Christopher Sloan

Discusses prehistoric crocodiles, including the discovery of SuperCroc in the Sahara Desert, and the lifestyles, habitats, and conservation of modern crocodiles.

Supercroc and the Origin of Crocodiles

Presents dinosaurs of various sizes and time periods who possessed unusual features, including such traits as spiked shoulders, long, clawed arms, a fringed back, bull horns, and a giant beak.

Some Very Strange Creatures and why We Think They Got that Way

Bizarre Dinosaurs

Our Evolution from Prehistoric Ancestors to Today

The Human Story

Examines the customs and practices related to burial that have existed from ancient times to the present.

Tombs, Corpses, Mummies, Skeletons & Rituals

Bury the Dead

Richard Potts

This generously illustrated book tells the story of the human family, showing how our species’ physical traits and behaviors evolved over millions of years as our ancestors adapted to dramatic environmental changes. In What Does It Means to Be Human? Rick Potts, director of the Smithsonian’s Human Origins Program, and Chris Sloan, National Geographic’s paleoanthropolgy expert, delve into our distant past to explain when, why, and how we acquired the unique biological and cultural qualities that govern our most fundamental connections and interactions with other people and with the natural world. Drawing on the latest research, they conclude that we are the last survivors of a once-diverse family tree, and that our evolution was shaped by one of the most unstable eras in Earth’s environmental history. The book presents a wealth of attractive new material especially developed for the Hall’s displays, from life-like reconstructions of our ancestors sculpted by the acclaimed John Gurche to photographs from National Geographic and Smithsonian archives, along with informative graphics and illustrations. In coordination with the exhibit opening, the PBS program NOVA will present a related three-part television series, and the museum will launch a website expected to draw 40 million visitors.

Christopher Sloan

Books

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