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Riley Black

From EverybodyWiki Bios & Wiki




Riley Black
Born
💼 Occupation
Known forwriting articles and books for fossil enthusiasts of all levels
🌐 Websitehttp://rileyblack.net/

Riley Black (formerly Brian Switek) is an American freelance science journalist and author specializing in vertebrate paleontology. Her works have been published in journals such as National Geographic,:[1] Smithsonian,[2] Scientific American,[3] Nature,[4] The Guardian,[5] and New Scientist.[6] She has also written science blogs for WIRED,[7] Scientific American,[8] and National Geographic.[9] Black is a paleontology volunteer with the Natural History Museum of Utah.[7]

Media presence[edit]

Black was named one of the top scientists to follow on social media by Business Insider.[10]

The Daring to Dig exhibit, created by the Museum of the Earth, highlights the achievements of women trailblazers in American paleontology.[11] Black was featured in this exhibit as a modern voice.[12] She was also featured in the On the Origin of Science Writers project by The Open Notebook which is a compilation of origin stories of well known scientific writers.[13]

Black has appeared in a variety of programs such as All Things Considered,[14] Science Friday,[15] Mysteries at the Museum,[16] Talk Nerdy,[17] Science for the People,[18] and WatchMojo.[19]

Publications[edit]

Books[edit]

Black has published several non-fiction books which are well received by authors[20][21] and academics[22][23] alike:

Did You See That Dinosaur?[edit]

Did You See That Dinosaur?: Search the Page, Find the Dinosaur in a Fact-Filled Adventure (Rockridge Press, 2020. ISBN 9781641527064 Search this book on .) is an interactive children's book about dinosaurs, illustrated by comic book artist Scott Koblish. Editorial reviews by Paleontologists provided by the publisher include[22]:

  • "What kid doesn’t dream of becoming a dinosaur hunter? A charming safari through time, Riley masterfully brings the familiar and unfamiliar extinct creatures of the Mesozoic Era to life in this fun, seek-and-find adventure. Whimsical and scientifically accurate, this book will delight both parents and dinosaur-obsessed kids alike.” —Julia B. McHugh, Ph.D., Curator of Paleontology
  • “As a paleontologist, I love seeing new discoveries and old favorites from around the world featured in this book. As a mom, the additional facts Riley Black slipped into the story and the surprises Scott Koblish hid in the artwork made reading it with my kids even more fun.” —Stephanie K. Drumheller-Horton, Ph.D., Lecturer and Paleontologist at the University of Tennessee
  • “Even the most dinosaur-savvy kid is likely to find something new in this book! Did You See That Dinosaur? has a winning blend of old favorites as well as fossil discoveries that are hot off the presses. Riley Black's engaging presentation of ancient animals in a fun storyline along with Scott Koblish's lively illustrations make the book a winning combination for both dedicated dinosaur fans and unfossilized newbies. This is a great one for kids and adults to read together, and for kids to explore on their own!” —Andy Farke, Ph.D., Paleontologist

Skeleton Keys[edit]

Skeleton Keys: The Secret Life of Bone (Riverhead Books, 2019. ISBN 9780525539124 Search this book on .) details the natural and cultural history of bone and the role it plays in the human body and beyond. It has received 9 editorial reviews.

  • Rose George in the New York Times, when reviewing Skeleton Keys, describes Black as "an affable guide, and affability is required when the depth and breadth of his subject is so vast".[21]
  • It was described by John J. Ross in the Wall Street Journal as “A provocative and entertaining magical mineral tour through the life and afterlife of bone”.[20]
  • In a Nature article, Jan Zalasiewicz, a professor of palaeobiology at the University of Leicester, describes Skeleton Keys as “A thoughtful, engaging meditation on the origins of the human skeleton, how it functions (or malfunctions) and how we come to terms with our essential but unsettling osseous framework.”[23]

Prehistoric Predators[edit]

Prehistoric Predators (Applesauce Press 2015. ISBN 9781604335521 Search this book on .) is a children's book about Carnivorous dinosaurs, illustrated by paleoartist Julius Csotonyi.

My Beloved Brontosaurus[edit]

My Beloved Brontosaurus: On the Road with Old Bones, New Science, and Our Favorite Dinosaurs (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2013. ISBN 9781466836761 Search this book on .) is an informative cross-country adventure exploring new discoveries in paleantology. Chosen as one of Amazon.com's Best Science Books of 2013[24] as well as a Hudson Booksellers Staff Pick for the Best Books of 2013, one of Publishers Weekly's Top Ten Spring Science Books, and a Bookshop Santa Cruz Staff Pick[25]. It has received over 30 editorial reviews.

  • It was described by John Noble Wilford in the New York Times as "Charming . . . We are beneficiaries of Mr. Switek's undiminished passion . . . The book is a delight, coming along when so much has changed in our understanding of dinosaurs, ever since the beginning of a renaissance in dinosaur studies in the 1970s and '80s . . . This may be the one book for catching up on what has become of the dinosaurs you thought you knew from grade school."[26]
  • Allison Bohac from ScienceNews describes the book as "a lifeline for the dinosaur enthusiast—an entertaining guide to the latest science of dinosaurs.”
  • To the publishers, Prof Kevin Padian from University of California Museum of Paleontology wrote “With this new book, Brian Switek reaffirms his status as one of our premier gifted young science writers. It's an exciting time for dinosaur research, and Brian is the best guide I know.”[27]

Written in Stone[edit]

Written in Stone: Evolution, the Fossil Record, and Our Place in Nature (Bellevue Literary Press, 2010. ISBN 9781934137291 Search this book on .) was the first book Black published and describes evolutionary history as preserved in fossils. It has received 10 editorial reviews including[28]

  • “It is hard not to be awed reading Brian Switek’s magisterial Written in Stone.  Part historical account, part scientific detective story, the book is a reflection on how we have come to know and understand ancient events in the planet’s history.  Switek’s elegant prose and thoughtful scholarship will change the way you see life on our planet. This book marks the debut of an important new voice.” — Neil Shubin
  • “In Written in Stone, Brian Switek simultaneously depicts our place in Nature while capturing the flavor of discovery and understanding our remote past in the fossil record. Elegantly and engagingly crafted, Switek’s narrative interweaves stories and characters not often encountered in books on paleontology—at once a unique, informative and entertaining read.” — Niles Eldredge
  • “Brian Switek proves himself a compelling historian of science with Written In Stone. His accounts of dinosaurs, birds, whales, and our own primate ancestors are not just fascinating for their rich historical detail, but also for their up-to-date reporting on paleontology’s latest discoveries about how life evolved.” — Carl Zimmer

Selected articles[edit]

Science[edit]

  • Black, R. 2021. Daring to Dig. Carnegie Magazine, Spring 2021.[29]
  • Black, R. 2021. Shoniosaurus gets a makeover. Hakai Magazine, 17 February 2021.[30]
  • Black, R. 2020. How dinosaurs raised their young. Smithsonian Magazine, 24 June 2020.[31]
  • Black, R. 2020. Possible Dinosaur DNA Has Been Found. Scientific American,17 April, 2020.[32]

Opinion[edit]

  • Black, R. 2019. Queer voices in paleontology. Nature Careers Community.[33]
  • Black, R. 2019. It’s time for the heroic male paleontologist trope to go extinct. Slate, 3 April 2019.[34]
  • Black, R. 2018. The many ways women get left out of paleontology. Smithsonian Magazine, 7 June 2018.[35]

Papers[edit]

  • Switek, B. (2010). Thomas Henry Huxley and the reptile to bird transition. Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 343(1), 251-263.
  • Switek, B. J. (2010). Ancestor or adapiform? Darwinius and the search for our early primate ancestors. Evolution: Education and Outreach, 3(3), 468-476.

References[edit]

  1. ↑ @NatGeoUK. "Brian Switek". National Geographic. Retrieved 2021-04-16.
  2. ↑ "Articles by Riley Black | Smithsonian Magazine". www.smithsonianmag.com. Retrieved 2021-04-16.
  3. ↑ "Stories by Brian Switek". Scientific American. Retrieved 2021-04-16.
  4. ↑ "nature.com search". www.nature.com. Retrieved 2021-04-16.
  5. ↑ "Brian Switek | The Guardian". the Guardian. Retrieved 2021-04-16.
  6. ↑ "Riley Black". New Scientist. Retrieved 2021-04-16.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Nast, Condé. "Brian Switek". Wired. Retrieved 2021-04-16.
  8. ↑ "Laelaps". Scientific American Blog Network. Retrieved 2021-04-16.
  9. ↑ "Phenomena: Coming Soon". National Geographic Society Newsroom. 2012-12-10. Retrieved 2021-04-16.
  10. ↑ Robinson, Melissa Stanger, Melia. "These 40 Science Experts Will Completely Revamp Your Social Media Feed". Business Insider. Retrieved 2021-04-16.
  11. ↑ "Introduction | Daring to Dig: Women in American Paleontology". Museum of the Earth. Retrieved 2021-04-19.
  12. ↑ "Riley Black". Museum of the Earth. Retrieved 2021-04-16.
  13. ↑ "On the Origin of Science Writers". The Open Notebook. Retrieved 2021-04-16.
  14. ↑ "'One Who Causes Fear': Scientists In Argentina Discover New Dinosaur Species". NPR.org. Retrieved 2021-04-16.
  15. ↑ "Utah's Fossil Finds Describe an Ancient World". NPR.org. Retrieved 2021-04-16.
  16. ↑ "Don Wildman Digs for Clues About the Dinosaurs". Travel Channel. Retrieved 2021-04-16.
  17. ↑ "Trans and Dinos w/ Riley Black". Talk Nerdy. Retrieved 2021-04-16.
  18. ↑ "#516 - The Keys to Skeletons Lost: Science for the People". www.scienceforthepeople.ca. Retrieved 2021-04-16.
  19. ↑ Weirdest Dinosaur Questions Answered!, retrieved 2021-04-16
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 Ross, John J. (2019-03-01). "'Skeleton Keys' Review: How to Grow a Spine". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2021-04-19.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 George, Rose (2019-04-02). "Skin and Bones, Hold the Skin: An Author Considers Our Inner Scaffolding". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-04-19.
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 Noble, Barnes &. "Did You See that Dinosaur?: Search the Page, Find the Dinosaur in a Fact-Filled Adventure|Paperback". Barnes & Noble. Retrieved 2021-04-19.
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 Zalasiewicz, Jan (2019-02-25). "The skeleton articulated". Nature. 566 (7745): 452–453. Bibcode:2019Natur.566..452Z. doi:10.1038/d41586-019-00679-9. Unknown parameter |s2cid= ignored (help)
  24. ↑ "Science Best Books of 2013". www.amazon.com. Retrieved 2021-04-19. Unknown parameter |url-status= ignored (help)
  25. ↑ "My Beloved Brontosaurus | Brian Switek | Macmillan". US Macmillan. Retrieved 2021-04-19.
  26. ↑ Wilford, John Noble (2013-06-24). "Millions of Years On, Still Evolving". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-04-19.
  27. ↑ "My Beloved Brontosaurus | Brian Switek | Macmillan". US Macmillan. Retrieved 2021-04-19.
  28. ↑ Switek, Brian (2010-11-30). Written in Stone. ISBN 978-1-934137-29-1. Search this book on
  29. ↑ "Daring to Dig | Carnegie Magazine". Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh. 2021-03-03. Retrieved 2021-04-16.
  30. ↑ Magazine, Hakai. "Shonisaurus Gets a Makeover". Hakai Magazine. Retrieved 2021-04-16.
  31. ↑ Black, Riley. "How Dinosaurs Raised Their Young". Smithsonian Magazine. Retrieved 2021-04-16.
  32. ↑ Black, Riley. "Possible Dinosaur DNA Has Been Found". Scientific American. Retrieved 2021-04-19.
  33. ↑ Black, Riley (2019-07-05). "Queer voices in palaeontology". Nature. doi:10.1038/d41586-019-02113-6. PMID 32620880 Check |pmid= value (help).
  34. ↑ Black, Riley (2019-04-03). "It's Time for the Heroic Male Paleontologist Trope to Go Extinct". Slate Magazine. Retrieved 2021-04-16.
  35. ↑ Black, Riley. "The Many Ways Women Get Left Out of Paleontology". Smithsonian Magazine. Retrieved 2021-04-16.


Category:Science journalists Category:Paleontology books Category:Paleontology Category:American non-fiction writers Category:American non-fiction children's writers Category:Women journalists Category:Women paleontologists Category:Transgender and transsexual women



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