T. rex and the Crater of Doom

One of the great mysteries is what happened to the dinosaurs, and it has taken great detective work to give us an answer. In T. Rex and the Crater of Doom , some brilliant, not to mention determined, scientists roam the world and seek out the clues. What they conclude is that the earth withstood a colossal impact with a meteor (or perhaps a comet) 65 million years ago. The resulting cataclysm destroyed half the life on the planet. Walter Alvarez, a geologist at the University of California at Berkeley, and one of the four scientists who present this theory on the mystery, tells the story in a clear narrative that contains a wealth of scientific material. The book does require an investment of attention, but the presentation is quite readable, and the story itself is fascinating. From Library Journal When Nobel prize-winning physicist Louis Alvarez and his geophysicist son Walter announced that they had discovered evidence of a giant meteor that slammed into Earth 65 million years ago, causing the extinction of the dinosaurs, they were met with much fanfare from the popular press and skepticism from the scientific community. The Alvarezes were vindicated in 1991 when a huge impact crater was discovered on the Yucatan Peninsula, and the possible connection with dinosaur extinction is becoming more widely accepted. After a vivid description imagining the global devastation that would be caused by such an impact, Alvarez offers a first-person account of the discovery. It's a nicely told and well-written tale of scientific discovery, and though he occasionally comes across as a bit smug, Alvarez is quite generous in crediting objectors for helping show the direction to improve and refine the theory with further research. This informal, readable book is appropriate for high school readers on up, and the subject has strong popular appeal.?Amy Brunvand, Univ. of Utah Lib., Salt Lake CityCopyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. From Booklist Alvarez, along with four other Berkeley scientists, found the geologic evidence that implicated a cosmic collision in the extinction of the dinosaurs. Imagining that cataclysm, Alvarez opens with the appearance of an approaching comet, growing brighter until it slams into the Yucatan Peninsula, exploding with energy equal to 10 thousand times the world's nuclear arsenal. Having locked in readers with that apocalyptic drama, Alvarez recounts how he can write such a scientifically accurate disaster script. It has two parts: the evaluation of a thin iridium-rich layer of clay found in Italy and the search for an impact crater. Lying between the Cretaceous-Tertiary (KT) boundary in rocks, the clay was mysterious in origin and its iridium source difficult to pin down: a supernova was theorized for a while. Alvarez then clearly describes tell-tale geologic clues that revealed the now-buried crater, rounding out a fascinating proof of a once ridiculed theory. In fitting together the puzzle of dino demise, Alvarez excitingly shapes the story for the widest audience. Gilbert Taylor From Kirkus Reviews An explanation of the end of the dinosaurs, by the Berkeley geologist who helped promulgate the theory. At first widely doubted, the idea is now gospel: Sixty-five million years ago, a comet or asteroid about the size of Mt. Everest slammed into the Yucatxa0n not far from present-day Canc£n, wiping out at least half of the species on earth. Alvarez was part of the team that discovered the first evidence of this impact, which caused an unimaginably immense explosion. Some species may have been largely eliminated immediately; others disappeared more gradually. This collision can be proven because of the immense impact crater (discovered in 1950) and dated because of the otherwise anomalous appearance of the rare element iridium (a byproduct of the explosion) at a certain stratum in core samples retrieved from the ocean floor. The iridium, in lesser amounts, can be found worldwide, notably at the Gubbio site in Italy; its presence testifies to the terrible cloud that obscured the sun after the impact, killing plants and the species that subsisted on them--as well as the meat-eating animals that preyed on the plant- eaters. While the dinosaurs could not survive the upheaval, small burrowing animals, aquatic life, and birds (thought by some scientists to be related to dinosaurs) had a better chance for survival, since they could more easily hide or flee during the dark time. Alvarez does a wonderful job of explaining these events, describing the expeditions into the rough backcountry of the Yucatxa0n in search of evidence, the growing excitement as proof of the controversial thesis emerged, and the acceptance of the theory by the scientific establishment Appealing and accessible, an excellent introduction to the subject. (8 pages color photos, 12 b&w photos) (Book-of-the-Month Club/Quality Paperback Book Club/History Book Club selection) -- Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. "One of New York Times Notable Books for 1997""Appealing and accessible, an excellent introduction to the subject." ― Kirkus Review "A fascinating proof of a once ridiculed theory. In fitting together the puzzle of dino demise, Alvarez excitingly shapes the story for the widest audience." ― Booklist "[D]eft and readable . . . T. rex and the Crater of Doom gets the facts across in a lighthearted, almost playful manner. But it's also solid science, a clear and efficient exposition that conveys plenty of cogent detail while keeping an eye on the subtle interplay of thought, action, and personality that makes scientific research such arresting human behavior. . . . [An] estimable account from the world's leading authority on death from above." ---Timothy Ferris, New York Times Book Review "A geologist (who happens to be a kind of working philosopher) gives a deft, readable explanation of the extinction of the dinosaurs." ― New York Times Book Review "A nicely told and well-written tale of scientific discovery." ― Library Journal "The book is very well written and so engrossing that a reader with little or no background in the earth's geologic history will enjoy an easy and vastly entertaining summary of how we came to our present understanding of the past. It is a wonderful adventure in science." ---Dale Russell, The Los Angeles Times Book Review "Alvarez's book recounts this scientific detective story in an authoritative yet consistently engaging manner. Once considered absurd, the idea that extraterrestrial factors were involved in some of the great crises in the history of life has become widely accepted." ---Hans-Dieter Sues, Toronto Globe and Mail "A first-rate, swiftly paced tale of how science can propel its participants down avenues of surprising discovery to breathtaking conclusions." ---Charles Petit, San Francisco Chronicle "This personal account of the search for a geological Excalibur makes fascinating reading. . . . [It] reads like Arthurian legend, full of temptations which lead the hero astray and distract him and his followers from the true path." ---Douglas Palmer, New Scientist "An unfolding story told by its leading protagonist. . . . Very clearly and entertainingly written, and illustrated with fascinating colour plates, it is accessible even to nonspecialists." ---Arthur C. Clarke, The Times Higher Education Supplement "Every library with geology holdings will want to have this book. . . . Alvarez offers a great detective story. . . ." ― Choice "This is the story of one of the greatest adventures of twentieth-century science, told by the central figure. Walter Alvarez relates the still-evolving story with insight, clarity, and warmth. It is a great read for both scientist and layperson." ―Richard Muller, author of Nemesis: The Death Star From the Publisher "The story of one of the greatest adventures of twentiethcentury science, told by the central figure.... It is a great read for both scientist and layperson." Richard Muller, author of Nemesis: The Death Star Sixtyfive million years ago, a comet or asteroid larger than Mt. Everest slammed into the Earth, causing an explosion equivalent to the detonation of a hundred million hydrogen bombs. Vaporized impactor and debris from the impact site were blasted out through the atmosphere, falling back to Earth all around the globe. Terrible environmental disasters ensued, including a giant tsunami, continentscale wildfires, darkness, and cold, followed by sweltering greenhouse heat. When conditions returned to normal, half the genera of plants and animals on Earth had perished. This horrific story is now widely accepted as the solution to a great scientific murder mystery what caused the extinction of the dinosaurs? In T. rex and the Crater of Doom, the story of the scientific detective work that went into solving the mystery is told by geologist Walter Alvarez, one of the four Berkeley scientists who discovered the first evidence for the giant impact. It is a saga of high adventure in remote parts of the world, of patient data collection, of lonely intellectual struggle, of long periods of frustration ended by sudden breakthroughs, of intense public debate, of friendships made or lost, of the exhilaration of discovery, and of delight as a fascinating story unfolded. Controversial and widely attacked during the 1980s, the impact theory received confirmation from the discovery of the giant impact crater it predicted, buried deep beneath younger strata at the north coast of the Yucatan Peninsula. The Chicxulub Crater was found by Mexican geologists in 1950 but remained almost unknown to scientists elsewhere until 1991, when it was recognized as the largest impact crater on this planet, dating precisely from the time of the great extinction sixtyfive million years ago. Geology and paleontology, sciences that long held that all changes in Earth history have been calm and gradual, have now been forced to recognize the critical role played by rare but devastating catastrophes like the impact that killed the dinosaurs. From the Inside Flap "This is the story of one of the greatest adventures of twentieth-century science, told by the central figure. Walter Alvarez relates the still-evolving story with insight, clarity, and warmth. It is a great read for both scientist and layperson." --Richard Muller, author of Nemesis: The Death Star "This is the story of one of the greatest adventures of twentieth-century science, told by the central figure. Walter Alvarez relates the still-evolving story with insight, clarity, and warmth. It is a great read for both scientist and layperson." --Richard Muller, author of Nemesis: The Death Star Walter Alvarez is Professor of Geology and Geophysics at the University of California, Berkeley. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences. Read more