Chapter 4: Teeth Everywhere

WOW. This was so far the most interesting and unique chapter of this book. I had no clue that so much can be depended on a one inch tooth. Shubin exemplified how teeth are the most unique features of all body and it is important to know how they came about. On page 73, the picture of the Conodonts and the Ostracoderms was eye-catching because I wouldn't have imagined the Conodonts to actually look like Eels or Worms. In that picture, the Conodonts look so worm-like, but then when I read about how they acted as teeth for the Ostracoderms, then I realized that they were much more than worm-like. Also, Shubin explains the first time he finally started to find the bones and fossils in the desert of Arizona that as "All of a sudden, the desert floor exploded with bone; where once I had seen only rock, now I was seeing little bits and pieces of flossil everywhere, as if I were wearing a special new pair of glasses and a spotlight was shining on all the different pieces of bone" (page 65). I was so astonished when I read that Shubin didn't get his abilities of finding fossils naturally, it took time for his senses to accustom to the grounds and ignore what his naked eye saw. Overall, this was an extremely unique chapter and I really enjoyed it. When I started reading chapter 4, I was hoping that it would be better than chapter 3, and it really was!