I found this chapter to be interesting because it I learned the true value of our teeth. I previously didn't really think that they were such significant parts of our bodies, and it surprised me when Shubin said that "Georges Cuvier once famously boasted that he could reconstruct an animal's entire skeleton from a single tooth" (60-61). Chapter Four showed me how informative teeth actually are to paleontologists and how they can tell many things, such as diet, simply from fossils of teeth. A random fact I found interesting was how reptiles have their teeth replaced continually throughout their lives as they wear away. I laughed to myself with the thought that a child with a sweet tooth would probably wish to be a reptile because of this.
Another thing that I found interesting (and confusing the first time I read through it) is Shubin's explanation about how the same process involved in tooth development also "underlie the development of all the structures that develop within the skin" (78).
I also enjoyed the look into the life and work of paleontologists as Shubin described his first expeditions. Paleontologists must be very patient people, because simply staring and analyzing the ground for different textures to find any traces of bones or fossils seems to be a job that would make many run out of patience.
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