This is the story of the dinosaurs, uniquely retold through 50 of the most significant findings from the fossil record. Each entry is illustrated with special photography of original specimens that illustrate both the history of dinosaur discovery and key evolutionary events. Palaeontologist Paul M. Barrett explains the importance of each fossil and how it marks a crucial inflection point in an evolutionary dynasty that ruled the Earth for more than 150 million years. The book is divided into themed sections, beginning with dinosaur ancestors before introducing all the major dinosaur groups and moving on to the distinctive aspects of their biology such as feeding, distribution, locomotion and behaviour. The final section focuses on the first fossil birds including the legendary Archaeopteryx, the feathered dinosaur that is widely considered to be the first bird species.