Paeleontologists are these days using the same methods as criminologists. They are looking for proof, conducting DNA analysis. They reconstruct and study injuries, so delving into a world long vanished. An enormous amount of know-how and creativity is vital. This book was written by a scientist along with a paedagogue and a group of students who have collected information and turned this into a well-structured and innovative package. State of the art knowledge is presented in an easily understood manner for all so allowing the reader to obtain an original view of the history of the planet and of the most spectacular creatures which ever roamed upon it.

About the author:

Dr Alexander Lukeneder was born in 1972. He read palaeontology at the University of Vienna. He has held the position of curator to the Mesozoic collection at the Museum of Natural History, Vienna, since 2004. He is an authority on fossils, has taken part in many world-wide expeditions on the subject and frequently publishes scientific papers and articles. He was awarded with the the „Upper Austria price for Sciences“ in 2002 and the „Othenio-Abel price of the Austrian Academy of Sciences“ in 2006. He is a member of several international research groups. Visit the author's site

Helga Gridling was born in 1958. She read biology at the universities of Innsbruck and Vienna. She has been engaged in the teaching of chemistry, physics and biology at the secondary level since 1985. She has worked on various projects since 2000. She was awarded with the „European Chemistry Teacher's Prize“ in 2001 and 2003. In 2005 she was awarded with a price by the the Austrian „Voslauer“ mineral water company for her research on water. Apart from teaching, Helga Gridling, in cooperation with other authors, is about to publish a 4-tome school textbook on biology.