ダーウィンは進化論の立証に化石をどのように用いたのでしょうか。生きた化石とは、いったい何のことでしょうか。化石が哲学や神話、時間の概念やポップカルチャーに及ぼしてきた影響に光をあて、「人間界における化石」という文脈でこうした疑問について検討していきます。
   

• A unique approach: The first book to bring together the science and the cultural impact of fossils.
• Fossils hold a permanent place in the popular imagination.
• An immensely readable account from one of the world's leading authorities.

  
Fossils have been vital to our understanding of the formation of the earth and the origins of all life on it. However, their impact has not been limited to debates about geology and evolution: attempts to explain their existence has shaken religion at its very roots, and they have remained a subject of ceaseless fascination for people of all ages and backgrounds. 
  
In this delightful book, Keith Thomson provides a remarkably all-encompassing explanation of fossils as a phenomenon. How did Darwin use fossils to support his theory of evolution? What are 'living fossils'? What fossils will we leave behind for future generations to examine? Building on the scientific aspects, he places fossils in a very human context, highlighting their impact on philosophy and mythology, our concept of time, and today's popular culture. What quickly becomes obvious is that the discovery of fossils and the ways in which they have been interpreted over time makes for fascinating reading. From the black market to the Piltdown Man, and from mythological dragons to living dinosaurs, fossils hold a permanent place in the popular imagination.