Fossil Hunter: How Mary Anning Changed the Science of Prehistoric Life

And another a crocodile.

But England has no native crocodiles, so how can the fossilized bones of one be embedded in its sea cliffs? And those coiled snakestones? The have no heads or vertebrae, just a series of beautiful inner chambers. So how can they be the remains of snakes?

Decades before Darwin famously publishes his theories of evolution, Mary Anning digs, hammers, and hauls...exposing fossils that have been hidden in the rocks for millions of years. She studies fossil anatomy and expertly prepares her specimens for sale. Mary achieves two milestones that most women of her time haven't heard of—independence and a career. Her findings stir debate among male scholars: Did mysterious, frightening animals once swim in a sea that covered much of England? If they did, what happened to them? How ancient is our earth?

With stunning paleoart, this fascinating and beautifully crafted biography tells the story of one of the greatest fossilists the world has known: the celebrated paleontologist Mary Anning.