Horseshoe Crabs and Velvet Worms: The Story of the Animals and Plants That Time Has Left Behind

Fromoneoftheworld’sleadingnaturalscientistsandtheacclaimedauthorofTrilobite!,Life:ANaturalHistoryofFourBillionYearsofLifeonEarthandDryStoreroomNo.1comesafascinatingchronicleoflife’shistorytoldnotthroughthefossilrecordbutthroughthestoriesoforganismsthathavesurvived,almostunchanged,throughouttime.Evolution,itseems,hasnotcompletelyobliterateditstracksasmoreadvancedorganismshaveevolved;thehistoryoflifeonearthisfarolder—andodder—thanmanyofusrealize.Scatteredacrosstheglobe,theseremarkableplantsandanimalscontinuetomarkseminaleventsingeologicaltime.FromamoonlitbeachinDelaware,wherethehardyhorseshoecrabshufflesitswaytoafrenzyofmassmatingjustasitdid450millionyearsago,tothedenserainforestsofNewZealand,wheretheelusive,unprepossessingvelvetwormhasburroweddeepintorottingtimbersincebeforethebreakupoftheancientsupercontinent,toastretchofAustraliancoastlinewithstromatoliteformationsthatbearwitnesstothePrecambriandawn,theexistenceofthesesurvivorsoffersusatantalizingglimpseofpivotalpointsinevolutionaryhistory.Thesearenot“livingfossils”butratherahandfuloftenaciouscreaturesofdayslonggone.Writteninbuoyant,sparklingprose,HorseshoeCrabsandVelvetWormsisamarvelouslycaptivatingexplorationoftheworld’sold-timerscombiningtheverybestofsciencewritingwithanexplorer’ssenseofadventureandwonder.