Billions of Years, Amazing Changes

Pringle traces scientific developments that led to Darwin's On the Origin of Species as well as subsequent discoveries that have contributed to understanding of species change. Straightforward explanations of such concepts as natural selection, genetic mutations, and speciation are woven through the historical timeline, making even the most complex ideas understandable. Copious illustrations include photographs, diagrams, and Jenkins's wonderfully detailed cut-paper illustrations.

Pringle traces historical developments in the fields of geology and biology that led to Darwin's On the Origin of Species as well as the centuries of subsequent scientific discoveries that have further contributed to our understandings of changes in species over incredibly long periods of time. Pringle's straightforward explanations of such scientific concepts as natural selection, genetic mutations, and speciation are woven through the historical timeline, making even the most complex ideas understandable for the intended middle-grade audience. The account starts with the early days of geology, when naturalists were piecing together evidence from fossils and rock formations to come up with explanations for changes in earth's history; these key ideas strongly influenced biologists' thinking about changes in plant and animal life, beyond what is directly observable. After consideration of Darwin's major contributions, Pringle moves on to more current findings that further support the theory of evolution, including critically important developments in the fields of genetics, ecology, paleontology, and geochronology, and real-time case studies of bacteria and insect evolution. Copious illustrations throughout the book include color photographs and diagrams of flora and fauna and Jenkins's wonderfully detailed cut-paper animal illustrations and portraits of major scientists. danielle j. ford