From towering dinosaurs to early human ancestors, paleontology has long captured the public imagination, yet its scientific standing has often been precarious. Palaeontology in Public studies how paleontology’s public presence has shaped both the field itself and broader cultural understandings of science and nature. Through case studies spanning two centuries, this book explores the deep entanglement between vertebrate paleontology and popular culture, from early fossil discoveries to modern cinematic depictions.
Dinosaurs naturally take center stage, taking Spinosaurus, Jurassic Park, and Winsor McCay’s Gertie the Dinosaur, for instance. However, equally important are the stories of Glyptodons, Mesozoic mammals, and early human fossils like Neanderthals and Australopithecus. The book draws from history, art, literature, archaeology, and science communication to depict how public fascination has fueled scientific discovery while also shaping our collective vision of life’s ancient past.
A compelling read for historians of science, paleontologists, and those with a special interest in prehistoric creatures, Palaeontology in Public highlights the enduring power of fossils also as cultural icons that continue to inspire and spark debate.
Reviews
Table of Contents
List of figures
List of contributors
Acknowledgements
1 Introduction
Chris Manias
Part I: Extinct reptiles
2 Arthur Conan Doyle, Michael Crichton, and the case of palaeontological fiction
Richard Fallon and David Hone
3 Winsor McCay’s Gertie: the first living dinosaur
Victoria Coules
4 The ‘Spin’ in Spinosaurus: inventing a modern dinosaur superstar Will Tattersdill and Mark P. Witton
5 A good officer: the long and remarkable career of the chimaeral Naosaurus
Ilja Nieuwland
6 From ‘Long’ to ‘Feng’: the marvellous new era of feathered dinosaur discoveries in modern China
Zichuan Qin and Lukas Rieppel
Part II: Mammals and hominins
7 Mammals, the measure of success? The legacy of ‘progress’ in natural sciences
Elsa Panciroli and Chris Manias
8 Literary beasts: fossil mammals, bone seekers and palaeontology in twentieth-century Argentina
Irina Podgorny
9 When fieldwork goes wrong, go public: George Gaylord Simpson and Anne Roe in Venezuela, 1938-1939
Joe Cain
10 Shadows in the mirror: a discussion on understandings of Neanderthals and Australopithecines
Chris Manias, Rebecca Wragg Sykes and Lydia Pyne
11 Palaeoanthropology and the mass media: an entangled history Oliver Hochadel
12 Pageants of life: conclusion and epilogue
Chris Manias
Index