Dougal Dixon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dougal Dixon
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Dougal Dixon in 2009 with a model of a "Strida", one of the creatures featured in his 2010 book Greenworld
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| Born | 1 March 1947 Dumfries, Scotland
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| Nationality | Scottish |
| Citizenship | United Kingdom |
| Alma mater | University of St Andrews |
| Known for | After Man Foundation of the speculative evolution movement Palaeontology and geology books |
| Spouse(s) | Jean Dixon (m. 1971) |
| Children | 2 |
| Awards | See text |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Geology Palaeontology |
Dougal Dixon (born 1 March 1947) is a Scottish geologist, palaeontologist, and author. He has written over a hundred books, many for children. His books often focus on geology (the study of Earth's rocks and history) and palaeontology (the study of ancient life, like dinosaurs). Many people say his books have inspired them to learn about prehistoric animals.
Dixon earned his Master of Science degree from the University of St. Andrews in 1970. He has worked in many different jobs. These include being a geological consultant, a teacher, and even helping with geological expeditions. Today, he lives in Wareham, Dorset, where he writes and edits books full-time. He also helps manage a local movie theatre.
He is most famous for his three "speculative evolution" books. These are After Man (1981), The New Dinosaurs (1988), and Man After Man (1990). These books imagine future or alternate animals. They help explain natural processes like evolution and climate change. Many people see Dixon as the founder of the modern speculative evolution movement. This movement explores how life might evolve in different ways.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Dougal Dixon was born in Dumfries, Scotland, on March 1, 1947. He spent most of his childhood in the Scottish Borderlands. He loved making up stories and drawing comic strips. These comics often featured science fiction themes and strange creatures. Dixon has always been interested in evolution and fossils.
His interest in dinosaurs began when he was five years old. He saw a dinosaur in a comic book. His father then showed him an old natural history book. It had pictures of ancient animals and fossils. Dixon says this moment sparked his lifelong interest in prehistoric creatures.
In 1970, Dixon earned his Bachelor of Science degree. In 1972, he received his Master of Science degree. Both were from the University of St Andrews. He studied geology and palaeontology. His research looked at the ancient landscapes of the British Isles.
Dougal Dixon's Career
Dixon started his publishing career in London. He worked as a geological consultant for Mitchell/Beazley Ltd. from 1973 to 1978. After that, he became a book editor for Blandford Press in Dorset, England. Since 1980, he has worked as a freelance editor and writer. This means he works for himself.
He also taught geology and palaeontology part-time. This was at the Open University from 1976 to 1978. Later, from 1993 to 2005, he visited elementary schools in the United States. He gave presentations about dinosaurs.
Dixon has also been involved in his local community. He was on the board of governors for Sandford First School. He also chaired the Parent-Teachers Association at Sandford Middle School. Both schools are in Wareham, Dorset.
Beyond writing, Dixon has done other interesting work. From 1981 to 1990, he was an instructor for the Air Training Corps. This is a British youth organization. He has also worked as a practical geologist. In 1995, he joined an expedition to Askja Caldera in Iceland. He also helped dig up dinosaur fossils in Durlston, Dorset, in 1987. From 2004 to 2008, he helped excavate stegosaurian fossils in Montana. He has also worked on digs in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
Writing About Science
Dougal Dixon is a full-time author and editor. He has written more than a hundred books. Most of his books are encyclopedias or children's books. They cover topics like palaeontology and geology. He writes for different age groups, making science easy to understand. Many people say his books have helped them get interested in dinosaurs.
Some of his popular books include Hunting the Dinosaurs and Other Prehistoric Animals (1987). Others are Be a Dinosaur Detective (1988) and Dougal Dixon's Dinosaurs (1993). These books are often recommended for school libraries. Dougal Dixon's Dinosaurs is special because Dixon also drew the pictures himself.
Dixon believes his greatest contribution is inspiring others to learn about science. He knows that new discoveries happen fast in palaeontology. This means parts of his books can become outdated quickly.
Because of his books, Dixon is known as an expert on dinosaurs. He has worked as a consultant for dinosaur TV shows. He even hosted a Japanese show about evolution. For this show, he traveled to places like the Galápagos Islands. One of his unique dinosaur books is Time Exposure (1984). In this book, he worked with photographer Jane Burton. They created realistic photos of extinct animals.
Speculative Evolution Books
Dixon is most famous for his "speculative evolution" books. These are sometimes called the 'After trilogy'. They include After Man (1981), The New Dinosaurs (1988), and Man After Man (1990). These books show amazing ideas for future or alternate ecosystems. They received very positive reviews. Dixon even went on tours to promote them.
Through these books, Dixon is seen as the founder of the modern speculative evolution movement. This movement explores how life might evolve in different ways. His ideas have inspired many other projects. These include books, websites, and even exhibitions.
Dixon has continued to work on speculative evolution projects. In 1996, he designed creatures for a Japanese IMAX film. It was called Krakken: Adventure of Future Ocean. In 1998, he was on a show called Natural History of an Alien. This show explored imaginary alien ecosystems. Dixon's own imagined world, "Greenworld," became a book in 2010. He also helped design creatures for the miniseries The Future is Wild (2002). He even wrote the book that went with the series. In 2020, he contributed to the Netflix series Alien Worlds.
Dixon uses his speculative evolution books to explain real science. After Man explores evolution and natural selection. It uses a made-up future ecosystem. The New Dinosaurs looks at zoogeography (how animals are spread out). It imagines a world where dinosaurs never died out. Man After Man explores climate change. It shows future humans who are engineered to adapt to it. Greenworld explores how humans interact with nature. It uses a fictional alien world. Dixon sees himself as a "popularizer" of science. He presents scientific information in new and exciting ways.
Dixon's interest in speculative biology comes from his love for science and imagination. He was inspired by H. G. Wells' The Time Machine. This book made him think about future animals. Ideas about conservation in the 1960s and 1970s also influenced him. This led to After Man in 1981. Its success then led to his other works in this genre.
Personal Life
Dougal Dixon married Jean Mary Young on April 3, 1971. They live in Wareham and have two children, Gavin and Lindsay. They also have three grandchildren. In Wareham, Dixon is involved with the local movie theatre, the Rex Cinema. He is the director and operations manager. He even makes claymation stop-motion ads for local businesses. These short films play before the main movies. Dixon also enjoys painting and sculpting.
He is a big fan of science fiction. He often attends conventions. There, he talks about how realistic alien creatures are in science fiction stories. He enjoys reading older science fiction stories.
Awards
- 1993 – Helen Roney Sattler Award, for Dougal Dixon's Dinosaurs.
- 1993 – Distinguished Achievement Award for Excellence in Educational Journalism, for Dougal Dixon's Dinosaurs. Given by the Educational Press Association of America.
- 1994 – Outstanding Science Trade Book Award, for Dougal Dixon's Dinosaurs. Given by the Children's Book Council.
- 1996 – Times Educational Supplement Primary Schoolbook Award, for Discovery Dinosaurs.
- 2019 – Children's Choice Award, for When the Whales Walked. Given by the School Library Association.
Nominations
- 1982 – Hugo Award for Best Related Work nomination, for After Man.
- 1991 – Rhone Poulenc Science Book Prize nomination, for The Big Book of Prehistoric Life.
