How Long to Read Discovering the Mammoth: A Tale of Giants, Unicorns, Ivory, and the Birth of a New Science

How Long Does it Take to Read Discovering the Mammoth: A Tale of Giants, Unicorns, Ivory, and the Birth of a New Science?

It takes the average reader 6 hours and 30 minutes to read Discovering the Mammoth: A Tale of Giants, Unicorns, Ivory, and the Birth of a New Science by John J. McKay

Assuming a reading speed of 250 words per minute. Learn more

Description

The fascinating saga of solving the mystery of this ancient animal who once roamed the north country—and has captivated our collective imagination ever since. Today, we know that a mammoth is an extinct type of elephant that was covered with long fur and lived in the north country during the ice ages. But how do you figure out what a mammoth is if you have no concept of extinction, ice ages, or fossils? Long after the last mammoth died and was no longer part of the human diet, it still played a role in human life. Cultures around the world interpreted the remains of mammoths through the lens of their own worldview and mythology. When the ancient Greeks saw deposits of giant fossils, they knew they had discovered the battle fields where the gods had vanquished the Titans. When the Chinese discovered buried ivory, they knew they had found dragons’ teeth. But as the Age of Reason dawned, monsters and giants gave way to the scientific method. Yet the mystery of these mighty bones remained. How did Enlightenment thinkers overcome centuries of myth and misunderstanding to reconstruct an unknown animal? The journey to unravel that puzzle begins in the 1690s with the arrival of new type of ivory on the European market bearing the exotic name "mammoth." It ends during the Napoleonic Wars with the first recovery of a frozen mammoth. The path to figuring out the mammoth was traveled by merchants, diplomats, missionaries, cranky doctors, collectors of natural wonders, Swedish POWs, Peter the Great, Ben Franklin, the inventor of hot chocolate, and even one pirate. McKay brings together dozens of original documents and illustrations, some ignored for centuries, to show how this odd assortment of characters solved the mystery of the mammoth and, in doing so, created the science of paleontology.

How long is Discovering the Mammoth: A Tale of Giants, Unicorns, Ivory, and the Birth of a New Science?

Discovering the Mammoth: A Tale of Giants, Unicorns, Ivory, and the Birth of a New Science by John J. McKay is 384 pages long, and a total of 97,536 words.

This makes it 130% the length of the average book. It also has 119% more words than the average book.

How Long Does it Take to Read Discovering the Mammoth: A Tale of Giants, Unicorns, Ivory, and the Birth of a New Science Aloud?

The average oral reading speed is 183 words per minute. This means it takes 8 hours and 52 minutes to read Discovering the Mammoth: A Tale of Giants, Unicorns, Ivory, and the Birth of a New Science aloud.

What Reading Level is Discovering the Mammoth: A Tale of Giants, Unicorns, Ivory, and the Birth of a New Science?

Discovering the Mammoth: A Tale of Giants, Unicorns, Ivory, and the Birth of a New Science is suitable for students ages 12 and up.

Note that there may be other factors that effect this rating besides length that are not factored in on this page. This may include things like complex language or sensitive topics not suitable for students of certain ages.

When deciding what to show young students always use your best judgement and consult a professional.

Where Can I Buy Discovering the Mammoth: A Tale of Giants, Unicorns, Ivory, and the Birth of a New Science?

Discovering the Mammoth: A Tale of Giants, Unicorns, Ivory, and the Birth of a New Science by John J. McKay is sold by several retailers and bookshops. However, Read Time works with Amazon to provide an easier way to purchase books.

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