Extinction – Bad Genes or Bad Luck? - Softcover

Raup, David M.; Gould, Stephen Jay

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0393309274 ISBN 13: 9780393309270

Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company, 1993

Synopsis

In the geological record, there are five major mass extinctions-the "Big Five." The most famous happened at the end of the Cretaceous Period, when the dinosaurs and two-thirds of all marine animal species were wiped out, opening the door for the age of mammals and the rise of Homo Sapiens. Using this example as a springboard, David M. Raup leaps into an egaging discussion of the theories, assumptions, and difficulties associated with the science of species extinction. Woven is along the way are stories of the trilobite eye, tropical reefs, flying reptiles, and the fate of the heath hen on Martha's Vineyard, a very modern extinction.

About this title

Review:

An eminently entertaining and informative read.--Malcolm W. Browne

A delightful little book about life on this planet and about extinctions, in particular. It is as much about the philosophy and methodology of science as about the downside of evolution.--Clark R. Chapman, Planetary Science Institute

Synopsis:

What brings about the extinction of a species? Is it a genetic flaw or a run of really bad luck? All scientists agree on the fact of extinction, but science has never agreed on its physical causes. From the traditional theory of climatic change to the controversial theory of meteorites, this book investigates each possibility and puts the arguments for and against. Questioning much of the conventional wisdom, this book makes a number of claims, including a theory that blames all significant extinctions on falling meteorites.

About this edition

• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
• Publication date: 1993
• ISBN 10: 0393309274
• ISBN 13: 9780393309270
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 224