Wonder Science

Dispatched overseas — far, far overseas — we're in hot water. Again. Following in the footsteps of a long-lost king, we're on the road to the mysterious Vales of Wonder. The upside? It's a hot-bed of magickal marvels, the likes of which we've literally never seen before. The downside? Danger. Because who ever said adventure would be easy? Fortunately, we have help. One reviled but aggravatingly handy beast specialist: check. One world-famous, awe-inspiring, purple-clad troll scholar: check. One perambulatory, half-mad house with a crush on Jay: check.

Diana is tired of adults underestimating her because she's only a girl! So when the opportunity strikes for Diana to save a group of children kidnapped by an evil entity intent on stealing their special powers for his own nefarious use, she takes the chance, knowing that she'll have to undergo the journey alone. But she doesn't expect that her adventure would take her straight to the world of humans!

When all the species of birds, trees, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fishes, wildflowers, dragonflies, tiger beetles, and ants are tallied, Alabama harbors more species than ninety percent of the other states in the US. The state's 4,533 species, with more being inventoried and discovered each year, are supported by no less than sixty-four distinct ecological systems—each a unique blend of soil, water, sunlight, heat, and natural disturbance regimes. Although Alabama is teeming with life, the state's prominence as a refuge for plants and animals is poorly appreciated.

“Cosmos” comes from a Greek word for an orderly and systematic universe. In this book, we present the most riveting discoveries and mind-bending ideas about our cosmic home, from what we know of the origins of the universe and the cartography of space to the most bizarre phenomena and the search for life. Discussions include the possibility that the big bang was the consequence of a black hole in a fourth spatial dimension, that cosmic ripples created infinite universes, that entangled black holes could act as wormhole-like passageways through space, and much more.

Bess has always loved her grandfather’s collection of curiosities. So she’s delighted when she’s handed the keys to his Odditorium. But unless she finds a way to draw in the crowds, she’ll have to close its doors for good. When a mysterious train pulls into town, bound for The Land of Halloween Sweets, Bess hatches a plan and sneaks onboard. She is soon discovered by Beau the puppeteer, Louie the violinist and Maria the fire witch. Eager to join their adventure, Bess sets out to search for the rarest sweet of all–the ghostly gobstopper.

We all live on nature’s doorstep, but we often overlook it. From backyards to local parks, the natural places we see the most may well be the ones we know the least. In Close to Home, biologist Thor Hanson shows how retraining our eyes reveals hidden wonders just waiting to be discovered. Close to Home is a hands-on natural history for any local patch of Earth. It shows that we each can contribute to science and improve the health of our planet. And even more, it proves that the wonders of nature don’t lie in some far-off land: they await us, close to home.

In Nerdy Babies: Transportation, follow our intrepid babies when they’re on the go. Experience skating on rollerblades, flying on air balloons, exploring underwater in a submarine, and riding cross-country on a car. Plus, learn about how different air, land, and sea travel can be in this simple text written in question-and-answer format.

The Sussex Beekeeper at the Dawn of Time is an unconventional and breath-taking tour de force that flirts with the crossover and steampunk genres. The book knits together a transcribed oral memoir, newspaper clippings, and myriad letters and journal pages from across two millennia, much of it held together by the pithy comments of a certain elderly beekeeper residing in Sussex, England. While comparatively few, these notes are nonetheless the essential marble skeleton on which the whole denouement and structure of the book hangs.

Rachel Carson wasn’t always the Rachel Carson, renowned environmental activist. From her earliest years, Rachel had a passion for nature—to her, it was a fairyland, and she loved to write about her adventures and the creatures she saw. Encouraged by teachers, Rachel wanted nothing more than to study the ocean and its inhabitants. Though unable to finish her PhD due to financial constraints, Rachel found work in science and success as a nature writer.

Ghost hunter Yvette Fielding has been investigating spooky places for over 20 years. This time she is uncovering the ghostly histories of Britain's castles. From Oxford Castle to Bamburgh, these castles are filled with hauntings and spooky histories, brought to life by Yvette and the Most Haunted team’s investigations. Dare to discover poltergeist and paranormal activity including the ghost of Anne Boleyn, dastardly poisoners and even Vlad the Impaler!

Already a fan of the wildly successful Finding Bigfoot show on Animal Planet? Stacked with information for your burning questions, this work features a compelling narrative with commentary from the stars of the show, photographs and extras from the Animal Planet's archives, and so much more. Skeptics will be given all the information they need to decide for themselves if they believe, and enthusiasts will revel in this essential Bigfoot audiobook.

In 1848 Vermont, railroad foreman Phineas Gage sat above a hole, preparing to blast through some granite. A 13-pound iron rod fell from his hands into the hole, triggering the explosion and sending the rod straight through Phineas' head. Thirty minutes after this terrible accident, Phineas sat on the steps of a hotel, patiently waiting for the town doctor to arrive. He chatted with his amazed coworkers as if nothing had happened. But something terrible had happened.

A new wonder drug has the unexpected side effect of making people happy. But should people be happy all of the time? Suppose being happy required you never to disappoint anyone, no matter what they're requesting.... Then there was the energy source for every home that would free the country from its dependence on foreign oil - except that the prototype was rushed into production a bit too fast. Back on the bright side, another device not only couldn't possibly work, but didn't have any obvious uses. Then alien invaders landed and suddenly the crackpot device was the world's only hope.

¿Alguna vez has levantado la vista al cielo en una noche estrellada y te has dejado llevar por la imaginación? Igual en ese momento te has trasladado a mundos que van más allá de lo que podemos imaginar en la Tierra. Algunos con vida, puede que inteligente, y otros completamente inhóspitos e infernales. O quizá simplemente te has preguntado cuántas estrellas hay en la Vía Láctea.

This was the book that launched a genre. Modern fantasy collections trace their lineage back to Lord Dunsany, and this was his first work that today's listeners would recognise in tone and settings.

Rejs med gennem de første 100.000 år af menneskets liv på denne klode. Fra den store istid op til vore dage - og et lille stykke ind i fremtiden. Oplev hele verdenshistorien på et par dage. Og uden et eneste årstal, som skal læres udenad! Hvornår åbnede den første burgerbar? Hvem opfandt Gud? Hvor længe har der været byer på Jorden? Hvorfor begyndte vi at skrive? Hvorfor er der altid krig? Hvornår begyndte vi at ødelægge naturen? I det hele taget: Var det værre eller bedre i gamle dage, end det er nu? Var det meget anderledes for 1.

Creativity is a gift shared by all, yet most of us have been led to believe that if we are not starving artists, musicians, or writers, then creative thinking is not something we are capable of. This just isn't true and to prove it I've brought together some of the best methods to trigger and retain that creative spark within.

We think we know photosynthesis: Plants convert of sunlight, CO2, and water into energy and, ultimately, the food we eat and air we breathe. But Raffael Jovine shows how this incredible process goes beyond what we learned in grade school. First, it's not only about plants: Corals partner with photosynthetic organisms to create the most productive habitat on Earth, slugs eat chloroplasts to create a photosynthesis-based camouflage, hornets use photosynthesis for a very unconventional form of air conditioning—and much more!

The 101 fascinating natural wonders in this audiobook will forever transform your view of the animal and plant world. Come with Gary on a jaw-dropping journey across nature's most amazing and bizarre. You will learn about the mold that solves mazes, why the giant panda is lucky to be alive, how a fish with no mouth eats, why your brain is afraid of snakes, and why one microscopic creature is the most puzzling mystery in all zoology.

Books are often used to put children to bed. But what happens after we close our eyes? The world keeps spinning, people go to work, machines plug on, and many of the Earth's living creatures are just waking up! While You Were Sleeping is going to fill its readers in on everything they're missing after they drift off to sleep. The book is divided into six chapters (animals, the human body, space, pop culture, and sports), with each chapter focusing on different activities that happen every night.