The modern geologist with no knowledge of geochemistry will be severely limited. Indeed, geochemistry now pervades the discipline—providing the basis for measurement of geologic time, allowing critical insights into the Earth’s inaccessible interior, aiding in the exploration for economic resources, understanding how we are altering our environment, and unraveling the complex workings of geochemical systems on the Earth and its neighboring planets. Geochemical reasoning reveals both processes and pathways, as the book’s title implies.

Do you remember the first time you saw a dinosaur skeleton? With your head tilted back, eyes wide open, and experiencing that overwhelming, uncontrollable “wow” factor? For many of us, coming face to face with an intimidating colossus of bones and teeth, an animal unlike anything alive today, would have filled you with an incredible sense of wonder and excitement.
But have you ever pondered what dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals did in their daily lives? Maybe what they ate or if they got sick? Perhaps how the animals cared for their babies and whether they laid eggs or gave birth to live young? Finding answers to these apparently simple questions is an almighty, complex challenge for paleontologists studying fossils. Some fossils, however, are so remarkable that they record direct evidence of such behaviors, capturing specific moments in the lives of long-extinct species. These are among the most fascinating, awe-inspiring, and exceptional of all fossils ever found <...>

Nothing is as important in the natural world as our own earth and the rocks beneath our feet. So it was inevitable that the Golden Nature Guides include an introduction to rocks and minerals. The task of selecting, describing, and illustrating minerals,  rocks,  and  geologic  structures  has many  inherent  difficulties.  We are grateful  to  our  colleagues and to other experts who have helped. May we particularly thank members of the Geology Department of the University of Illinois: Drs. Chapman, Droste, Grim, Hagner,  Henderson,  Merrill,  Wanless,  and  White,  and Drs. Collinson, Swann, and Willman of the Illinois State Geological Survey for specimens and slides, and for information  and   encouragement.   Some  specimens  came from University of  Illinois Natural  History Museum  and departmental collections; some from Ward's Natural Science Establishment. The gem collections at the Chicago Museum of Natural History were invaluable. Fine Koda-chromes were provided by Scott Lewis. Maps came largely from information in the Minerals Yearbook of the Bureau of Mines, and from other maps and publications of the United States Geological Survey.

Apatite is the most abundant of the phosphatic minerals and consequently it is of great importance to industrial chemistry as a raw material. In fact, so many modern technological developments depend upon the use of phosphorus-containing compounds that a f~irly complete list would have to include dentifrices, pharmaceuticals, phosphors, rust removers, additives for motor fuels, plasticizers, insecticides and other poisons, and friction matches. The large tonnages, however, are concerned with fertilizers, phosphoric acid and detergents (principally sodium tripolyphosphate). The basic raw material, phosphate rock or phosphorite, is a sedimentary rock of which the essential mineral component is ordinarily a carbonate fluorapatite. Annual production from mining operations in the U. S. increased during 1964-1968 from about 26 to 41 million short tons, and represented between 41 and 47% of world production <...>

THE proliferation and the importance of the results of crystal structure analysis confront the chemist with the need to learn the language of crystallography. This book is an outgrowth of the opinion that the training of the undergraduate chemistry major can include more of this language than the memorization of a list of lattice types. At the same time, it would be unreasonable and impractical to expect all chemists to become experts in this specialized field. The purpose, therefore, is to treat the subject in a manner that will quickly and painlessly enable the nonspecialist to read and comprehend the crystallographic literature. It is hoped that this introduction may serve as a useful starting point for those students who wish to pursue the subject further.

The principal message is contained in the first four chapters. That is, these chapters supply the vocabulary of crystallography, and descriptions of crystal structures should be rendered intelligible by acquaintance with this language. In order not to discourage the general reader, the use of mathematics has been kept to a minimum. The decision to omit vector and matrix methods was made reluctantly, in order to reduce the prerequisites, but the elegance thus sacrificed is a luxury that some exceptionally competent crystallographers get along without

We live in a golden age of paleontological discovery—on average, we fi nd one new dinosaur species per week. The most fascinating among them take their place in this updated edition of Dinosaurs—The Grand Tour, from Aardonyx, a lumbering beast that formed a link between two- and four-legged dinosaurs, to Zuniceratops, who boasted a deadly pair of horns.

Here, you’ll fi nd everything worth knowing about every dinosaur worth learning about—more than three hundred in all. At-a-glance sidebars put each dinosaur’s diet, size, and where they roamed at your fi ngertips. Stories of harrowing expeditions conjure the thrills of history’s most famous dinosaur hunters. Highlights from recent research reveal what’s new in paleontology today, including scientists’ evolving ideas of what dinosaurs actually looked like. (Hint: They were more colorful—and feathery!—than we thought before.) And illustrations on virtually every page bring these prehistoric creatures to life in all their glory.

Plus, renowned paleontologist Jack Horner contributes “fi eld notes” to help readers set out on their own expeditions—from seeking fossilized footprints at his recommended sites to planning a cross-country road trip using his list of top North American dinosaurs as a map. You’ll learn what it’s like to be part of the most sensational dino-discoveries ever—and maybe make some of your own!