From the creators of the #1 "New York Times" bestseller "The Book of Useless Information"-a collection of even greater insignificance.
More useless than ever before! Impress know-it-all friends with this all-new hodgepodge of frivolous facts and silly statistics that no one really needs to know. But honestly, how cool is it to find out that...
a[ There is a place in Maryland called Monkey's Eyebrow
a[ Giving yellow flowers is a sign of bad luck in Russia
a[ One brow wrinkle is the result of 200,000 frowns
a[ Paper can be made from asparagus
This is the book that will also tell you...
a[ The meaning of 'mageirocophobia'
a[ Where it is illegal to kill a butterfly
a[ Huckleberry Finn's remedy for warts
a[ What bodily fluid the Romans used as a hair treatment
And much, much more!

Why is the night sky dark? How do dolphins sleep without drowning? Why do hangovers occur? Will time travel ever be a reality? What makes a knuckleball appear to flutter? Why are craters always round?

There's only one source to turn to for the answers to the most puzzling and thought-provoking questions about the world of science: Scientific American. Writing in a fun and accessible style, an esteemed team of scientists and educators will lead you on a wild ride from the far reaches of the universe to the natural world right in your own backyard. Along the way, you'll discover solutions to some of life's quirkiest conundrums, such as why cats purr, how frogs survive winter without freezing, why snowflakes are symmetrical, and much more. Even if you haven't picked up a science book since your school days, these tantalizing Q & A's will shed new light on the world around you, inside you, below you, above you, and beyond!

Ponder, if you will . . . Is yawning contagious? Do starfish have faces? Why do they put crinkly paper into pairs of men's socks? Why is it that cans of Diet Coke float, but cans of regular Coke don't?

Pop culture guru David Feldman demystifies these questions and much more in "Why Do Pirates Love Parrots? "

One of the Imponderables(R)--the unchallenged source of answers to civilization's most perplexing conundrums--and charmingly illustrated by Kassie Schwan, this book provides you with knowledge about everyday life that encyclopedias, dictionaries, and almanacs just don't cover. And think about it: Where else are you going to find out how they get the paper tag into a Hershey's Kiss?

Read Trevor Homer's posts on the Penguin Blog.
Everything--from the mundane (the pencil) to the catastrophic (the atom bomb)--has an origin, but often it's not what we expect. A few things you may not have known:
- Gandhi was married at age thirteen
- Chinese fortune cookies are an American invention and were not eaten in China until the 1990s when they were advertised as "Genuine American Fortune Cookies."
- Bayer lost the trademark for aspirin (which they had held since 1897) as part of the reparations Germany was forced to pay after World War I.
- The original idea for the electric chair came from an American dentist.
For aspiring mindblowers and wanna-be know-it-alls, "The Book of Origins" is a treasure trove of trivia and fascinating facts guaranteed to entertain and enlighten.

(Expressive Art (Choral)). Music MasterMINDS challenges children to learn more about the 'fun'damentals of music rhythm, melody, tempo, harmony, form, timbre, style, expression and musical careers, as they connect musical learning across the curriculum to reading, language arts, spelling, math, science, social studies, history, art, and foreign language. And through play, children develop such life-learning skills as observation, reasoning, decision-making, and problem-solving skills Designed for Grades 1-6, each section of this creative resource focuses on a musical element, and the puzzles are sequenced in order from easiest to most challenging. Use Music MasterMINDS as a supplement to regular music lessons, or as activities for the sub or for those days that need a special activity Share these puzzles with classroom teachers for ongoing, cross-curricular integration. Puzzles include: Find the Hidden Instrument, Spell a Story, Fast and Slow Match-Up, Find the Music Alphabet, Loud and Soft Match-Up, State the States, Music Symbol Crossword, Composers' Word Search, World Instrument Quest, Meet Mr. Mozart, Connect the Music Careers, and many more intriguing challenges Available: Activity Book. For Gr. 1-6.

For almost 50 years, University Challenge has served as a bastion of general knowledge, regularly testing our finest young minds with a dizzying array of subjects. Now - if you think you're up to the challenge - you can pit your own wits against the trickiest quiz around. With over 3,500 challenging quiz questions, The University Challenge Quiz Book will probe the murkiest corners of your intellect. Leaving no stone unturned, in-depth questions cover every aspect of history, science, language, economics, culture and more, and will put even the hardiest quiz veteran through their paces. With games to play either on your own or in teams (no conferring), here is a collection to challenge, surprise and stimulate - from your first starter for ten to the final gong. Come on, come on!

Ponder, if you will ... Has anyone ever seen a live Cornish game hen? Why do quarterbacks say "Hut"? Why do "sea" gulls congregate in parking lots of shopping centers? What does the "Q" in Q-Tips stand for?

Pop culture guru David Feldman demystifies these questions and much more in "Are Lobsters Ambidextrous?" Part of the Imponderables(R) series--the unchallenged source of answers to civilization's everyday mysteries--and charmingly illustrated by Kassie Schwan, this book provides you with information that encyclopedias, dictionaries, and almanacs just don't have. And think about it, where else are you going to find out what happens to the caffeine left over from making decaffeinated coffee?

Test your 90s knowledge with this awesome trivia card game! Welcome to the Best of the '90s, a fun trivia game that will take you on a sentimental journey through an exceptionally unforgettable decade! In this game you'll find 60 trivia cards with over 470 questions on the following subjects: Movies, Television, Music, Popular Culture, Politics, Sports, and Toys & Games. The questions probe topics ranging from Britney Spears to the Clinton years, from Pocahontas to Pokemon, and from eBay to Y2K. So, gather your Friends around, break out the Crystal Pepsi, open the Dunkaroos and take a Quantum Leap back to The Wonder Years!

A bumper-size quiz book with all new questions to test your general knowledge, with 500 quizzes and 10,000 questions. Includes 30 picture rounds to get you scratching your head! Perfect for playing with friends and family. Arranged in easy, medium and hard sections, these quizzes offer something for everyone. Have a go at these questions: Which acid is used in lead-acid car batteries? Sulphuric acid. How many eyes does a bee have? Five. Taking its name from one of the largest rivers in the nation, the kwanza is the currency of which African country? Angola. This is the ideal gift for all budding quizzers, whether playing at home with friends and family, or practising for a night down the pub. The answers are quick and easy to find so that anyone can pick this up and test themselves or play quiz master.

The Great British Pub Quiz Book is the ultimate patriotic trivia challenge for anyone who believes they have the best British quiz brain. The questions cover all your favourite pub quiz topics, focusing especially on the British Isles, its history and culture. Test your friends and family with more than 120 quizzes to be enjoyed. All of the trivia questions come with multiple-choice answers, and topics cover everything from movies and TV shows to politics and history. Use this book to crib up for your next pub quiz or set your own! Contents: There are more than 120 pot luck and specialist quizzes, with questions about pop music ranging from The Beatles to Ed Sheeran, TV and movies from Coronation Street to TOWIE, British places from Land's End to John O'Groats, politics, people - and plenty more!

The Bar-Stool Scholar Pub Quiz Book contains a wealth of fascinating information on a huge variety of subjects. There are hundreds of quizzes, divided by difficulty level and subject matter. Many are themed, along the classic lines of music, sport, geography, politics, entertainment etc. and many more. Potluck quizzes are included. This book contains all you will need for setting your own pub quizzes, or for brushing up on your general knowledge before you try your next competition.

The Ultimate General Knowledge Pub Quiz Book contains hundreds of quizzes and a wealth of fascinating information on a huge variety of subjects. The quizzes are divided by difficulty level and subject matter. Many are themed along the classic lines of music, sport, geography, politics, entertainment, etc. and many more. Pot luck quizzes are also included. This book contains all you will need for setting your own quizzes, or for brushing up on your general knowledge before you try your next competition.

Challenge yourself, challenge your friends. Or make it official and host a night of fun, enlightening, and hilarious trivia. The pub quiz is a cultural institution, and bartender Austin Rogers is singularly good at it, not only as the long-time host of a hugely popular New York City quiz night, but also as a 12-time Jeopardy! champion whose earnings of over $400,000 are the seventh highest in the show's history. He knows a whole of just about everything, and he knows how to run an uproariously entertaining quiz night--all of which he shares in this bible of pub trivia. The Ultimate Book of Pub Trivia by the Smartest Guy in the Bar features over 3,000 questions sorted into more than 300 rounds of well-balanced and smartly curated quizzes for hours of amusement with family and friends. The topics include pop culture, sports, history, and pretty much everything else under the sun, including Random Sh*t: Reflecting its clingy proclivity, Bindwood and Lovestone are archaic English names for this plant (Answer: Ivy). Sorted by difficulty level, each page is annotated with did-you-know facts, jokes, and other marginalia, and throughout the book are mini-chapters with fascinating history, legendary bar stories, tips for winning Jeopardy!, and useful advice on how to run your own pub trivia night. It's the perfect gift for trivia lovers, pub regulars, and Jeopardy! fans.

'This is a great puzzle book, for budding explorers and young adventurers. There's no better way to test your exploration skills without leaving the house!' - Levison Wood Can you pin-point the last-known location of Ernest Shackleton's Endurance? Can you help Amelia Earhart circumnavigate the globe? Are you the next Neil Armstrong? In this unique puzzle book, the Royal Geographical Society brings over a century of maps and expertise to inspire your inner Livingstone and tantalise your budding Columbus. With hundreds of questions on 50 iconic explorers and a mix of mind-boggling maps, word games and trivia questions - it's time to dust off your compass, pack your snow shoes and test your geographical skills against the most legendary adventurers ever to traverse the globe.

How well do you really know your favorite author? In this new book, ace literary detective turned quizmaster John Sutherland and Austen buff Deirdre Le Faye challenge you to find out. Starting with easy, factual questions that test how well you remember a novel and its characters, the quiz progresses to a level of greater difficulty, demanding close reading and interpretative deduction. What really motivates the characters, and what is going on beneath the surface of the story? Designed to amuse and divert, the questions and answers take the reader on an imaginative journey into the world of Jane Austen, where hypothesis and speculation produce fascinating and unexpected insights. The questions are ingenious and fun, and the answers (located in the back of the book), in Sutherland's inimitable style, are fascinating. Completing the book guarantees a hugely improved knowledge and appreciation of Austen. Whether you are an expert or enthusiast, So You Think You Know Jane Austen? guarantees you will know her much better after reading it.
About the Series: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the broadest spectrum of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, voluminous notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.

Delve into the magical world of unicorns in this new illustrated book, filled with questions, facts, jokes and more! Release your inner unicorn with this hilarious new ‘would you rather’ book! Bursting with funny, interactive questions, silly jokes and facts for 6+ kids, this brilliant book will keep the whole family entertained for hours. Would you rather grow sparkly hooves for feet or a flowing unicorn tail? Would you rather fart rainbows for a month or neigh whenever you burp for a week? Laugh-out-loud illustrations bring unicorns to life, and will draw in even the most reluctant readers. In the same series, Christmas Would You Rather (9780008524425) offers some seasonal fun!

A revised and expanded reissue containing over 1,200 brain-teasing questions on the legendary works of J.R.R. Tolkien, published to coincide with the release of the third and final The Lord of The Rings movie. How many Hobbits joined the Fellowship of the Ring? What colour is the Orcs' skin? Why did Gandalf have difficulty in opening the West-door of Khazad-dum? Who betrayed Berien and Luthien to Thingol? What was Farmer Giles' full name? The worlds of J.R.R. Tolkien, from the saga of Middle-earth to a brief visit to Wootton Major, are so rich and varied that they inspire legions of followers of different ages. This peerless revised and expanded quiz book offers over 1,200 questions and answers, including easy starter questions and more difficult tie-breakers, to test the range and depth of your knowledge. And whereas every right answer will confirm your mastery over your subject, every wrong answer will be a learning experience all of its own!

This is a fact-packed compendium of snippets from the past and present, including historical tales, legends and myths of the Lake District and the rest of the region from Barrow to Carlisle. The towns and villages all have their stories to tell of industries past and present, of natural and man-made disasters, of battles, of law and order, crimes and punishments. In The Little Book of Cumbria you will read of the people, their traditions, their heritage, language and folklore. The topics range from amusing trivia to great events that changed things forever. You can read the book from cover to cover or dip in at your leisure.

We've all had them, those pointless arguments that are seemingly impossible to solve. We've been round in circles trying to work out what came first, the chicken or the egg? Don't get us started on the debate of what we are all here for? And you're bound to have had sleepless nights pondering which ingredient you simply can't do without in a full English Breakfast - sausage or bacon. Well worry no more, here to help you solve some of life's biggest - and most pointless - conundrums are Alexander Armstrong and Richard Osman. So, does God exist? and what is the most pointless sport - ballet or darts? With a witty and intelligent collection of stand-up pieces, quizzes, cryptic brainteasers and pointless facts, Alexander Armstrong and his pointless friend Richard Osman will put the world to rights and finally answer the 100 Most Pointless Arguments in the World....Ever.

From the creator of the wildly popular webcomic xkcd, hilarious and informative answers to important questions you probably never thought to ask Millions of people visit xkcd.com each week to read Randall Munroe's iconic webcomic. His stick-figure drawings about science, technology, language, and love have an enormous, dedicated following, as do his deeply researched answers to his fans' strangest questions. The queries he receives range from merely odd to downright diabolical: - What if I took a swim in a spent-nuclear-fuel pool? - Could you build a jetpack using downward-firing machine guns? - What if a Richter 15 earthquake hit New York City? - Are fire tornadoes possible? His responses are masterpieces of clarity and wit, gleefully and accurately explaining everything from the relativistic effects of a baseball pitched at near the speed of light to the many horrible ways you could die while building a periodic table out of all the actual elements. The book features new and never-before-answered questions, along with the most popular answers from the xkcd website. "What If? "is an informative feast for xkcd fans and anyone who loves to ponder the hypothetical.

If you've forgotten a thing or two since school, now you can go from knowing jack sh*t to knowing your sh*t in no time! This highly entertaining, useful and fun trivia book fills the gaps, offering hundreds of bite-sized facts about history, grammar, math, and more! Get ready to relearn all the crap you were taught in school and then promptly forgot. Who can keep all that information in their head anyway? Now you can! With All the Sh*t You Should Have Learned, you'll be schooled in history, language arts, math, science, and foreign language-all the stuff you were taught at one point but now regret not remembering. From translating Roman numerals to remembering the difference between further and farther, we've got you covered. You'll brush up on the Crusades, revisit the structure of the Victorian novel, get a refresher on Chaos Theory, and much more! Maybe this time you'll remember.