and methods, however, there has been a recent revolution in the scope of new information gleaned from such fossil finds.

In Dinosaurs Rediscovered, leading paleontologist Michael J. Benton gathers together all the latest paleontological evidence, tracing the transformation of dinosaur study from its roots in antiquated natural history to an indisputably scientific field. Among other things, the book explores how dinosaur remains are found and excavated, and especially how paleontologists read the details of dinosaurs' lives from their fossils - their colors, their growth, and even whether we will ever be able to bring them back to life. Benton's account shows that, though extinct, dinosaurs are still very much a part of our world.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2019 Michael J. Benton (P)2020 Tantor

Great overview of advances in dinosaur paleo

While I stay up to date on all current news in dinosaur paleontology, I still really enjoyed this book.
I did however struggle a lot with the mispronunciations by the reader. Understandably many dinosaur names can be a challenge, but lots of scientific terms are not and yet were still incorrect. Researchers makes were also incorrect. Dr. Bakker, correctly pronounced back-er was sometimes pronounced “bake-er” and other time correct as back-er.

Fascinating survey of modern dinosaur science

This is the best non-technical book on dinosaurs I have ever read. I really enjoyed the breadth of topics which the author covered, which ranged from how paleontologists discovered the color of extinct dinosaurs, biomechanics, biodiversity during the Mesozoic, reconstructing the dinosaur family tree, and hypotheses as to why the dinosaurs were able to dominate the Triassic fauna, and why the went extinct at the end of the Cretaceous. Michael Benton is a well known expert in dinosaur paleontology, however he keeps personal stories about the careers of famous scientists to a minimum (a pet peeve of mine in popular science books is when they spend more time on personalities than actual science!). The book includes enough technical details to remain interesting and informative, but it isn't a textbook.

All The Latest News From Dinosaur World

"Dinosaurs Rediscovered" brings to the reader the very latest in scientific discoveries about our deceased friends, the dinosaurs. Things such as what they ate, how fast they ran, that some of them had feathers, even what colors they were (in some cases). I don't know about you, but I was never exposed to the idea as a kid that these monsters were anything other than large, scaley-skinned, cold-blooded reptiles. Well, we've come a long way since those olden days.

This is a very delightful and educationable book to listen to. For anyone interested in the latest news from the world of dinosaurs, this is a must. Oh, and included with it is the most relevent and detailed PDF of any book I've gotten from Audible. My experience of most of the included PDFs is that they are of minimal value, if helpful at all. Not so this one!

Excellent overview of modern paelontology methods.

The book wasn't what I expected; it was so much more. It's not just a book about dinosaurs; it's a book about how science works. The author shows how paleontology has taken a science that studies past events that cannot be duplicated in the lab and brought it into the 21st century with techniques as varied as protein analysis, microscopy, comparative biomechanics and physics. If you want to understand how science works, this book provides great examples of scientific reasoning, observation, technique. It's not an easy read. It does take some focus and concentration, but if you like science or if you like dinosaurs, it's definitely worth the effort. If you like dinosaurs and science, you'll love it.

Well Grounded in SCIENCE-not fantacy

Anyone not willing to be immersed in a true Scientific review of recent discoveries and Theories around pre-historic life, should move on to other feel good works. Or... listen with the minimum of an open mind and be enlightened.

The rest of us should listen with an open mind for better understanding.

A+ for a well researched and presented book of discovery !

Feathers for Dinosaurs!

I know it's been coming. The proofs that dinosaurs are birds! This is a delightful telling of discoveries that have proved that. I am so tickled.

Loved this book!!

This was such an interesting book! I loved the questions that were posed and answered, the writing was wonderful—thorough, fun, and accessible—and the narrator was fantastic!! So engaging! A great listen for a dino-lover who might not be up to date on all the latest discoveries!

Magical

Amazing to learn how rapidly twentieth century science brings these great (and small) creatures to life and proves their colors, diets, gaits, etc. could only be one way.

As thrilling as the early centuries of adventures with their hammers and picks scouring the world’s badlands.

Great book

Greatly enjoyed this book and the reading
If you enjoy reading about new discoveries you will love this book

Just Terrific

After listening to the first chapter I was convinced that this book was being narrated by the author. Waterson had such a natural, conversational style that it seemed impossible that he was reading someone else’s prose, but he was. So, quality of the narration is first thing I noticed that made me love this book. Second thing is the humility and sense of humor of the author. I listen at work with headphones on, and got caught smirk/laughing and some of the self-deprecation. Just terrific. And, of course, the information was delivered in a digestible manner that was easy for a layman to absorb. Loved this book so much I’m listening again. I hope it hasn’t spoiled me too much to enjoy other books on the subject.