How Things Work

The New Way Things Work

"Is it a fact--or have I dreamt it--that, by means of electricity, the world of matter has become a great nerve, vibrating thousands of miles in a breathless point of time?" If you, like Nathaniel Hawthorne, are kept up at night wondering about how things work--from electricity to can openers--then you and your favorite kids shouldn't be a moment longer without David Macaulay's The New Way Things Work. The award-winning author-illustrator--a former architect and junior high school teacher--is perfectly poised to be the Great Explainer of the whirrings and whizzings of the world of machines, a talent that landed the 1988 version of The Way Things Work on the New York Times bestsellers list for 50 weeks. Grouping machines together by the principles that govern their actions rather than by their uses, Macaulay helps us understand in a heavily visual, humorous, unerringly precise way what gadgets such as a toilet, a carburetor, and a fire extinguisher have in common.

The New Way Things Work boasts a richly illustrated 80-page section that wrenches us all (including the curious, bumbling wooly mammoth who ambles along with the reader) into the digital age of modems, digital cameras, compact disks, bits, and bytes. Readers can glory in gears in "The Mechanics of Movement," investigate flying in "Harnessing the Elements," demystify the sound of music in "Working with Waves," marvel at magnetism in "Electricity & Automation," and examine e-mail in "The Digital Domain." An illustrated survey of significant inventions closes the book, along with a glossary of technical terms, and an index. What possible link could there be between zippers and plows, dentist drills and windmills? Parking meters and meat grinders, jumbo jets and jackhammers, remote control and rockets, electric guitars and egg beaters? Macaulay demystifies them all. (All ages) --Karin Snelson

The information age is upon us, baffling us with thousands of complicated state-of-the-art technologies. To help make sense of the computer age, David Macaulay brings us The New Way Things Work. This completely updated and expanded edition describes twelve new machines and includes more than seventy new pages detailing the latest innovations. With an entirely new section that guides us through the complicated world of digital machinery, where masses of electronic information can be squeezed onto a single tiny microchip, this revised edition embraces all of the newest developments, from cars to watches. Each scientific principle is brilliantly explained--with the help of a charming, if rather slow-witted, woolly mammoth.

MythBusters: Don't Try This at Home

It's a tough job separating truth from urban legend, but the MythBusters are here to serve. For example, is it true that if you step in quicksand , you'll be sucked down to your death? Only two men would be inventive - and adventurous - enough to try to find out: Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman, the MythBusters. Each week, hosts Savage and Hyneman, both special effects experts, use modern science to put another three urban legends to the test on their popular TV show. In this book, you'll learn how they either "busted" or confirmed fifteen myths on their show, often with spectacular results. Here are just some of the urban legends in this book:

• Did a Ming Dynasty astronaut launch himself into space with a rocket?
• Can a swallowed octopus egg grow to full size inside a person's stomach?
• Is the daddy longlegs the world's most venomous spider?
• Will a sinking ship suck you down?
• How many balloons are needed to lift a small child off the ground?
• Does a duck's quack echo?

Mythbusters: Don't Try This at Home! gets to the bottom of these urban legends and more, and it lets you do your own mythbusting with fun experiments you can do safely at home.

The Art of the Catapult: Build Greek Ballistae, Roman Onagers, English Trebuchets, and More Ancient Artillery

Whether playing at defending their own castle or simply chucking pumpkins over a fence, wannabe marauders and tinkerers will become fast acquainted with Ludgar, the War Wolf, Ill Neighbor, Cabulus, and the Wild Donkey-ancient artillery devices known commonly as catapults. Re-creating these simple yet sophisticated machines introduces fundamentals of math and physics using levers, force, torsion, tension, and traction. Instructions and diagrams illustrate how to build seven authentic working model catapults, including an early Greek ballista, a Roman onager, and the apex of catapult technology, the English trebuchet. Additional projects include learning how to lash and make rope and how to construct and use a hand sling and a staff sling. The colorful history of siege warfare is explored through the stories of Alexander the Great and his battle of Tyre; Saladin, Richard the Lionheart, and the Third Crusade; pirate-turned-soldier John Crabbe and his ship-mounted catapults; and Edward I of England and his battle against the Scots at Stirling Castle.

Cool Stuff and How It Works

From microchips and iPods to robots in the human bloodstream, Cool Stuff and How It Works takes the reader on an eye-opening journey through the world of modern technology. Tech-savvy kids will love learning all about today's most innovative inventions-where they came from, how they do what they do, and where they might take us in the future.a

Lucy: The Diamond Fairy (Rainbow Magic: The Jewel Fairies, No. 7)

Jack Frost is causing trouble in Fairyland again! This time, he's stolen the seven jewels from Queen Titania's crown. Without them, all the fairy magic in Fairyland is fading fast!

Can Rachel and Kirsty help Lucy the Diamond Fairy find the final jewel? Or will Fairyland's special magic be lost forever?

Cool Stuff 2.0: And How it Works

Following on the success Cool Stuff and How it Works, this spectacular book shows and explains, in a brilliantly visual and easy-to-understand way, exactly how the technology that shapes our world works. Taking the reader on an eye-opening journey from the engine of a hydrogen-fuelled car, into the virtual world of Second Life, and up the earthquake-proofed structure of the world's tallest office building, learn about the science behind every machine and gadget, and find out when and how things were invented-from mobile phones and games consoles to smart cards and space planes. AUTHOR BIO: Chris Woodford graduated from Cambridge University with a degree in Natural Sciences. For several years he worked as an information designer for IBM and then made a career change to publishing where he became an editor on specialist science and technology titles.

Dr Jon Woodcock graduated from Oxford University with a degree in physics before moving to the University of London where he was awarded a PhD for his work in astrophysics. He has worked in research and development for various hi-tech companies and now consults and writes on science and technology.

Robot (DK Eyewitness Books)

Take a detailed look at the fascinating world of robots - from the earliest single-task machines to the advanced intelligence of robots with feelings. Young readers will be amazed to learn all that robots can do: perform delicate surgical operations, clean city sewers, work as museum tour guides, or even battle each other in combat. Find out how humans have created these mechanical minds and bodies.

The Way Science Works

Do you know that right now 16.5 tons of air are pressing on your body? Or that with a simple experiment you can "see" a hole in the middle of your hand? Have you ever tried turning a bucket of water upside down without the water falling out? With DK's remarkable introduction to science, young readers can learn many of the most important principles of chemistry and physics--and have a whole lot of fun while they're at it. This big, handsome volume contains more than 60 hands-on projects testing key scientific theories in magnetism, gravity, liquid density, sound vibrations, the laws of reflection, and much more. In addition, the book features information about famous scientists, new technological advances, and basic theories behind everyday objects and activities. Gorgeous photos and clear, step-by-step instructions make this a learning experience budding young scientists won't mind a bit. Don't be fooled, though. Every page is packed with accurate, up-to-date information, and readers are encouraged to take their scientific exploration beyond the limits of this well-organized book. (Ages 10 and older) --Emilie Coulter

The perfect introduction to how science explains the world around us!

Eye-opening experiments and exceptional photography bring science to life. Discover science in action from the principles that explain everyday occurrences to the theories behind the technology in today's fast-moving world. Test the theories in more than 100 hands-on projects. Next-generation visuals and cutting-edge content help illuminate key scientific developments. Packed full of facts about famous scientists, technology newsflashes, and more. An exciting way to keep ahead of the curriculum and discover science for yourself.

Cool Stuff Exploded

The third installment of our visually stunning and incredibly successful Cool Stuff series will blow your mind. This super cool technology book deconstructs-or literally explodes-everyday objects so readers can see exactly how they work. Beautifully photographed spreads show a piece-by-piece breakdown of cell phones, computers, cars, and more, detailing how each part works and how they all fit together as a whole. This unique look at the items we use every day brings science, technology, and wonder to the fore, giving us all a great appreciation for how our twenty-first-century world works. Set into the cover is a CD-ROM containing animations of the "exploded" views featured in the book.

Howtoons: The Possibilities Are Endless!

Part comic strip and part science experiment, Howtoons shows children how to find imaginative new uses for common household items like soda bottles, duct tape, mop buckets, and more–to teach kids the "Tools of Mass Construction"!

Howtoons are cartoons that teach 8– to 15–year–old readers "how to" build, create, and explore things. Combining a fun, full–color cartoon format and real life science and engineering principles, Howtoons are designed to encourage kids to become active participants in the world around them.

Readers meet Tucker and Celine, a lovable brother and sister pair. Sick of watching TV and playing video games, Tucker and Celine decide to conquer every kid's nightmare: the dreaded summer o' boredom. Armed with countless ideas for fun projects, they set out to reclaim the sheer joy of playing. Fifteen practical, build–it–yourself projects are weaved into the Tucker and Celine storyline. With the narrators' help and clear step–by–step instructions, young readers will learn how to set up a workshop, create a marshmallow shooting gun, make ice cream without a freezer, play songs on a turkey baster flute, explore a homemade terrarium, launch a pressure–powered rocket, and more!

Utilizing inexpensive, kid–friendly materials, Howtoons will prove that the world at large is infinitely more exciting than anything happening on the TV or computer screen. Plus, each project will provide readers with practical skills and problem solving know–how that they can use in their everyday lives. These funny, interactive Howtoons are sure to inspire independence and creative savvy in young people everywhere.