You might think we know a lot about dinosaurs.  In truth, our knowledge of the Dinosauria has been transformed over the last few decades.  New fossil discoveries and the application of evermore sophisticated research techniques are providing palaeontologists with a wealth of new data.  Some of this data is allowing scientists to get a better understanding of dinosaur behaviour.   How these animals fed, communicated, chose mates, reproduced and formed social groups such as herds.

A new book written by Dr David Hone and illustrated by Gabriel Ugueto provides an up-to-date assessment of some of this research. The author skilfully guides the reader through the fundamentals of dinosaur biology and explains how pioneering research is shedding new light on dinosaurs and how they lived.

The front cover of the newly published dinosaur book “Uncovering Dinosaur Behavior” by Dr David Hone. Book illustrations are provided by Gabriel Ugueto. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

“Uncovering Dinosaur Behavior”

Published by Princeton University Press (hence the Americanisation of the word “behavior”), this is a beautifully crafted book.  The fossil record rarely captures evidence of activity. However, Dr Hone describes a wide range of behaviours and provides helpful scientific explanations.

Understanding dinosaur behaviour has traditionally faced challenges due to the scarcity of evidence preserved in the fossil record.  Dr David Hone sets out what we can learn from remarkable trace fossils and other fossil material. He presents the latest findings on dinosaur behaviour while explaining how researchers interpret the often limited and conflicting data available. Moreover, the author highlights how pioneering research sheds new light on prehistoric life, offering insights like never before. He also discusses future research directions in this exciting and rapidly evolving area of palaeontology.

The book contains lots of photographs of fossils and helpful diagrams.  The wide range of topics covered are beautifully illustrated by the extremely talented Gabriel Ugueto.

Book Details

Here is further information about this new dinosaur book:

Title: “Uncovering Dinosaur Behavior – What They Did and How we Know”

Author: Dr David Hone

Illustrated by Gabriel Ugueto

ISBN: 9780691215914

Publisher: Princeton University Press

Published on November 5th, 2024. It contains 248 pages. The book features 12 colour and 70 mono illustrations.

The publisher’s website: Princeton University Press.

Overall, “Uncovering Dinosaur Behavior” is a must-read for anyone interested in the captivating world of dinosaurs. It not only informs but also inspires curiosity about how these ancient animals may have lived.

Highly recommended.