An entomologist and an electron microscopist, respectively, investigate some scientific secrets. Their interest in amber began in the mid-1960s; together they roamed the world gathering samples and, in their laboratory, meticulously searched for ways to examine the stones in order to gather evidence about the ancient forests that produced them. The authors and their colleagues successfully extracted and preserved DNA strands that were over 100 million years old and disclosed exciting information about ancient life.
One chapter addresses the question of cloning dinosaurs, and another treats scientific ideas expressed in the movie Jurassic Park. The final chapter discusses the implications for the future and the many new areas of research opening up. Young scientists will be excited by both the authors' adventure and the intriguing new field of ancient-DNA study.
