Bones of Contention: The Fossils Which Tested Darwin's Theory [Paperback]

So-called “missing links” between animal groups are of great significance because they are central to Darwin’s theory of evolution. The Archaeopteryx fossils stimulated interest in such a link between dinosaurs and birds. Interpretation of fossil evidence is however far from straightforward. In this superb book Chambers takes the reader through a history of the discovery of fossil evidence pertaining to the evolution of birds, focussing in particular on the Archaeopteryx specimens which are the most contentious of all. The book describes not just the fossils, the circumstances in which they were found, and their relevance to the bird evolution debate, but also the extraordinary lengths to which scientists would go to acquire the fossils for themselves and use them to promote their own heavily biased views of evolution. Chambers does an excellent job of bringing to life the heated debates and cantankerous actions of successive generations of palaeontologists from the mid 19th century (when the first Archaeopteryx was found) until the present day. The book is as much about the stubborn and prejudiced actions of these men, offering fascinating insight into so-called scientific method, as about the progress in understanding bird evolution. It is a smooth and easy read, purposefully free of jargon. If you have an interest in natural history, and especially dinosaurs, and like a good story of intrigue and scandal, then get yourself a copy.

This book combines the history of thought and science with up to date debate.

As a very well written account putting the importance of Archaeopteryx into context this book is nothing short of a galloping good read. I would therefore recommend this book (also available in paperback) to anyone, but of course to all of you with an interest in fossils.

I agree with the other reviewers. "Bones of Contention" by Paul Chambers may actually be *the* best popular science book ever written! I've read the 2003 paperback edition, the one subtitled "The Fossil that Shook Science".

Chambers is a former palaeontologist and employee of the Natural History Museum of London. He has also been involved in BBC's popular series "Walking with Dinosaurs". Clearly, he is also a very able writer. The first part of this book reads like a detective story, and the rest also contains its fair share of scandal and suspense. The style is lively, informative and (often) fast-paced. You could probably read this book from cover to cover in just a few days. And no, you don't need to know anything about the subject before you start reading. Chambers will fill you in, trust me.

So what is the subject, then? Most of the book is about Archaeopteryx, or rather about the scandals and intrigues surrounding the fossils of this primordial bird ever since the first was discovered in 1861. It seems that scandals keep erupting around these fossils on a semi-regular basis! In the last chapters, Chambers also mentions some recent fossil birds from China, and the controversy surrounding those.

The first Archaeopteryx fossil was discovered by an unknown mineworker in the German town of Solnhofen in 1861. He quite simply stole the fossil and gave it to a black market dealer, who apparently offered the poor worker some cheap medicines in return. The dealer, Carl Häberlein, eventually managed to sell the fossil for an extortionate price to the British Museum. Well, actually, the Museum didn't want to buy it, thinking the price to high, but the notorious palaeontologist Richard Owen embezzled the money from the Museum's funds, buying it anyway! Owen then blamed the deal on a hapless assistant, who had been stupid enough to sign all letters to the dealer with his own name. In 1876, a second fossil of the strange creature was discovered, also in Solnhofen. By a strange co-incidence, it found its way to Ernst Häberlein, the son of the black market dealer Carl, who had sold the first fossil to Owen! Häberlein junior was more honest than his father, buying (and selling) the fossil legally. This specimen eventually ended up in the Humboldt Museum in Berlin.

In a later chapter, we are taken forward in time, to the 1980's, when Fred Hoyle and Chandra Wickramasinghe, two otherwise respected astronomers, claimed that the two Archaeopteryx fossils are forgeries, and part of a vast, Darwinian conspiracy. Naturally, such far-fetched claims pretty much destroyed Hoyle's and Wickramasinghe's reputation, and the British Musuem even revoked their permission to study the Archaeopteryx fossil. Of course, there is no proof for their wild assertions. However, the 1990's saw a real scandal, when National Geographic magazine massively promoted a fossil of a flying dinosaur from China that turned out to be a rather crude hoax.

"Bones of Contention" also mention the curious in-fighting within the scientific community between palaeontologists and a smaller group of ornithologists, sometimes known as BAND (Birds Are Not Dinosaurs). All scientists agree that birds are descended from reptiles, but which ones? The theropod dinosaurs, says the majority. Some other reptile, says BAND. Some people seems to have devoted their entire lives to fighting this battle. (The author is, on balance, a supporter of the dinosaur faction. So am I. T-Rex is more related to the House Sparrow than to snakes and lizards!)

Chamber's book also contain some rather startling assertions. For instance, he claims that Darwin's foremost defender in Britain, Thomas Huxley, didn't really believe in Darwin's theories! He supported them mostly to get back at Owen, whom he hated on a very personal level. Both Owen and Huxley doubted whether Archaeopteryx was really a missing link between reptiles and birds. We also learn that the notorious bishop "Soapy Sam" Wilberforce published articles in science journals, and that the audience at Oxford considered him the winner of the debate with Huxley! And so on. Well, I haven't checked all these claims, but at least they sound interesting.

My edition of the book also contains a few entertaining typos. At one point, Chambers talks about the great discoveries within astrology. Come again? I suppose he means astronomy! At another page, he claims that Huxley debated Owen in Oxford. Of course, he debated Wilberforce.

Be that as it may, "Bones of Contention" deserves five stars hands-down.

"And yet, it flies".