Jane Davidson, professor of art history in the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Nevada, Reno, recently published her latest book on early efforts by governments to support paleontology.
Patrons of Paleontology: How Government Support Shaped a Science follows the reasons why North American and European governments of the 19th and early 20th century were committed to funding paleontology research and how that effect is felt today.
"Government support made possible the science of paleontology as we know it today," Davidson said. "Even major conflicts like the US Civil War did not hinder this support."
Davidson said, also, that done by early paleontologists paved the way towards improved methods and findings.
This is Davidson's 10th book. Other publications include a number of second and translated editions, and a couple of her book titles include The Witch in Northern European Art 1470-1750 and Early Modern Supernatural: The Dark Side of European Culture, 1400-1700.
