On our way through eastern Tennessee on US 26 for the fortieth time, give or take a few, we decided to visit the Gray Fossil Museum. It is one of the most extraordinary preserves of fossilized bones of long-extinct creatures ever found. An excellent book describes how this sink hole that preserves thousands of whole skeletons of ancient creatures was discovered, preserved and exploited. The book is The Bone Hunters by Harry Moore. In some cases, the scientists can identify a species from a single tooth. Compare paleontology to political science. We know more about the life and death of...