Download or read book The Dinosaur Artist written by Paige Williams and published by Hachette Books. This book was released on 2018-09-11 with total page 476 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this 2018 New York Times Notable Book,Paige Williams "does for fossils what Susan Orlean did for orchids" (Book Riot) in her account of one Florida man's attempt to sell a dinosaur skeleton from Mongolia--a story "steeped in natural history, human nature, commerce, crime, science, and politics" (Rebecca Skloot). In 2012, a New York auction catalogue boasted an unusual offering: "a superb Tyrannosaurus skeleton." In fact, Lot 49135 consisted of a nearly complete T. bataar, a close cousin to the most famous animal that ever lived. The fossils now on display in a Manhattan event space had been unearthed in Mongolia, more than 6,000 miles away. At eight-feet high and 24 feet long, the specimen was spectacular, and when the gavel sounded the winning bid was over $1 million. Eric Prokopi, a thirty-eight-year-old Floridian, was the man who had brought this extraordinary skeleton to market. A onetime swimmer who spent his teenage years diving for shark teeth, Prokopi's singular obsession with fossils fueled a thriving business hunting, preparing, and selling specimens, to clients ranging from natural history museums to avid private collectors like actor Leonardo DiCaprio. But there was a problem. This time, facing financial strain, had Prokopi gone too far? As the T. bataar went to auction, a network of paleontologists alerted the government of Mongolia to the eye-catching lot. As an international custody battle ensued, Prokopi watched as his own world unraveled. In the tradition of The Orchid Thief, The Dinosaur Artist is a stunning work of narrative journalism about humans' relationship with natural history and a seemingly intractable conflict between science and commerce. A story that stretches from Florida's Land O' Lakes to the Gobi Desert, The Dinosaur Artist illuminates the history of fossil collecting--a murky, sometimes risky business, populated by eccentrics and obsessives, where the lines between poacher and hunter, collector and smuggler, enthusiast and opportunist, can easily blur. In her first book, Paige Williams has given readers an irresistible story that spans continents, cultures, and millennia as she examines the question of who, ultimately, owns the past.
Download or read book The Tucson Show written by Robert W. Jones and published by . This book was released on 2004 with total page 196 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Wilensky Fine Minerals written by Stuart Wilensky and published by Wilensky Fine Minerals. This book was released on 2016-09-20 with total page 78 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "I wonder whether Art has a higher function than to make me feel, appreciate, and enjoy natural objects for their art value." (Bernard Berenson) I have written a short essay at the beginning of each of our volumes. I have expressed my belief that minerals are the purest form of art and that we have arrived at a stage in mineral collecting that has achieved almost everything I had hoped for. Donna and I began as mineral collectors and dealers over 30 years ago. Everything we dreamt of has occurred for us as mineral collectors. So, then what to write about? I thought of two questions that need answers. Why do we collect? This is not a new question, books have been written on this topic, and there are several theories on why people collect. It has not been applied specifically to minerals. Most are drawn to minerals for obvious reasons; beauty. We enjoy looking at them. Beauty is a feeling, an emotional rush that can only be experienced not explained. I cannot recall ever showing someone a colorful crystallized mineral without them having an overtly positive response. In fact, it is usually something like "Oh My God, that's stunning!" Once we move past the obvious, minerals open up a curiosity, they make us aware of the earth and everything in it. The mystery of crystallography, chemistry, atomic structure. Most uninitiated ask the same question, and it is almost always phrased this way; "Did you make these?" or "How did you make these?" Sometimes I've even been told how talented I am that I was able to make them. Once told that these are natural crystals from the ground the questions change and suddenly you are witnessing a profound amazement. It never gets old and never fails to thrill me. We easily accept the fact that flowers, animals, and people are all from nature - we are even blasé about them - minerals, because they are hidden from our everyday experience, have a mystery that few other natural objects can match. We all gaze at the sky and wonder what's out there, but few ever consider what's right beneath us. Some of the most beautiful things on earth are minerals, and they cannot be appreciated until someone displays them. This is a powerful reason we collect minerals. There are two distinct styles of mineral beauty; pieces that are obviously beautiful, like an Illinois Fluorite or a colorful Tourmaline. And, those that are beautiful to the advanced collectors’ eye; a superb German Pyrargyrite, or Michigan Silver. The first group everyone can appreciate. The latter takes knowledge and understanding of the rarity, crystallography and locality, as well as the history of mining and mineral collecting. I have, and always will be, a proponent of mineral specimens as works of art. I have also studied minerals most of my life and cannot deny the fascination, and value, of specimens that achieve greatness through rarity and/or other less obvious features. To the eye of the beginner a Euclase, Phosphophyllite or Jeremejevite may be just a "pretty colored" crystal, but to the advanced collector they are among the "Holy Grails" of mineral collecting. It is this next level of advanced mineral collecting that adds a dimension beyond what our eyes see, I equate it to what is commonly termed "inner beauty". What is the role of a mineral dealer? My idols were art connoisseurs, like Bernard Berenson, René Gimpel and Erwin Panofsky. I have spent all of my life enjoying art; I admired what these individuals accomplished in the art world. It was this type of deep appreciation and knowledge I wanted to apply to minerals. To this end I have for over three decades viewed countless numbers of specimens, examining them, analyzing their strengths and weaknesses. Reading, photographing, comparing, to recognize what is unique or special. To know what is hidden in collections around the world, and to be aware of new discoveries. As a dealer I apply this knowledge, and share it with collectors. As a mineral dealer I have a responsibility to guide collectors towards acquisitions that are of exceptional quality. My role is to be advisor, expert, and connoisseur. Every collector has personal likes and dislikes. It is the role of the dealer to consider those specific tastes but to also expand upon them to ensure the best possible collection: a collection that is beautiful to look at, each specimen being of the utmost quality and aesthetics, as well as specimens that are important mineralogically. It is my job to offer collectors the easily acknowledged minerals, but also to teach them about the less obvious ones. It is my goal to present collectors with as much knowledge about any given specimen so that they can make an informed decision. Every collection I have helped form is a direct reflection upon us as mineral dealers. It is imperative that it stand up to scrutiny. My reputation and legacy depends upon this. It is my intention that this set of volumes will help future collectors in their personal quest for connoisseurship. “There is nothing more practical, in the end, than the preservation of beauty, than the preservation of anything that appeals to the higher emotion in mankind.” (Theodore Roosevelt)
Download or read book Gems and Gemstones written by Lance Grande and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 2009-11-15 with total page 387 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Gems and Gemstones" features nearly 300 color images of cut gems, precious and semiprecious stones, gem-quality mineral specimens, and fine jewelry to be unveiled in the new Grainger Hall of Gems at the Field Museum in Chicago.
Download or read book Southeastern Arizona Mining Towns written by William Ascarza and published by Arcadia Publishing. This book was released on 2011 with total page 132 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Southeastern Arizona has one of the most diverse mining localities in the state. Towns such as Bisbee, Clifton, Globe, Miami, Ray, Silverbell, and Superior have earned reputations as premier metal producers that are most notably known for their copper. Other mining towns that have made their marks in the region include Dos Cabezas, Gleeson, Harshaw District, Helvetia, Patagonia District, Pearce, Ruby, and Tombstone. Mining in southeastern Arizona has significantly influenced the development of mines in northern Sonora, Mexico. The foundation of Mexico's largest copper mine in Cananea was financed by American capital, specifically under the direction of miners and investors from southeastern Arizona. Overall, the process of mining has established the economy of southeastern Arizona, making it a viable source of copper-related minerals in the 21st century's global market.
Download or read book Minerals Collecting and Value across the US Mexico Border written by Elizabeth Emma Ferry and published by Indiana University Press. This book was released on 2013-06-19 with total page 253 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “A jewel to those interested in ore mining, mineral collecting and mineralogy, or the anthropology of value.” —American Ethnologist Anthropologist Elizabeth Emma Ferry traces the movement of minerals as they circulate from Mexican mines to markets, museums, and private collections on both sides of the United States-Mexico border. She describes how and why these byproducts of ore mining come to be valued by people in various walks of life as scientific specimens, religious offerings, works of art, and luxury collectibles. The story of mineral exploration and trade defines a variegated transnational space, shedding new light on the complex relationship between these two countries—and on the process of making value itself. “A novel contribution to the anthropology of natural resources.” —Journal of Latin American and Caribbean Anthropology “Highly recommended.” —Choice
Download or read book The Fifty year History of the International Solar Energy Society and Its National Sections written by International Solar Energy Society and published by . This book was released on 2005 with total page 498 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Proceedings of the Fire History Workshop October 20 24 1980 Tucson Arizona written by and published by . This book was released on 1980 with total page 150 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The purpose of the workshop was to exchange information on sampling procedures, research methodologies, preparation and interpretation of specimen material, terminology, and the application and significance of findings, emphasizing the relationship of dendrochronology procedures to fire history interpretations.
Download or read book 50 Years of Bat Research written by Burton K. Lim and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2021-01-23 with total page 375 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: With more than 1,400 species, bats are an incredibly diverse and successful group of mammals that can serve as model systems for many unique evolutionary adaptations. Flight has allowed them to master the sky, while echolocation enables them to navigate in the dark. Being small, secretive, nocturnal creatures has made bats a challenge to study, but over the past 50 years, innovative research has made it possible to dispel some of the mystery and myth surrounding them to give us a better understanding of the role these animals play in the ecosystem. The structure of the book is based on several broad themes across the biological sciences, including the evolution of bats, their ecology and behavior, and conservation of biodiversity. Within these themes are more specific topics on important aspects of bat research, such as morphology, molecular biology, echolocation, taxonomy, systematics, threats to bats, social structure, reproduction, movements, and feeding strategies. Given its scope, the book will appeal to the wider scientific community, environmental organizations, and government policymakers who are interested in the interdisciplinary aspects of biology and nature.
Download or read book American Mineral Treasures written by Gloria A. Staebler and published by Lithographie LLC. This book was released on 2008 with total page 354 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Risk written by and published by . This book was released on 1999-07 with total page 992 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Assembly written by West Point Association of Graduates (Organization). and published by . This book was released on 1986 with total page 722 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Bobcat Fifty Years written by Marty Padgett and published by MotorBooks International. This book was released on 2007 with total page 222 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book The Official Record of the United States Department of Agriculture written by United States. Department of Agriculture and published by . This book was released on 1923 with total page 456 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Sports in America from Colonial Times to the Twenty First Century An Encyclopedia written by Steven A. Riess and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2015-03-26 with total page 2636 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A unique new reference work, this encyclopedia presents a social, cultural, and economic history of American sports from hunting, bowling, and skating in the sixteenth century to televised professional sports and the X Games today. Nearly 400 articles examine historical and cultural aspects of leagues, teams, institutions, major competitions, the media and other related industries, as well as legal and social issues, economic factors, ethnic and racial participation, and the growth of institutions and venues. Also included are biographical entries on notable individuals—not just outstanding athletes, but owners and promoters, journalists and broadcasters, and innovators of other kinds—along with in-depth entries on the history of major and minor sports from air racing and archery to wrestling and yachting. A detailed chronology, master bibliography, and directory of institutions, organizations, and governing bodies—plus more than 100 vintage and contemporary photographs—round out the coverage.
Download or read book The Ribbon of Green written by Robert H. Webb and published by University of Arizona Press. This book was released on 2007 with total page 482 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Woody wetlands constitute a relatively small but extremely important part of the landscape in the southwestern United States. These riparian habitats support more than one-third of the regionÕs vascular plant species, are home to a variety of wildlife, and provide essential havens for dozens of migratory animals. Because of their limited size and disproportionately high biological value, the goal of protecting wetland environments frequently takes priority over nearly all other habitat types. In The Ribbon of Green, hydrologists Robert H. Webb, and Stanley A. Leake and botanist Raymond M. Turner examine the factors that affect the stability of woody riparian vegetation, one of the largest components of riparian areas. Such factors include the diversion of surface water, flood control, and the excessive use of groundwater. Combining repeat photography with historical context and information on species composition, they document more than 140 years of change. Contrary to the common assumption of widespread losses of this type of ecosystem, the authors show that vegetation has increased on many river reaches as a result of flood control, favorable climatic conditions, and large winter floods that encourage ecosystem disturbance, germination, and the establishment of species in newly generated openings. Bringing well-documented and accessible insights to the ecological study of wetlands, this book will influence our perception of change in riparian ecosystems and how riparian restoration is practiced in the Southwest, and it will serve as an important reference in courses on plant ecology, riparian ecology, and ecosystem management.
