This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American
Some of you will know already that John Conway, C. M. Kosemen and myself recently completed writing and illustrating our new book All Yesterdays, due out in early December (both in hardcopy, and as an e-book for Kindle, iBookstore, Nook, and Google Play). Skeletal reconstructions by the excellent Scott Hartman of SkeletalDrawing.com also feature in the volume.
All Yesterdays grew out of the idea that there are many things – anatomical, behavioural and ecological – that we’ll just never know about long-extinct animals. In view of this – and in view of the bizarre and often incredible anatomies, behaviours and ecological interactions present in the modern world – how far can we go in imagining things that are ridiculous, bizarre and outlandish yet still plausible? And, yes, it all started when John and Memo decided to start depicting fossil animals in freaky and counter-intuitive ways: long-time Tet Zoo readers might recall mention of some of the art concerned in meeting reports I’ve published over the years.
In due time, I’ll be discussing the book at length here on Tet Zoo. For now, I just want to advertise the launch event we’re hosting at Conway Hall (Red Lion Square, London) on Friday December 7th. Yeah yeah, Conway Hall; no coincidence. Kidding... it's a coincidence. Doors open at 6.30pm and talks start at 7pm. We’ll be speaking about the book (and about palaeoart and the science and speculation involved), and selling and signing copies too. Tickets are £5.00 each (the price includes a drink) and can be booked online here. The online booking site gives the book title as All Yesterdays: Speculation & Science at the Frontiers of Reconstructing Extinct Animals, whereas the actual title we’ve gone for is All Yesterdays: Unique and Speculative Views of Dinosaurs and Other Prehistoric Animals.
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Anyway, please do come along if you can. I look forward to seeing some of you there!
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