I was pretty surprised when I found out the title of the chapter. The importance of teeth has never come to my mind. At first I expected this chapter to be dull and hard to read, but as I got further into it, I found myself quite indulged and fascinated in what Shubin had to say.
Up until I read this chapter, I thought of teeth as just these white things in my mouth that helped crush my food so I can swallow it. But then I learned that the molecule hydroxyapatite is what makes the tooth nearly invincible, along with the help from enamel. I also found it interesting that teeth aren’t the same for every animal, but instead they are designed for each individual animal’s diet, whether they be herbivores or carnivores. I had always wondered why our front teeth are flat and the backs are more rigid.
While he was discussing his expeditions, I wasn’t quite interested. But his determination to find a fossil no matter how long he tried was inspiring. I would never have that kind of patience.
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