` In Richard Fortey`s capable hands the humble grey trilobite has been transformed into the E.T. of the Lower Palaeozoic
- a remarkable & fascinating book.` SIMON WINCHESTER Richard Fortey is one of Britain`s leading popular scientists. Life: An Unauthorised Biography, was short-listed for the Rhone Poulenc prize & has been reprinted five times. In all he writes, Fortey displays extraordinary range, delight & descriptive gifts which make complicated scientific facts & concepts not only easy to understand but a delight to absorb. Trilobite! is an unashamedly trilobito-centric view of the world unravelling the history of the exotic, crustacean-like animals which dominated the seas for three hundred million years. These arthropods witnessed continents move, mountain chains elevated & eroded; they survived ice ages & volcanic eruptions, evolving & adapting exquisitely to their environment. They watched through their crystal eyes whilst life evolved. Their own evolution calibrated geological time itself. Structured like a detective story, this is a light, but highly informative account of the wonders of scientific discovery & an engaging, quirky & fascinating introduction to evolution.