The human body is amazing, and at times, disgusting. Fun illustrations and entertaining text help give kids a clear understanding of bodily functions related to the digestive system, as well as useful facts about how the body works.
Have you ever wondered how your body sends you itchy signals? Fun illustrations and entertaining text help give kids a clear understanding of how insect bites, dry skin, and allergies cause itching sensations and how our brains are in on the action.
Want to know how bones, fingernails, and hair form and grow throughout our lives? Fun illustrations and entertaining text help give kids a clear understanding of how our bodies grow and change throughout our lives.
Want to know why you drool on your pillow or what your taste buds are for? Fun illustrations and entertaining text help give kids a clear understanding of the form and function of the mouth, tongue, and teeth.
Want to know how arteries carry oxygen-rich blood throughout our bodies and what blood type means? Fun illustrations and entertaining text help give kids a clear understanding of the blood and circulatory system.
Robotics, the Internet, and computers are some of the most signifcant technology breakthroughs of the last hundred years. This book identifies the pioneers of technology and how their innovations have revolutionized our world. Readers will enjoy reading the stories behind each historic invention as well as the mini bios of the technology "STEM-gineers" who made them. Experiments and research challenges help reinforce concepts.
On July 23, 1969, Neil Armstrong and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin stepped from their spacecraft onto the alien soil of the Moon - Earth's sister world. Using archival images and explanatory text, this riveting title guides the reader through NASA’s Apollo space program, including the tragic deaths of an entire flight crew and Apollo's ultimate triumph - the first lunar landing in 1969. Maps of the Moon show where Apollo 11's lunar lander Eagle landed and the route taken by the Soviet robot lander Lunokhod 1 in 1970.
This fascinating book describes what scientists discovered about the Moon from the Apollo missions that came after the successful landing in 1969, until the last mission in 1972. A discussion follows of why flights to the Moon stopped, the creation of space stations, such as Skylab, that followed, and what exciting new plans are now being made to revisit the Moon. Maps of the Moon show where astronauts drove in rovers on the surface and what resources can be found on the Moon, from ice to helium.
How long did it take to build the Great Wall of China? Why is the Golden Gate Bridge the most iconic bridge in the world? These and other great structure-related questions are answered in this engaging title. Clever infographics, and infographic-like icons make it easy to access useful facts and numbers.
John Muir spoke, wrote, and lived the wilderness, including taking President Theodore Roosevelt on an overnight trip to the Yosemite Valley. This trip led to Roosevelts signing into law a bill that placed Yosemite under federal control as a national park. Because of this and his founding of the Sierra Club, John Muir is credited as one of the key shapers of the modern environmental movement.
This book takes students on a journey from the traditional practices of the Far East to modern Western medicine. Looking at the sometimes mysterious treatments and their applications, Mysterious Healing seeks explanations for the amazing healing powers that people claim to have seen and experienced.
Is there some mysterious force of nature that has a sense of humor, causing seemingly unexplained and bizarre things to happen on Earth? Flying omelets and shoals of fish falling out of the sky may have perfectly sensible explanations, but how do we explain the way that twins separated at birth have time and again followed the same path through life? In this intriguing book, scientists use science and chaos theory to try to explain the Cosmic Joker.
In the search for oil and gas, we have drilled deep beneath the ocean’s surface and the ground to tap into the energy wells trapped there. Today, we need more energy than ever before in our history, but the oil and gas fields may soon dry up. One option being considered is fracking. Rock is fractured underground in order to reach deposits. Discover how people use fracking to harness the before-unreachable supplies of gas and oil beneath Earth’s surface, the challenges of this form of mining, and the controversies surrounding it.
In this exciting title, readers will learn about basic robot components and how they are used to build various robots for different purposes. “Makers and Shakers” sidebars introduce the world’s greatest robot designers and explain how they came to create their exciting inventions. Step-by-step Maker projects let readers put their skills to use as they build amazing robotic creations.
For centuries, falling water has been used in parts of the world to create energy to run grinding stones at mills and irrigation systems for crops. This interesting book shows how the use of this “clean” form of energy, called hydroelectricity, is being expanded to help us build a more sustainable future. Discover how other forms of water-based energy, such as energy from ocean waves and tides, are being harnessed and used to help create electricity to power our homes, offices, and factories.
In 1974, an inventor named Victor Wouk became a man who could be described as ahead of his time. He had developed a prototype for the hybrid, a car that would become the most credible and commercially successful alternative to gasoline-powered vehicles.
This engaging book describes the properties of light waves, how they move, and the way our eyes receive them. Readers will learn that we see an object when light reflects from its surface and into the eye. A link to interactive activities online plus an activity in the book allow readers to create models that explore how to redirect and block the path a light wave travels.
What happens when you flip a light switch or press the power button on the TV? Electricity flows to the device and it turns on. Most of us use electrical gadgets all day, every day, without thinking about it. This book follows the journey from source to resource of solar power, one of the most exciting forms of renewable energy today. Readers will learn how electricity is made and collected directly from the sun and how it reaches us to power our modern world. Other sources of energy are also examined, as well as how grids work to move electricity across land and sea, and how it is fed into our homes. Real-world examples look at solar farms, solar furnaces, solar towers, and even solar transportation. With the world's nonrenewable resources such as oil running out, the advantages and disadvantages of solar power as a renewable alternative are discussed.
Most of us eat three full meals a day, but where does the food that reaches our plates, stocks our fridges, and fills the supermarket shelves come from? This informative book shows how methods of growing, using, and delivering food - one of the most vital resources to humans - have developed and changed throughout time. Find out about the history of food production and present-day methods of farming. Learn about food delivery, the processes used to preserve and store food to make it last longer, how different foods are prepared, and food safety. Real-world examples encourage discussion of the ethics and worldwide impact of the production, distribution, and consumption of this global resource.
This timely book looks at the world's production of oil and our dependence on this natural resource. The majority of today's forms of transportation run on fuel that comes from oil, and hundreds of thousands of the items we use every day come from oil or oil-based products. Readers will find out about the origins of oil and its first use in industry, and learn how it is found, mined, and processed into many different products that are used all over the world. Real-world examples also consider the environmental and human disasters related to oil, encouraging discussion of the ethics and worldwide impact of the production, distribution, and consumption of this global resource. Possible alternatives to using oil are also discussed now that this important, non-renewable natural resource is running out.
Most of us use water all day, every day, without thinking about it. But how does it get to our homes? From the pitter patter of raindrops to the whoosh of water from the shower, this book follows the journey from the source to the resource. Water is one of the most vital natural resources for humans, and we use it in abundance for more than just drinking water. It is used in household chores, leisure activities, and in work and industry. Readers will learn about where water comes from and the water cycle, as well as how water is stored, treated, and pumped around the country and into our homes. Real-world examples consider the environmental impact of our water use and how we can reduce consumption in our daily lives, and how many people live in places around the world that do not have a reliable water supply and rely on local methods to clean water that is in short supply.
Imagine your family had to choose between sending you to school or having enough food to eat. This book tells how William Kamkwamba was forced to drop out of his school in Wimbe, Malawi, when a famine struck his village and his family, who relied on farming, could no longer afford his tuition fee. Instead of giving up on his education, William visited his local library often. It was here that he read a book about wind power. At the age of 14, William used what he learned from the book to build a windmill that brought power to his family’s home. He has since built his village’s first drinking water pump. William’s ingenuity, perseverance, and initiative are an inspiration to many people around the world.
Working in oceans presents unique challenges. Readers will learn how ocean engineers design equipment and processes to help scientists that study ocean systems, such as oceanographers, do research in deep waters, long distances away from land, and in harsh weather conditions. Ocean engineers come up with innovative solutions to these challenges by designing submersible vessels, structures built offshore, monitoring devices, and communication systems. Real-life examples and a design challenge help students understand key concepts related to the engineering process.
Robots are machines that follow a decision-making process when performing tasks. They are playing an increasing role in manufacturing, agriculture, medicine, mining, and aerospace, as well as in our everyday lives. Readers will learn how robotics engineers find new ways for robots to do work that would be dangerous, time-consuming, dull, or impossible for humans to perform. Real-life examples and a design challenge help students understand key concepts related to the engineering design process, and how robotics engineers play a vital role in expanding our knowledge of the universe.
Genetic engineers study genes and DNA to develop ways to recreate and modify them to advance technologies in fields such as medicine and agriculture. Using living organisms and systems to create new products and technologies is called biotechnology. Readers will learn how genetic engineers are working toward curing diseases in humans and making crops less susceptible to disease. Real-life examples and a design challenge help students understand key concepts related to the engineering process, and encourage discussion about the impact of biotechnology on our lives, including its benefits and risks.
