informational works

"Most of us are aware of the hive mind--the power of bees as an amazing collective. But do we know how uniquely intelligent bees are as individuals? In [this book, the author] draws from decades of research, including his own pioneering work, to argue that bees have remarkable cognitive abilities. He shows that they are profoundly smart, have distinct personalities, can recognize flowers and human faces, exhibit basic emotions, count, use simple tools, solve problems, and learn by observing others. They may even possess consciousness. Taking readers deep into the sensory world of bees, . . . illustrates how bee brains are unparalleled in the animal kingdom in terms of how much sophisticated material is packed into their tiny nervous systems. He looks at their innate behaviors and the ways their evolution as foragers may have contributed to their keen spatial memory . . . also examines the psychological differences between bees and the ethical dilemmas that arise in conservation and laboratory settings because bees feel and think. Throughout, he touches on the fascinating history behind the study of bee behavior. Exploring an insect whose sensory experiences rival those of humans, [this book] reveals the singular abilities of some of the world's most incredible creatures."--Dust jacket flap.

Meet a chef who cooks pizza over an active volcano in Guatemala. Visit a bridge in Hungary that was repaired with LEGO bricks. And get to know the world's smelliest frog. You'll find all this and more inside this jam-packed compendium of weird wonders from all around the world.

Why is less than 1% of rural land in the U.S. owned by Black people? An acclaimed writer and activist explores the impact of land theft and violent displacement on racial wealth gaps, arguing that justice stems from the literal roots of the earth. To understand the contemporary racial wealth gap, we must first unpack the historic attacks on Indigenous and Black land ownership. From the moment that colonizers set foot on Virginian soil, a centuries-long war was waged, resulting in an existential dilemma: Who owns what on stolen land? Who owns what with stolen labor? To answer these questions, we must confront one of this nation's first sins: stealing, hoarding, and commodifying the land. Research suggests that between 1910 and 1997, Black Americans lost about 90% of their farmland. Land theft widened the racial wealth gap, privatized natural resources, and created a permanent barrier to access that should be a birthright for Black and Indigenous communities. Rooted traces the experiences of Brea Baker's family history of devastating land loss in Kentucky and North Carolina, identifying such violence as the root of persistent inequality in this country. Ultimately, her grandparents' commitment to Black land ownership resulted in the Bakers Acres--a haven for the family where they are sustained by the land, surrounded by love, and wholly free. A testament to the Black farmers who dreamed of feeding, housing, and tending to their communities, Rooted bears witness to their commitment to freedom and reciprocal care for the land. By returning equity to a dispossessed people, we can heal both the land and our nation's soul.

"See the wonders of the world and the people who built and used them brought back to life. . . . Children aged 9+ will learn when and how they were constructed, and what they teach us about how the people who lived at the sites might have spent their days" --Provided by publsiher.

"Every person experiences loss. And every person grieves. Whether it's a deathloss (the loss of a loved one) or a shadowloss (the loss of something not someone), we all go through it. But most of us don't know how to deal with it. In this book, grief expert Cole Imperi takes you by the hand and leads you through this often strange and lonely journey. You will learn: how to ask for help ; how to help other grievers; what to expect in the days, months and years after a loss. Your grief journey is your own"--Provided by publisher.

Offers information and statistics about all of the hottest games, tips and tricks for gamers, and interviews from gaming's biggest personalities, including game developers and pro gamers.

"Find out about all kinds of trucks and what they do -- from forklifts to fire trucks and more."--.

"From a smattering of ominous right-wing compounds in the Pacific Northwest in the 1970s, to the shocking January 6, 2021 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, America has seen the culmination of a long-building war on democracy being waged by a fundamentally violent and antidemocratic far-right movement that unironically calls itself the "Patriot" movement. So how did we get here? Award-winning journalist David Neiwert--who has been following the rise of these extremist groups since the late 1970s, when he was a young reporter in Idaho--explores how the movement was built over decades, how it was set aflame by Donald Trump and his cohorts, and how it will continue to attack American democracy for the foreseeable future. Neiwert especially studies how the Pacific Northwest has long been a breeding ground of extremist violence, from the time when neo-nazis migrated to the area from southern California in the 1970s, through the great battles in Portland and Seattle and neighboring towns over the last decade. Laying out how these groups organize their terroristic violence and attacks on democratic institutions at every level--including local, state, and federal targets--Neiwert details what their strategies and plans look like for the foreseeable future"--.

"I was born a baby and grew into a kid... Soon all the other baby animals can't help but share what they are called and what they grew up into! Readers will learn about owlettes, pufflings, and more. But when the chick, calf, cub, and pup realize they share their names with several other species, they can't believe it. "No way! No how! That can't be true!" becomes a catchy, energetic refrain readers will love chanting." -- Amazon.com.

"Examines the worldwide climate change crisis, covering such topics as humankind's effect on climate, key figures in climate activism, and what readers can do to prevent further damaging changes"--OCLC.