After Man: A Zoology Of The Future -

With the extinction of large cats and dogs, rats have evolved into massive apex predators, including the wolf-like "Falanx" and the polar-bear-like "Bardelot" .

It certainly is! Written by Scottish paleontologist and geologist Dougal Dixon and published in 1981, is considered the foundational work of the "speculative zoology" genre. After Man: A Zoology of the Future

The book's premise is fascinating: it travels to a "Posthomic" era where humanity has long been extinct. Dixon meticulously applies real principles of evolutionary biology and plate tectonics to imagine how current animal lineages might evolve to fill empty ecological niches. Key Features of this Future Earth With the extinction of large cats and dogs,