After the Dinosaurs: The Age of Mammals

Donald R. Prothero

Jul 2006 · Indiana University Press

About this ebook

A fascinating study of the thousands of new animal species that walked in the footsteps of the dinosaurs—and the climate changes that brought them forth.
 
The fascinating group of animals called dinosaurs became extinct some 65 million years ago (except for their feathered descendants). In their place evolved an enormous variety of land creatures, especially mammals, which in their way were every bit as remarkable as their Mesozoic cousins. The Age of Mammals, the Cenozoic Era, has never had its Jurassic Park, but it was an amazing time in earth’s history, populated by a wonderful assortment of bizarre animals.
 
The rapid evolution of thousands of species of mammals brought forth many incredible creatures―including our own ancestors. Their story is part of a larger story of new life emerging from the greenhouse conditions of the Mesozoic, warming up dramatically about 55 million years ago, and then cooling rapidly so that 33 million years ago the glacial ice returned. The earth’s vegetation went through equally dramatic changes, from tropical jungles in Montana and forests at the poles. Life in the sea underwent striking evolution reflecting global climate change, including the emergence of such creatures as giant sharks, seals, sea lions, dolphins, and whales.
 
Engaging and insightful, After the Dinosaurs is a book for everyone who has an abiding fascination with the remarkable life of the past.

Ratings and reviews

Not as good as Prothero's other books. A lot of time is spent talking about anything but the titular mammals, and the ending is a drawn-out lecture about man-made climate change. He could have easily chopped about 100 pages.

This obviously wasn't the author's fault or I guess even under his control, but is the first half of the title even necessary? Duh, of course the age of mammals comes after the dinosaurs! An excellent introduction to the Cenozoic era, covers not just mammals but other forms of life as well as climate , etc. Highly recommended.

i dont totally believe that science has absolute truth on what actually happened so long ago but i respect the fact that according to our best modern knowledge this book explaines the history of Mammals from 65 million years ago till the rise od early man 5 million years ago so this is defitly a awesome ebook to own for anyone interested in pre human mammals which one way or another we as humans must be related too in some fashion

About the author

Recipient of the 2013 James Shea Award of the National Association of Geology Teachers for outstanding writing and editing in the geosciences.

Donald R. Prothero is Emeritus Professor of Geology at Occidental College and Lecturer in Geobiology at the California Institute of Technology. He has published 32 books, including Reality Check: How Science Deniers Threaten Our Future (IU Press, 2013); Rhinoceros Giants: The Paleobiology of Indricotheres; Earth: Portrait of a Planet; The Evolution of Earth; Evolution: What the Fossils Say and Why It Matters; Catastrophes!; and After the Dinosaurs: The Age of Mammals (IU Press, 2006).