Spilsbury, Richard

Minerals are the building blocks of rocks. Formed without any human assistance, these natural substances are used in almost everything people use on a daily basis. Readers will learn how minerals shape our lives and how they've shaped Earth's past and present, as well as how they'll shape Earth's future. The text explores the origins of minerals, where they're found, and why they're important. The age-appropriate text supports elementary science curricula, covering important Earth science and geology concepts. Exciting images show readers Earth's most dazzling minerals, while informative fact boxes and sidebars provide a comprehensive learning experience.

The rocks that cover Earth's surface wouldn't exist without crystals. Written to support elementary science curricula, this text encourages readers to get up close and personal with the crystals contained in Earth's rocks. Along the way, they'll learn important Earth science skills, such as how crystals form, how to identify crystals based on their physical properties, and where in the world they're found. The text also teaches readers how we use crystals in everyday life, and what kinds of hobbies and careers involve working with crystals. This information-rich text features engaging images, fact boxes, and sidebars, which offer opportunities for additional learning.

Explores robots in the military, including underwater bots, flying mini-bots, and robot soldiers.

An introduction to robotics use in medicine, from tiny capsules that patients swallow and take pictures inside the body to surgical devices and robotic arms that dispense drugs.

"Introduces readers to the ... engineering behind submarines, the anatomy of these ... machines, and their ... uses"--Provided by publisher.

"Featuring free-fall rides, waterslides, and bumper cars, ... reveals the forces at work in amusement parks"--Back cover.

NASA wouldn't know nearly as much about the planet Mars without space probes. A special kind of robot that can fly through space, space probes have gone to the asteroid belt and even traveled near Jupiter to take pictures of it!.

Robotics is already used to protect people in cities all around the United States. As robot technology continues to grow, patrolling human police officers could someday be a thing of the past! Humanoid robots might be rolling around city streets or heading into dangerous situations in place of police officers. From surveillance cameras to bomb disposal, the incredible robots already used in law enforcement will engage and surprise readers. The main text explains the real-life technology used today, and full-color photographs enhance the science and engineering content.

Describes several experiments that use electricity in a survival setting.

Explores volcanoes and includes survival experiments to try.