Highlights amazing discoveries from around the world and throughout history, including the discovery of Machu Picchu, the remains of China's Terra-Cotta Army, the coelacanth, and the diamond mines in Kimberley, South Africa, and their worldwide impact.
Surveys the achievements of the ancient Chinese in science, medicine, astronomy, and cosmology, and describes such innovations as rockets, wells, the compass, water wheels, and movable type.
Introduces young readers to the Very Large Array radio telescope in San Agustin, New Mexico, describing the Array's purpose, construction, and findings over the last forty years.
creating science contraptions that work (& knowing why)
Hauser, Jill Frankel
1999
Provides instructions for making seventy-five contraptions that demonstrate friction, gravity, energy, motion, and other principles of physics and explains how to think like an inventor.
Contrary to the popular view of science as a mountainous accumulation of facts and data, Firestein takes the novel perspective that ignorance is the main product and driving force of science, and that this is the best way to understand the process of scientific discovery.
Astronomer Mike Brown describes how his search for a tenth planet, Eris, a planet more massive than Pluto, led to the demotion of Pluto to a dwarf planet.
Nineteenth-century fossil hunter Mary Anning and spinster Elizabeth Philpot form a friendship based on their interest in science, and, when Mary's work is put into question by individuals who believe it goes against their religious beliefs and men in her field try to take credit for it, Elizabeth's loyalty to Mary becomes invaluable to her.
Reveals the true stories behind some of medicine's most important accidental discoveries, explaining how penicillin, chemotherapy drugs, x-rays, antidepressants, and Viagra were discovered while researchers were searching for something else.
