This important book shows how the use of fossil fuels is changing Earth’s climate and what scientists are doing to find sustainable forms of energy that will secure our planet’s future. We live in an energy-rich age that relies heavily on the burning of fossil fuels. We burn fossil fuels to power our vehicles, factories, and even our power stations, which burn fossil fuels to create the electricity needed to light and heat our buildings. The result is a buildup of carbon dioxide into Earth’s atmosphere. Find out how carbon dioxide overload is making our planet hotter and hotter and what is being done to fight global climate change.
This intriguing title combines the work of groundbreakers in science and the arts, with mini-biographies of the innovators behind them. Historic and contemporary images plus graphic timelines help show readers what inspired notable scientists, writers, and singers, such as Sir Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein, Marie Curie, and William Shakespeare.
Did you know about one third of high school students take steroids to improve their looks, not just their athletic skills? Steroid use is becoming a major issue among 12- to 18-year-olds today. This helpful and informative book looks at the pressures young people are under to look cut and perform well in sports. Special chapters examine the effects of anabolic steroids on the developing bodies and minds of young people and how difficult it can be to quit when you've got the edge.
Crystal meth is more addictive than heroin or cocaine and is widely available on the streets of North America. This helpful book looks at the use and abuse of meth, an inexpensive and accessible drug that takes an unbelievable toll on the bodies and brains of users. Special chapters on seeking help, and treatment and recovery provide accurate and useful information on meth addiction and treatment.
Easy-to-read text and vivid photographs combine to introduce young readers to eco-friendly vehicles. This dynamic new book gives a close-up view of some of the worlds most innovative, eco-friendly rides, including three-wheeled cars, hydrogen fuel-cell busses, segway personal transporters, and electric bikes and scooters.
Young readers will dive right into this exciting new title! Deep-diving Submarines introduces readers to the different parts of a submarine and explains how these vehicles move through the water.
Childrens' imaginations will soar as they learn about different kinds of airplanes including jumbo jets, seaplanes, and stunt planes. This dynamic new book also describes the basic parts and functions of various airplanes.
In this thought-provoking title, readers learn about the commercial journey behind their favorite clothing and how their own buying choices impact the world. Learn all about the supply chain, the conditions workers endure in sweatshops, and who makes money on the final purchase price of a garment.
A popular story tells of President Lincoln predicting his own assassination, but not knowing where or when it would take place. This intriguing new title from Crabtree examines real-life cases where dreams appear to have been predictions of events yet to happen. Scientists and believers in this phenomena explore whether we really can see into the future, or if these happenings are just coincidences.
In this fascinating title, readers find out about the food supply chain, fair trade, and how our eating habits affect our health. With debate boxes and contemporary case studies, readers also discover the environmental impacts their food purchases have on the planet.
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.
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.
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.
