Explorers of Deep Time: Paleontologists and the History of Life

Paleontology is one of the most visible yet most misunderstood fields of science. Children dream of becoming paleontologists when they grow up. Museum visitors flock to exhibits on dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals. The media reports on fossil discoveries and new clues to mass extinctions. Nonetheless, misconceptions abound: paleontologists are assumed only to be interested in dinosaurs, and they are all too often imagined as bearded white men in battered cowboy hats.

Roy Plotnick provides a behind-the-scenes look at paleontology as it exists today in all its complexity. He explores the field’s aims, methods, and possibilities, with an emphasis on the compelling personal stories of the scientists who have made it a career. Paleontologists study the entire history of life on Earth; they do not only use hammers and chisels to unearth fossils but are just as likely to work with cutting-edge computing technology. Plotnick presents the big questions about life’s history that drive paleontological research and shows why knowledge of Earth’s past is essential to understanding present-day environmental crises. He introduces readers to the diverse group of people of all genders, races, and international backgrounds who make up the twenty-first-century paleontology community, foregrounding their perspectives and firsthand narratives. He also frankly discusses the many challenges that face the profession, with key takeaways for aspiring scientists. Candid and comprehensive, Explorers of Deep Time is essential reading for anyone curious about the everyday work of real-life paleontologists.

• ISBN10: 0231195346
• ISBN13: 9780231195348
• Publish Date: 4 January 2022
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Columbia University Press
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 344
• Language: English

Reviews

[annieb123]

Originally posted on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

Explorers of Deep Time is an accessible, scientifically accurate, and well written look at paleontology and the scientists who study it written by Dr. Roy Plotnick. Released 4th Jan 2022 by The Columbia University Press, it's 344 pages and is available in hardcover and ebook formats.

The author writes engagingly and well about "Deep Time" and the conditions and physical, geological, and biological features which shaped those eras and have had such a profound effect on our world. The illustrations and photographs (and digital recreations) add a lot and helped me to visualize scale (giant dragonflies circa 310 million years ago were *really* huge).

Besides talking about ancient history, the author spends a gratifying amount of time talking about academia and the sometimes (often?) circuitous path to becoming a paleontologist or other theoretical scientist and academic. I am a bionerd and am on numerous groups on social media and one of the perennial questions is "My kid is interested in _____, so what education should they be pursuing"? It's nice to see actual real life advice on real life studies by an eminent (real life) scientist.

The book is layman accessible, and I found it a fascinating read. It's well annotated (and the chapter notes and index make for fascinating further reading) but doesn't get bogged down in overly academic language. This is popular science writing - not a "how-to" guide for collection or specimen study. It's clear he's both knowledgeable and engaged in the subjects as well as having a solid interest in passing on knowledge and encouraging others to learn and study. There are a handful of popular science writers who have the gift of writing layman accessibly and engagingly on their topics of expertise. We can safely add Dr. Plotnick to the list. The chapter notes and bibliography are for papers and research presented in English (most science writing is in English these days).

Five stars. Heartily recommended for readers of science, paleontology, academic pursuits, and STEM subjects, as well as for public and school library acquisition.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.