y, trilobites  t reason ed and studied. teryabout tey says, it can be startling to go tot formation of rocks and to  all, and taspis or Elenellus as big as a crab o your ing ures ems, probingantennae, “a brain of sorts,” in Fortey’s rangest eyes ever seen. Made ofcalcite rods, tuff t forms limestone, tituted t visual systemskno trilobites didn’t consist of just one venturesome speciesbut dozens, and didn’t appear in one or tions but all over. Many teentury saation of Darionary ideals. If evolution proceeded slo fortures? t is, .

    And so matters seemed destined to remain forever until one day in 1909, tietion of Darologist named Ctle alcott made an extraordinary find in the CanadianRockies.

    alcott ica, Ne means,ill t . As a boy alcott discovered t icularlytrilobites, and built up a collection of sufficient distinction t it  $70,000 in today’s money.

    Altion and augtbecame a leading auty on trilobites and  person to establis trilobites includes modern insects and crustaceans.

    In 1879 ook a job as a field researced States GeologicalSurvey and served inction t een years o be its ed secretary of titution, ive obligations, inued to do fieldoe prolifically. “o Fortey. Not incidentally, or of tional Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, ional Aeronautics and Space Agency, or NASA, and tly be considered the space age.

    But e but lucky find in Britistle toe summer of 1909. tomary version of toryis t alcott, accompanied by ain trail beneat called tones. Dis