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This popular nontechnical introduction to the strange and marvelous beasts of the Pleistocene ice ages is now even better. Since Ice Age Mammals of North America was first published in 2002, new information from the rapidly evolving sciences of genetics and radiometric dating, coupled with new fossil discoveries, has revolutionized our understanding of these mostly extinct animals. Lange untangles the complex evolutionary lineages of mammal families, including the gomphotheres, elephant-like creatures that coexisted with humans at the end of the Pleistocene. You'll learn about the geologic events that led to the ice ages, along with possible causes for the mass extinctions of so many species. Fun sidebars explore such topics as the enormous size of some Ice Age animals, what teeth tell us about diets, how fossils and Ice Age mummies are preserved, and how scientists obtain DNA from fossilized dung. A state-by-state list of fossil and museum sites will guide you to the closest places to learn about Ice Age mammals.
"Ian Lange superbly interprets the dozens of large animals that evolved in North America over tens of millions of years, or immigrated in from Asia or South America before or during the Pleistocene [...] The magnificent creatures all but come back to life."
– Paul S. Martin, Emeritus professor of geosciences, University of Arizona
