Ripley's is back with another compendium of mind-boggling facts that will delight anyone drawn to the weirder side of life on Earth. Read about the scariest, grossest and funniest stories from around the world, including: EEK! The huge spider that spins webs that are stronger than steel. WOW! The woman who can smash 920 roof tiles every minute - with her bare hands. YUCK! The Japanese crab that grows as much as six metres long. . . . and much, much more. Crammed with incredible photos and fascinating stories, and complete with an out-of-this-world 3D-effect cover, Ripley's Believe It or Not! 2019 is the perfect Christmas gift for kids who are fascinated by the disgusting, the scary and the peculiar.

Has a child – or anyone else – ever asked you why the sky is blue? Could you explain why ice cream melts? Have you forgotten why scientists think the universe started with a Big Bang, and do you understand the difference between respiration and breathing?

Why Don’t Things Fall Up? will gently remind you of everything you may have learnt once upon a time, but have somehow forgotten along the way. If you’ve ever changed the subject when a child has asked for homework help, or if you have the curiosity of a seven year old yourself, or if you know everything but have forgotten the basics or don’t want to know anything except the basics – then this is the book for you.

Using questions asked by children as a starting point, Alom Shaha (who has spent over two decades trying to help people of all ages understand this stuff) takes us on a tour of the “big ideas” of science from his unique perspective. His experience as a dad, a teacher and science communicator means he knows exactly what people don’t know -and especially the misconceptions and other intellectual hurdles which prevent us from grasping key ideas.

Combining his proven skill for explaining science with storytelling and flashbacks to school experiments, Why Don’t Things Fall Up? reminds us that science is not just for scientists – it’s a human endeavour that enriches all our lives.

Pit your worldly wits against family and friends, or just challenge yourself, with this ultimate travel trivia book. With head-scratching questions on everything from countries and culture to history and wildlife, it's a fun and challenging test for all ages- and the perfect addition to any trip. What is the national bird of the USA? What does the word 'Sahara' mean? Which is the only one of the original Seven Wonders of the Ancient World that is still standing? Take an epic tour around the world with: 100 themed quizzes More than 2000 questions across eight categories: Regions, Countries, Cities, Travel & Transport, The Natural World, Landmarks & Buildings, Culture and Pot Luck Picture related questions that include maps, photos and silhouettes This is a book to be enjoyed in multiple settings: on your own (testing yourself against yourself, perhaps sat in an armchair or at an airport waiting for a connection), with friends and family, or maybe even at a work event with those colleagues. But wherever and however you do it, remember the same rules apply: no phones, no cheating. Happy quizzing! About Lonely Planet: Lonely Planet, a Red Ventures Company, is the world's number one travel guidebook brand. Providing both inspiring and trustworthy information for every kind of traveller since 1973, Lonely Planet reaches hundreds of millions of travellers each year online and in print and helps them unlock amazing experiences. Visit us at lonelyplanet.com and join our community of followers on Facebook (facebook.com/lonelyplanet), Twitter (@lonelyplanet), Instagram (instagram.com/lonelyplanet), and TikTok (@lonelyplanet). 'Lonely Planet. It's on everyone's bookshelves; it's in every traveller's hands. It's on mobile phones. It's on the Internet. It's everywhere, and it's telling entire generations of people how to travel the world.' - Fairfax Media (Australia)

What can be found in the Vatican's Secret Archive? How many books did Charles Darwin's library aboard the Beagle hold? Which library is home to a colony of bats? Bursting with potted histories, quirky facts and enlightening lists, this book explores every aspect of the library, celebrating not only these remarkable institutions but also the individuals behind their awe-inspiring collections. From the ancient library at Alexandria to the Library of Congress in Washington DC, A Library Miscellany explores institutions both old and new, from the university library to that of the humble village. It opens the door to unusual collections such as herbaria, art libraries, magic libraries and even the library of smells, and charts the difficulties of cataloguing books deemed to be subversive, heretical, libellous or obscene. Packed with unusual facts and statistics, this is the perfect volume for library enthusiasts, bibliophiles and readers everywhere.

Think you know your Civil War History? No matter how well-versed you think you are in Civil War facts and trivia, this book will enlighten and entertain you with little-known details of one of the most important events in American history. Civil War Trivia and Fact Book is your ultimate resource for mastering the minutia of America's War Between the States. Compiled by Civil War expert Webb Garrison, this book is packed with more than 2,000 fascinating facts about the war, its prelude, and its aftermath. This treasure trove of trivia and information includes: events that happened in both the North and South between 1861 and 1865 the distinguished military and political leaders of the day key issues that defined the Union and the Confederacy famous first events of the war, and more This wealth of information is presented in simple question-and-answer format and is a perfect book for a history buff or someone interested in learning more about this historical and signature event in American history.

William seems like such a regal name. Wrong! This name is held by some of history's most notorious criminals, scoundrels and utter failures. In this book, you'll encounter killers, con men, spies, mobsters, and corrupt politicians--all named William or Bill. Meet the butcher who sparked mayhem in early New York, the men who murdered to satisfy their thirst for whiskey and a few of the Wild West's most infamous gunslingers. It's the perfect book for anyone named William, Bill or Willie.

*The perfect gift for the incurably curious* 'The best trivia book of the season.' THE SPECTATOR 'Mind-blowing.' DAILY MAIL 'Genuinely interesting.' POPULAR SCIENCE Which lottery numbers should I pick? Is it true that we are made entirely of stardust? Can dogs tell the time? Why do songs get stuck in my head? If Rome wasn't built in a day, how long did it take? Do plants make noises? Where is last Wednesday? These are just a few of the questions put to the QI Elves by the listeners of BBC Radio 2's The Zoe Ball Breakfast Show. This book is a collection of their cracking, unexpected and frequently hilarious answers. Chock full with extra facts and illustrations from the Elves, 222 QI Answers to Your Quite Ingenious Questions will spark wonder and joy. Includes a foreword from Zoe Ball. *** For more from the team behind QI's hit TV show check out the QI FACTS series of books, @qikipedia and listen to their weekly podcast at nosuchthingasafish.com or visit qi.com

The perfect gift for all those big and little kids in your life who ask 'why...?'. With an introduction from Zoe Ball.

The QI Elves are the brains behind the enduringly popular BBC TV panel show QI.

Every Wednesday the Elves appear on The Zoe Ball Breakfast Show where they answer the ponderings and wonderings of BBC Radio 2's most inquisitive listeners.

Dive into this splendid collection of listeners' unusual questions and some unexpected answers that are sure to make your head spin on topics ranging from goosebumps to grapefruit, pizza to pirates and everything in-between. Generously sprinkled with extra facts and questions from the Elves, Funny You Should Ask . . . is essential reading for the incurably curious.

How much water would you need to put out the Sun?
If spiders can walk on the ceiling, why can't they get out of the bath?
Why do dads make such bad jokes?
Why does red mean 'stop' and green mean 'go'?
Can I dig a tunnel to the other side of the Earth?
How do plant seeds know which way is up?
Can you fill up a black hole?
Who popularised the recorder, and where can I get hold of them?

For more from the team behind QI, visit qi.com. You can also follow QI's fact-filled Twitter account @qikipedia and listen to their weekly podcast at nosuchthingasafish.com

For more mind-boggling nuggets of wisdom check out the QI FACTS SERIES

Fifty thought-provoking questions about players' pasts will spark sweet memories and lively discussion.

Inspired by the hit board game that has sold over 12 million copies, travel the world from the comfort of your home with the Ticket to Ride Puzzle Book. Based on the award-winning board game, this book is packed full of 100 original, colourful and exciting challenges for puzzlers and board-game enthusiasts alike. It's the year 1900, and you are a young tourist setting off on a global rail journey. Voyaging from city to city across countries and continents, you meet an entertaining set of characters who provide you with a perplexing set of brainteasers, from logic problems and train track puzzles to riddles and linguistic conundrums. Climb aboard and ride across the world in 100 globe-trotting puzzles!

History has never been more fun than it is in this fact-filled compendium of historical fiascoes and embarrassingly bad ideas.

Throughout history, the rich and powerful, and even just the dim-witted, have made horrifically bad decisions that have had resounding effects on our world. From kings to corporate leaders, from captains to presidents, no one is immune to bad decisions and their lasting legacy. The fiascoes that litter our history are innumerable ... and fascinating in their foolishness. This witty collection of historical mayhem chronicles unwise decisions from ancient Greece to modern-day Hollywood and everything in between. Learn such lessons as: Never trust Greeks bearing gifts of large wooden horses.Avoid building elementary schools on toxic waste dumps, even those with sweet monikers like Love Canal.Rabbits multiply like rabbits Down Under.Even if you use brightly colored paint on the boats, it's quite easy to misplace an entire country's navy.

With more than forty-five chapters of mind-boggling flubs and follies, fans of history, trivia, and those who just want a good laugh will adore this intriguing and fun read.

Science is so f*cking rad. We don't deserve it. What actually is quantum physics? If you can answer that questions without bullsh*tting the person standing next to you in the bookstore, you can stop reading right now. But although most of us don't actually understand quantum physics, we know that it's mystical and awesome, and if we understood it we'd probably be rich and beautiful and happy, right? After all, there are plenty of people out there trying to sell you quantum crystals to align your quantum energy with your quantum destiny. Can they all be wrong? Spoiler: yes. Yes, they can. There is no such thing as quantum crystals. Sorry! Luckily, as pseudo-science takes over the internet and it's getting harder and harder to separate alternative facts from real science, Chris Ferrie (an actual quantum physicist!) is here to explain quantum physics in a way that makes sense, so you can see the hucksters and bullsh*tters coming from a mile away-and school them in what quantum entanglement actually is (it has nothing to do with your romantic life). If you f*cking love science and want to be slightly less dumb than you were when you woke up this morning, Quantum Bullsh*t is the truly out-of-this-world book for you.

Test your 80s knowledge with this awesome trivia card game! Do you know Boy George from your George Michael? Your Tetris from your Rubik's? Or your mullets from your Jheri curls? Then Best of the 80s: The Ultimate Trivia Challenge is the totally radical card game for you, containing 60 quiz cards spanning categories ranging from 1980s heartthrobs and artists to political figures, popular movies, dance moves and more. Challenge your friends and family to reveal their knowledge and discover who's, like, totally bitchin'!

An engaging, accessible introduction into how numbers work and why we shouldn't be afraid of them, from maths expert Rachel Riley. Do you know your fractions from your percentages? Your adjacent to your hypotenuse? And who really knows how to do long division, anyway? Puzzled already? Don't blame you... But fret not! You won't be At Sixes and Sevens for long. In this brilliant, well-rounded guide, Countdown's Rachel Riley will take you back to the very basics, allow you to revisit what you learnt at school (and may have promptly forgotten, *ahem*), build your understanding of maths from the get-go and provide you with the essential toolkit to gain confidence in your numerical abilities. Discover how to divide and conquer, make your decimal debut, become a pythagoras professional and so much more with these easy-to-learn tips and tricks. Packed full of working examples, fool-proof methods, quirky trivia and brainteasers to try from puzzle-pro Dr Gareth Moore, this book is an absolute must-read for anyone and everyone who ever thought maths was 'above' them. Because the truth is: you can do it. What's more, it can be pretty fun too!