Ancient Teeth explores the fascinating field of dental paleontology, revealing how fossilized teeth serve as time capsules, unlocking secrets about prehistoric diets, species identification, and evolutionary relationships.
Given their durable enamel, teeth are often the most well-preserved remains, offering invaluable insights into extinct organisms and past ecosystems.
The book emphasizes how analyzing dental morphology and microwear patterns allows scientists to reconstruct prehistoric diets, shedding light on how ancient creatures adapted to their environments.
This book uniquely synthesizes earth sciences, biology, and life sciences to demonstrate how dental remains contribute to our understanding of life's history.
It begins with the basics of dental anatomy and preservation before delving into methods like microwear and stable isotope analysis for paleodiet reconstruction.
The book then explores how dental features distinguish species and reveal evolutionary lineages.
By examining fossil collections and published research, Ancient Teeth provides a comprehensive overview of this underappreciated source of data.
