Flying Dinosaurs: How Fearsome Reptiles Became Birds

The discovery of stunning, feathered dinosaur fossils coming out of China since 2006 suggests that these creatures were much more bird-like than paleontologists previously imagined. Further evidenceÑbones, genetics, eggs, behavior, and moreÑdemonstrates a seamless transition from fleet-footed carnivores to the ancestors of modern birds. Mixing colorful portraits with news on the latest fossil findings and interviews with leading paleontologists in the United States, China, Europe, and Australia, award-winning journalist John Pickrell details dinosaursÕ development of flight, which introduced a whole new range of abilities for the animals and helped them survive best out of the thousands of dinosaur species that once populated the Earth. Pickrell also turns his journalistic eye toward the stories behind the discoveries, investigating the role of the Chinese black market in trading fossils, the controversies among various dinosaur hunters, the interference of national governments intent on protecting information, and the race to publish findings first that make this research such a dynamic area of science.