Education
Benton was educated at the University of Aberdeen and Newcastle University where he was awarded a Doctor of Philosophy in 1981.
( Vertebrate palaeontology is a lively field, with new di...)
Vertebrate palaeontology is a lively field, with new discoveries reported every week… and not only dinosaurs! This new edition reflects the international scope of vertebrate palaeontology, with a special focus on exciting new finds from China. A key aim is to explain the science. Gone are the days of guesswork. Young researchers use impressive new numerical and imaging methods to explore the tree of life, macroevolution, global change, and functional morphology. The fourth edition is completely revised. The cladistic framework is strengthened, and new functional and developmental spreads are added. Study aids include: key questions, research to be done, and recommendations of further reading and web sites. The book is designed for palaeontology courses in biology and geology departments. It is also aimed at enthusiasts who want to experience the flavour of how the research is done. The book is strongly phylogenetic, and this makes it a source of current data on vertebrate evolution.
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(The answer to the young dinosaur lover's prayers, this fu...)
The answer to the young dinosaur lover's prayers, this full-color reference covers the spectrum of dinosaurs from A to Z and shows each dinosaur's height relative to a prehistoric human. Children will spend hours poring over this authoritative guide to over 200 fantastic creatures that once roamed the Earth.
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(For 140 million years the dinosaurs were the dominant lif...)
For 140 million years the dinosaurs were the dominant life-form on Earth. Between the Triassic and Cretaceous periods hundreds of species of dinosaurs evolved, from the ferocious carnivore, "Tyrannosaurus" to the placid herbivore "Diplodocus." Possessing a unique reptilian bone-structure, the dinosaurs were a remarkably diverse species whose descendants remain with us in the form of birds. "The Historical Atlas of the Dinosaurs" plots the development of these monstrous rulers of the planet from their emergence from the ocean, through their dispersal across the shifting continents and their gradual evolution, to their sudden and mysterious extinction 64 million years ago.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0140513361/?tag=2022091-20
(An historical atlas which covers the history and evolutio...)
An historical atlas which covers the history and evolution of life on earth, taking a geographical approach to illuminate the spread of species and the varieties of evolution on different continents.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0670858277/?tag=2022091-20
(A comprehensive introduction to all aspects of palaeontol...)
A comprehensive introduction to all aspects of palaeontology. It starts with a discussion of the basic principles of the subject and goes on to describe the principal features of all the main fossil groups including plants, invertebrates, vertebrates, trace fossils and microfossils. Written by two leading palaentologists, the text includes many modern ideas resulting from an improved understanding of evolution and the fossil record, palaeobiology and palaeoecology. The final chapter summarises the history of life, introducing large-scale evolution and extinctions.
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(This book presents a comprehensive overview of the scienc...)
This book presents a comprehensive overview of the science of the history of life. Paleobiologists bring many analytical tools to bear in interpreting the fossil record and the book introduces the latest techniques, from multivariate investigations of biogeography and biostratigraphy to engineering analysis of dinosaur skulls, and from homeobox genes to cladistics. All the well-known fossil groups are included, including microfossils and invertebrates, but an important feature is the thorough coverage of plants, vertebrates and trace fossils together with discussion of the origins of both life and the metazoans. All key related subjects are introduced, such as systematics, ecology, evolution and development, stratigraphy and their roles in understanding where life came from and how it evolved and diversified. Unique features of the book are the numerous case studies from current research that lead students to the primary literature, analytical and mathematical explanations and tools, together with associated problem sets and practical schedules for instructors and students. “..any serious student of geology who does not pick this book off the shelf will be putting themselves at a huge disadvantage. The material may be complex, but the text is extremely accessible and well organized, and the book ought to be essential reading for palaeontologists at undergraduate, postgraduate and more advanced levels—both in Britain as well as in North America.” Falcon-Lang, H., Proc. Geol. Assoc. 2010 “…this is an excellent introduction to palaeontology in general. It is well structured, accessibly written and pleasantly informative …..I would recommend this as a standard reference text to all my students without hesitation.” David Norman Geol Mag 2010 Companion website This book includes a companion website at: www.blackwellpublishing.com/paleobiology The website includes: · An ongoing database of additional Practical’s prepared by the authors · Figures from the text for downloading · Useful links for each chapter · Updates from the authors
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(Vertebrate Palaeontology is a complete, up-to-date histor...)
Vertebrate Palaeontology is a complete, up-to-date history of the evolution of vertebrates. The third edition of this popular text has been extensively revised to incorporate the latest research, including new material from North and South America, Australia, Europe, China, Africa and Russia. • Highlights astonishing new discoveries including new dinosaurs and Mesozoic birds from China • features a new chapter on how to study fossil vertebrates • provides an increased emphasis on the cladistic framework with cladograms set apart from the body of the text and full lists of diagnostic characters • includes new molecular evidence on early mammal diversification • new features aid study including new functional and developmental feature spreads, key questions and extensive references to useful web sites • strong phylogenetic focus making it an up-to-date source of the latest broad-scale systematic data on vertebrate evolution To access the artwork from the book, please visit: www.blackwellpublishing.com/benton.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1405130695/?tag=2022091-20
(Based on the latest scientific research and archaeologica...)
Based on the latest scientific research and archaeological findings, the author, in this book attempts to shed new light on the pre-historical world and the evolution of its reptile inhabitants.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0517025574/?tag=2022091-20
("The focus is the most severe mass extinction known in ea...)
"The focus is the most severe mass extinction known in earth's history….The science on which the book is based is up-to-date, thorough, and balanced. Highly recommended."—Choice Today it is common knowledge that the dinosaurs were wiped out by a meteorite impact 65 million years ago that killed half of all species then living. Far less known is a much greater catastrophe that took place at the end of the Permian period 251 million years ago: ninety percent of life was destroyed, including saber-toothed reptiles and their rhinoceros-sized prey on land, as well as vast numbers of fish and other species in the sea. This book documents not only what happened during this gigantic mass extinction but also the recent rekindling of the idea of catastrophism. Was the end-Permian event caused by the impact of a huge meteorite or comet, or by prolonged volcanic eruption in Siberia? The evidence has been accumulating through the 1990s and into the new millennium, and Michael Benton gives his verdict at the end of the volume. From field camps in Greenland and Russia to the laboratory bench, When Life Nearly Died involves geologists, paleontologists, environmental modelers, geochemists, astronomers, and experts on biodiversity and conservation. Their working methods are vividly described and explained, and the current disputes are revealed. The implications of our understanding of crises in the past for the current biodiversity crisis are also presented in detail. 46 illustrations.
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(In the greatest mass extinction in Earth's history at lea...)
In the greatest mass extinction in Earth's history at least 90 percent of life was killed, both on land and in the sea, almost bringing evolution to a halt. What caused destruction on such an unimaginable scale? Was it the impact of a huge meteorite, or prolonged volcanic eruption in Siberia? This book assembles the evidence and gives the verdict.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FFBACLG/?tag=2022091-20
(Vertebrate Palaeontology is a complete, up-to-date histor...)
Vertebrate Palaeontology is a complete, up-to-date history of the evolution of vertebrates. The third edition of this popular text has been extensively revised to incorporate the latest research, including new material from North and South America, Australia, Europe, China, Africa and Russia. • Highlights astonishing new discoveries including new dinosaurs and Mesozoic birds from China • features a new chapter on how to study fossil vertebrates • provides an increased emphasis on the cladistic framework with cladograms set apart from the body of the text and full lists of diagnostic characters • includes new molecular evidence on early mammal diversification • new features aid study including new functional and developmental feature spreads, key questions and extensive references to useful web sites • strong phylogenetic focus making it an up-to-date source of the latest broad-scale systematic data on vertebrate evolution To access the artwork from the book, please visit: www.blackwellpublishing.com/benton. An Instructor manual CD-ROM for this title is available. Please contact our Higher Education team at HigherEducation@wiley.com for more information.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0632056371/?tag=2022091-20
fiction writer paleontologist university professor
Benton was educated at the University of Aberdeen and Newcastle University where he was awarded a Doctor of Philosophy in 1981.
His published work has mostly concentrated on the evolution of Triassic reptiles but he has also worked on extinction events and faunal changes in the fossil record. Benton"s research investigates palaeobiology, palaeontology, and macroevolution. He has also advised on many media productions including British Broadcasting Corporation"s Walking with Dinosaurs and was a program consultant for Paleoworld on Discovery Science.
His research interests include: diversification of life, quality of the fossil record, shapes of phylogenies, age-clade congruence, mass extinctions, Triassic ecosystem evolution, basal diapsid phylogeny, basal archosaurs, and the origin of the dinosaurs.
Benton has also been contributing in some documentaries. One of these was BBCs 2002 program The Day The Earth Nearly Died, which feature scientists as the deal with the mysteries of the Permian extinction.
In December 2010, Benton got a rhynchosaur named Bentonyx in his honour. His work appears in a variety of journals.
( Vertebrate palaeontology is a lively field, with new di...)
(An historical atlas which covers the history and evolutio...)
(Based on the latest scientific research and archaeologica...)
(The answer to the young dinosaur lover's prayers, this fu...)
(In the greatest mass extinction in Earth's history at lea...)
(Vertebrate Palaeontology is a complete, up-to-date histor...)
(Vertebrate Palaeontology is a complete, up-to-date histor...)
(This book presents a comprehensive overview of the scienc...)
(For 140 million years the dinosaurs were the dominant lif...)
("The focus is the most severe mass extinction known in ea...)
(A comprehensive introduction to all aspects of palaeontol...)
(book)
Royal Society.