{"product_id":"the-walking-whales-j-g-m-hans-thewissen-9780520305601","title":"The Walking Whales: From Land to Water in Eight Million Years","description":"Hans Thewissen, a leading researcher in the field of whale paleontology and anatomy, gives a sweeping first-person account of the discoveries that brought to light the early fossil record of whales. As evidenced in the record, whales evolved from herbivorous forest-dwelling ancestors that resembled tiny deer to carnivorous monsters stalking lakes and rivers and to serpentlike denizens of the coast. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Thewissen reports on his discoveries in the wilds of India and Pakistan, weaving a narrative that reveals the day-to-day adventures of fossil collection, enriching it with local flavors from South Asian culture and society. The reader senses the excitement of the digs as well as the rigors faced by scientific researchers, for whom each new insight gives rise to even more questions, and for whom at times the logistics of just staying alive may trump all science. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e In his search for an understanding of how modern whales live their lives, Thewissen also journeys to Japan and Alaska to study whales and wild dolphins. He finds answers to his questions about fossils by studying the anatomy of otters and porpoises and examining whale embryos under the microscope. In the book's final chapter, Thewissen argues for approaching whale evolution with the most powerful tools we have and for combining all the fields of science in pursuit of knowledge.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e J. G. M. Hans Thewissen\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-10:\u003c\/b\u003e 0520305604\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9780520305601\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e University of California Press\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 04\/29\/2019\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 256\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.90lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 8.80h x 5.50w x 0.50d","brand":"J. G. M. Hans Thewissen","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":43990207856895,"sku":"9780520305601","price":29.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/files\/img_dc1594ce-dc9d-4b53-b75f-026ba2795065.jpg?v=1683303615","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/the-walking-whales-j-g-m-hans-thewissen-9780520305601","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}