Synopses & Reviews
In Diatoms to Dinosaurs, Chris McGowan takes the reader on a fascinating journey through the natural world, and examines life in all its various forms. He imparts the excitement of discovery and the joy of understanding as he demonstrates the central importance of size and scale to the survival of living organisms.
McGowan investigates a wide range of size-related phenomena, from the gliding mechanism of diatoms to blood pressure problems of dinosaurs. Questions asked - and answered - include:
- Will we ever see giant insects the size of pterodactyls?
- Why are ants so much stronger relative to body size than elephants?
- What do a clam, a condor, a tortoise, and a sturgeon have in common?
- How did the skeleton of a 28-ton Apatosaurus support its weight?
- How can blood get from the heart to the head of a giraffe without rupturing blood vessels?
The author explicates the scientific concepts - both physical and biological - needed to inform the relevant phenomena: area/volume relations, metabolism and other basic physiology, kinetic energy, inertial forces, the biology of senescence, boundary layers, and Reynolds numbers. Numerous illustrations scattered throughout the text make the biophysical principles easily comprehensible to readers, regardless of their scientific sophistication.
Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. [259]-271) and index.
About the Author
Chris McGowan is curator of vertebrate paleontology at the Royal Ontario Museum, Canada, and professor of zoology at the University of Toronto. He is the author of Dinosaurs, Spitfires, and Sea Dragons.
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments
Chapter 1. The Scale of Life
Chapter 2. Keep the Home Fires Burning
Chapter 3. Pumping Iron
Chapter 4. From Cradle to Grave
Chapter 5. Giants Modern and Ancient
Chapter 6. Brains: From the Massive to the Minute
Chapter 7. Drag in the Material World
Chapter 8. High Fliers
Chapter 9. Tiffany Wings and Kite Strings
Chapter 10. Drifting with the Tide: Life in the Plankton
Chapter 11. Life in the Fast Lane
Epilogue
Glossary
Sources of Figures
Further Reading
Index