Technology Nonfiction

In May 1869, the U.S. railroad network unified when the Central Pacific and Union Pacific railroads came together in Promontory, Utah. The Transcontinental Railroad: The Gateway to the West discusses this important milestone in the expansion of the United States and its impact on the nation, both positive and negative. This book tells how the east-west railroad played an integral role in opening western markets to the residents of the eastern United States, but it also examines how the railroad led to the demise of many American Indian groups in the West.

In April 2019, the Event Horizon Telescope team unveiled the first ever image of a super massive black hole. This inspiring scientific breakthrough took years of hard work, innovative thinking, and a level of global cooperation never seen before. A multinational team of scientists, lead by Dr. Shep Doeleman and Dr. Heino Falkem, used eight of the largest telescopes from around the world to collect more than four million billion bytes of data, which was flown to teams of computer scientists and mathematicians.

With three hearts and blue blood, its gelatinous body unconstrained by jointed limbs or gravity, the octopus seems to be an alien, an inhabitant of another world. It’s baggy, boneless body sprouts eight arms covered with thousands of suckers—suckers that can taste as well as feel. The octopus also has the powers of a superhero: it can shape-shift, change color, squirt ink, pour itself through the tiniest of openings, or jet away through the sea faster than a swimmer can follow.

A trailblazing scientist made famous by her favorite primates, Jane Goodall will forever be linked with the chimpanzees that she's studied for over 50 years. A pioneer in scientific research, she revolutionized longstanding views about chimps, forest conservation, and women in scientific fields. This Up Close biography tells the story of how a demure young woman from London went to Africa and changed the world.

Numerous enterprises have leveraged literary works spanning across eras to steer their Artificial Intelligence down the path of comprehending human existence, with a more distinct focus on crafting top-tier human-like prose. In the realm of education, AI has ingeniously generated an array of refined intellectual compositions.

At least as far back as the ancient myth of Icarus, humans longed to fly - but it wasn't until December 17, 1903, on the windy dunes of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, that the dream finally came true. And it was all thanks to Orville and Wilbur Wright, two former bicycle mechanics who built their first toy plane - a rubber-band powered rotary - when they were just children.

In a time when people believed flying was impossible, Joseph and Etienne Montgolfier proved that the sky wasn’t the limit. When most thought horseback was the only way to race, Bertha and Karl Benz fired up their engines. From the invention of the bicycle and the passenger steam locomotive to the first liquid-fuel propelled rocket and industrial robot, inventors across the world have redefined travel. Informative and celebratory, this collective biography tells the story of the experiments, failures, and successes of visionaries who changed the way the world moves.

Are you worried that your child's low self-esteem will prevent her from pursuing friendships and opportunities to shine? You’re not alone. Almost every parent hopes their kid grows up to be confident in who they are and content in their own skin.

Welcome to the United States of America! The USA is the third largest country in the world and also, one of the most beautiful. It is full of lakes and rivers, mountains and canyons, beaches and deserts. It has many different trees and flowers and all sorts of different crops grown for use as food. And, of course, America has birds and animals of all kinds. Last, but not least, the United States has about 300 million people from many different backgrounds and cultures.

How did the colonists of Jamestown and Maryland live and die? Forensic anthropology provides an incredible array of answers. Scientists can look into a grave and determine the skeleton's gender, age at time of death, nationality, and sometimes even economic standing within minutes. Laboratory studies can provide cause of death information.

In the history of life on this planet, 99.9 percent of all species have gone extinct. But a few have survived almost unchanged. Author Rebecca E. Hirsch introduces listeners to six living fossils, including the chambered nautilus, the horseshoe crab with its sticky blue blood, and venomous platypuses that sting, as well as a comprehensive explanation of evolution and extinction for listeners who may not be familiar with the terms yet.

In Elkhorn Slough, an inlet on the California coast, seagrass grows healthy and strong in the shallow water. This healthy seagrass baffled marine biologist Brent Hughes. The scientist expected this estuary to be overrun with algae, causing the seagrass to die. Why was the seagrass thriving? As Brent investigated, signs pointed to an unexpected player helping to keep the seagrass healthy: sea otters! What do these top predators have to do with an aquatic grass at the opposite end of the food chain?

It’s amazing to see wonders that are natural and man-made. It’s thrilling to know that these wonders exist in our world. How would you feel if you were given the chance to explore the Great Pyramid of Giza? We created this experiential listen, so that you can experience the Great Pyramid without having to fly to Egypt. Enjoy!

I Am Hatzegopteryx, the second book in Arbordale Publishing’s I Am Prehistoric series, gives children a glimpse into the life of the awesome Hatzegopteryx, from tiny chick to majestic winged predator, and how it made its living. Unlike many pterosaurs, this one was a terrestrial carnivore, spending its time hunting prey on land.

Meet rufa red knot B95. Scientists call him the Moonbird because, in the course of his astoundingly long lifetime, this robin-sized shorebird has flown the distance to the moon - and halfway back! Each February he joins a flock that lifts off from Tierra del Fuego, headed for breeding grounds in the Canadian Arctic, 9,000 miles away. Late in the summer, he begins the return journey. B95 can fly for days, but eventually he must descend to refuel and rest. However, recent changes at stopover sites along his migratory circuit - changes caused mostly by human activity - have reduced the food available and made it harder for the birds to reach.

What exactly is a robot? How do they talk and move? And what does it take to build one? Ada Twist, Scientist: The Why Files is the perfect nonfiction resource for all these questions and more. Based on the bestselling Questioneers series and the Ada Twist, Scientist Netflix show, this nonfiction series is perfect for the youngest scientists of tomorrow as they learn along with Ada.

¿Qué tienen en común y en qué se diferencian los cangrejos y las langostas? Aunque ambos animales viven en el océano, uno prefiere nadar y el otro caminar. Uno puede ser encontrado en pozas costeras y el otro en alta mar. Ambos tienen esqueletos en la parte externa de sus cuerpos. ¡Hay mucho más sobre estos animales además de ser un buen alimento para nosotros! Aprende sobre estos crustáceos fascinantes en la edición más reciente de la serie de Un libro de comparaciones y contrastes.

Las focas y los leones marinos tienen un aspecto similar y algunas veces es complicado saber cuál es cuál. Ambos mamíferos marinos nadan con aletas y pueden encontrarse en océanos alrededor del mundo. Uno tiene orejas visibles, mientras que las orejas del otro no son externas. Uno atraviesa el agua utilizando sus aletas traseras, mientras que el otro usa sus aletas frontales para nadar. Ya sobre tierra, uno rebota hacia sus alrededores, mientras que el otro puede “caminar” sobre sus aletas.

¿Sabías que hay más insectos que cualquier otro grupo de animales? La diversidad de insectos es asombrosa. ¿Qué tienen en común las hormigas con las abejas? ¿Cuál es la diferencia entre una mariposa y una polilla? ¿Cómo están relacionados los gorgojos y las mariquitas? Algunos insectos tienen un par de alas, otros tienen dos pares y hay algunos que no tienen alas. Algunos insectos, aunque no todos, tienen un caparazón duro y externo (exoesqueleto). Aprende en qué se parecen y diferencian los insectos en esta nueva entrega de la serie de Comparaciones y Contrastes.

You and your whole family are invited on a journey around the world. We’re heading on an adventure to explore different cultures, beliefs, and religions, as well as the holidays and festivals that bring people joy. From Iran to Israel to Mexico to Japan, we’re planning on stopping off to experience a taste of the festivities celebrated across the globe. In this one-of-a-kind kids’ documentary series, local children will give you a sneak peek at their religious beliefs, celebrations, customs, and traditions.