Locked in Time: Animal Behavior Unearthed in 50 Extraordinary Fossils

Fossils allow us to picture the forms of life that inhabited the earth eons ago. But we long to know more: how did these animals actually behave? We are fascinated by the daily lives of our fellow creatures-how they reproduce and raise their young, how they hunt their prey or elude their predators, and more. What would it be like to see prehistoric animals as they lived and breathed?

From dinosaurs fighting to their deaths to elephant-sized burrowing ground sloths, this book takes readers on a global journey deep into the earth's past. Locked in Time showcases fifty of the most astonishing fossils ever found, brought together in five fascinating chapters that offer an unprecedented glimpse at the real-life behaviors of prehistoric animals. Dean R. Lomax examines the extraordinary direct evidence of fossils captured in the midst of everyday action, such as dinosaurs sitting on their eggs like birds, Jurassic flies preserved while mating, a T. rex infected by parasites. Each fossil, he reveals, tells a unique story about prehistoric life. Many recall behaviors typical of animals familiar to us today, evoking the chain of evolution that links all living things to their distant ancestors. Locked in Time allows us to see that fossils are not just inanimate objects: they can record the life stories of creatures as fully alive as any today. Striking and scientifically rigorous illustrations by renowned paleoartist Bob Nicholls bring these breathtaking moments to life.

Table of Contents:
Introduction: Unlocking the Prehistoric World
1. Sex
2. Parental Care and Communities
3. Moving and Making Homes
4. Fighting, Biting, and Feeding
5. Unusual Happenings
Acknowledgments
Further Reading
Index

About the Author :
Dean R. Lomax is an internationally recognized paleontologist, author, television presenter, and science communicator. He is currently a visiting scientist at the University of Manchester and is a leading authority on ichthyosaurs. His books include Dinosaurs of the British Isle (2014) and Dinosaurs: 10 Things You Should Know (2021).

Bob Nicholls is a world-renowned natural history artist who specializes in the reconstruction of prehistoric animals, plants, and environments. His illustrations and models have been published in more than forty books and exhibited in over forty museums, universities, and visitor attractions around the world.

Review :
A rousing romp through the fossil record. Dean R. Lomax's storytelling and Bob Nicholls's artwork reanimate the lifestyles and behaviors of long-extinct species. Revel along as old bones, teeth, and footprints tell the tale of dinosaur mating dances, fighting mammoths, and pterodactyl nurseries. Vividly told with stunning illustrations, Locked in Time is an essential book for any fossil fan. From the ancient steps of a horseshoe crab to courting dinosaurs, Lomax and Nicholls achieve the closest thing to time travel in bringing the prehistoric back to life. When we think about the animals of the past, we’re drawn to a small handful of movie dinosaurs, but in this fascinating and engaging book, Lomax brings to life incredible moments in the lives of animals from throughout prehistory, discovering the universal in the specific and offering us an insight into our sense of place on this planet. While being immersed in scientific literature, Lomax has a gift for extracting events from millions of years ago and giving them meaning for everyone today. A beetle within a lizard within a snake, a giant beaver that made huge corkscrew burrows three meters deep, a mammal that ate dinosaurs, insects caught in the act of mating, and dinosaurs with cancer . . . Dean R. Lomax presents an extraordinary tour through recent fossil discoveries that shed light on all aspects of the life of the past. These extraordinary scenarios are brought to life in exquisite reconstructions by Bob Nicholls. These are fossils that don’t make it into the textbooks; your appreciation of the history of life will never be the same again! A number of exceptional, spectacular fossils show—via the most direct evidence imaginable—that the extinct animals of the past were once very much alive. They preserve animals giving birth, swallowing prey, and even having sex. Others reveal cases where animals died from poisoning, choking, or even when locked in combat. Join Dean Lomax in this beautifully illustrated, thoroughly researched but accessibly written tour of animals forever locked in time. Illuminates how we pieced together our understanding of behaviors in the animal kingdom. . . . Buckle up—it's a journey. An outstanding and highly original piece of popular science that overflows with Lomax’s enthusiasm and passion. Believe me, you have not seen a book like this before. Meticulously researched and Dr [Dean] Lomax is a most eloquent and well-informed tour guide. Renowned palaeoartist Bob Nicholls provides the sumptuous illustrations that brings Dean’s narrative to life. A strikingly illustrated study that will have immense value and appeal for both paleontology students and non-specialist general readers alike, 'Locked in Time: Animal Behavior Unearthed in 50 Extraordinary Fossils' is impressively well written and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation. Exceptionally well informed and informative, 'Locked in Time: Animal Behavior Unearthed in 50 Extraordinary Fossils' is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to community, college and university library Paleontology collections and supplemental studies curriculums. Fascinating and highly recommended. This informative, educational, and entertaining book will make a good addition to the paleontology aficionado’s library. Fully achieves what it sets out to do: educate and entertain. A captivating and accessible read...Highly recommended. [Lomax] covers 50 extraordinary fossils, in five fascinating chapters that offer an unprecedented glimpse at the real-life behaviours of prehistoric animals. The book is illustrated by striking and scientifically rigorous illustrations by renowned palaeoartist Bob Nicholls. A great read for those interested in ancient life. Lomax is an easy narrator, deftly weaving personal reminiscence and passion among the paleontological facts. There’s an abundance of ‘impeccable, large illustrations and photographs.’ I had a blast with this book. Dean Lomax impressed me with ‘Locked in Time,’ a popular science book that looked at the behaviour of extinct animals as revealed by a selection of extraordinary fossils. Showing that there is more to be said on the topic, he now returns with ‘The Secret Lives of Dinosaurs,’ which features another tranche of remarkable fossils.