How does the brain control the rest of the body? Full-page illustrations help explain every aspect of the brain's big job, from communicating with the central nervous system to retaining memories.

Here's the most entertaining way for children to learn how the human body works: 28 fun and instructive, ready-to-color illustrations that explore the muscular, skeletal, nervous, digestive, respiratory, and immune systems. Kids will discover how their voice box works, how many bones they have, how thousands of "tasters" on their tongues help them distinguish flavors, how the DNA in their cells is different from everyone else's, and so much more. Filled with astonishing details, this head-to-toe survey of the body is fascinating to read and fun to color

Where do we live in the universe, what did people think before they could study the sky with telescopes, and what happened to Pluto? Thirty full-page illustrations to color answer these and other questions as they visualize the solar system for kids. Entertaining, easy-to-understand captions explain crater formation, constellations, weightlessness, space junk, and other fascinating subjects.

More than 40 easy mazes transport kids back to the Age of Reptiles. They'll encounter the long-necked "Apatosaurus, " the flying "Archaeopteryx, " and the sea-dwelling "Aspidorhynchus" as well as" Iguanodon, Protoceratops, Barosaurus, " and other dinosaurs. Captions identify each animal, and solutions appear at the end.

A celebration of beer-its science, its history, and its impact on human culture "Curatorial eminences Rob DeSalle and Ian Tattersall serve up a potent scientific brew. . . . A marvellous paean to the pint, and to the researchers probing its depths."-Barbara Kiser, Nature "Forced to choose between this book and a pint of hazy IPA, I would be at a loss. Better to consume them at the same time-both will go down easily, and leave you in an improved condition."-Bill McKibben What can beer teach us about biology, history, and the natural world? From ancient Mesopotamian fermentation practices to the resurgent American craft brewery, Rob DeSalle and Ian Tattersall peruse the historical record and traverse the globe for engaging and often surprising stories about beer. They explain how we came to drink beer, what ingredients combine to give beers their distinctive flavors, how beer's chemistry works at the molecular level, and how various societies have regulated the production and consumption of beer. Drawing from such diverse subject areas as animal behavior, ecology, history, archaeology, chemistry, sociology, law, genetics, physiology, neurobiology, and more, DeSalle and Tattersall entertain and inform with their engaging stories of beer throughout human history and the science behind it all. Readers are invited to grab a beer and explore the fascinating history of its creation.

Hovering, gliding, diving -- how do birds do it? BIRDS: NATURE'S MAGNIFICENT FLYING MACHINES looks at how feathers, body structure, and wings vary from bird to bird. Readers will learn the mechanics of bird flight from takeoff to landing and discover how wing types meet the survival needs of each species. Popular science writer Caroline Arnold infuses this informative look at avian flight with her love of birds. Patricia J. Wynne's exquisitely detailed illustrations show these amazing creatures in action.

Seashells on the sand, peacocks in flowering magnolia trees, and butterfly fish in elkhorn coral. Thirty-one original designs present spectacular combinations of natural elements -- from flora to fauna -- in eye-opening, full-page patterns. Illustrations are printed on only one side of the perforated pages for easy removal and display. Specially designed for experienced colorists, "NatureScapes "and other Creative Haven(R) coloring books offer an escape to a world of inspiration and artistic fulfillment. Previously published as "NatureScapes."

Mother Nature's loveliest creatures get glowing embellishments in this collection of 15 beautifully rendered butterflies. Each full-color sticker glows in the dark, heightening the grace and individuality of each exquisite subject Sticker fans of every age will delight in applying these images to walls, stationery, gifts, and more.

An imaginative natural history survey of the wide world of spirits, from whiskey and gin to grappa and moonshine In this follow-up book to A Natural History of Wine and A Natural History of Beer, authors Rob DeSalle and Ian Tattersall yet again use alcoholic beverages as a lens through which to gain a greater appreciation of natural history. This volume considers highly alcoholic spirits in the context of evolution, ecology, history, primatology, molecular biology, physiology, neurobiology, chemistry, and even astrophysics. With the help of illustrator Patricia Wynne, DeSalle and Tattersall address historical and cultural aspects and ingredients, the distillation process, and spirits and their effects. They also call on an international group of colleagues to contribute chapters on brandy, vodka, tequila, whiskies, gin, rum, eaux-de-vie, schnapps, baiju, grappa, ouzo, and cachaca. Covering beverages from across the globe and including descriptions of the experience of tasting each drink, this book offers an accessible and comprehensive exploration of the scientific dimensions of spirits.

Here's a great introduction to Manhattan for youngsters. Scenes depicting the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, the ships at South Street Seaport, mummies at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, dinosaurs at the American Museum of Natural History, and 21 other popular New York City attractions. Each carefully rendered illustration is accompanied by an informative caption.

Lyrical text just right for young nature lovers describes the life of a typical North American bumblebee queen. Follow the queen as she finds a nest, gathers nectar, lays eggs, and tends her colony through spring, summer, and fall. Scientifically accurate illustrations include captivating details of hive life.

Classic Sketchbook: Cats shows how it's done by showing museum-quality works, then coaching you to try the techniques with the help an expert's suggestions. Whether scribbling out a quick sketch with minimal detail, or making a finished portrait where every silky hair and polished whisker stands out, the best cat artists can capture the very essence of feline-ness. How do they do it? Firsthand observation of cats will tell you a lot about the way they sit, yawn, tweak their tails, and curl up to sleep, but it won't tell you how to get those things down on paper. Classic Sketchbook: Cats is the second in a series of instructional books that began with Classic Sketchbook: Botanicals. The series shows how to draw your subjects by looking at the details of museum-quality works, then coaching you through the techniques with the help an expert's suggestions. In this case the expert is Patricia Wynne, a noted illustrator with a specialty in animals. Wynne will guide you through fur, paws, and eyes, as well as cats sleeping, playing, or pouncing. Her unique instructions places a close-up of a drawing or painting by a noted artist like Gauguin, Chardin, Gwen John, and Theodore Steinlen on the left side of the page. And on the right side of the page Patricia Wynne coaches you with detailed, step-by-step drawings, that illuminate the process.

Revolutionary research is revealing how the trillions of microbes living on and in our bodies can keep us healthy . . . or make us sick Suddenly, research findings require a paradigm shift in our view of the microbial world. The Human Microbiome Project at the National Institutes of Health is well under way, and unprecedented scientific technology now allows the censusing of trillions of microbes inside and on our bodies as well as in the places where we live, work, and play. This intriguing, up-to-the-minute book for scientists and nonscientists alike explains what researchers are discovering about the microbe world and what the implications are for modern science and medicine. Rob DeSalle and Susan Perkins illuminate the long, intertwined evolution of humans and microbes. They discuss how novel DNA sequencing has shed entirely new light on the complexity of microbe-human interactions, and they examine the potential benefits to human health: amazing possibilities for pinpoint treatment of infections and other illnesses without upsetting the vital balance of an individual microbiome. This book has been inspired by an exhibition, The Secret World Inside You: The Microbiome, at the American Museum of Natural History, which will open in New York in early November 2015 and run until August 2016. It will then travel to other museums in the United States and abroad.

A host of prehistoric creatures await their return to life, and all kids have to do is connect the numbered dots. From the fierce Tyrannosaurus rex to the gentle apatosaurus and fleet velociraptor, this menagerie features familiar and exotic dinosaurs. All 40 puzzles include captions and solutions, and kids can have even more fun by coloring the finished puzzles.

Revolutionary research is revealing how the trillions of microbes living on and in our bodies can keep us healthy . . . or make us sick Suddenly, research findings require a paradigm shift in our view of the microbial world. The Human Microbiome Project at the National Institutes of Health is well under way, and unprecedented scientific technology now allows the censusing of trillions of microbes inside and on our bodies as well as in the places where we live, work, and play. This intriguing, up-to-the-minute book for scientists and nonscientists alike explains what researchers are discovering about the microbe world and what the implications are for modern science and medicine. Rob DeSalle and Susan Perkins illuminate the long, intertwined evolution of humans and microbes. They discuss how novel DNA sequencing has shed entirely new light on the complexity of microbe-human interactions, and they examine the potential benefits to human health: amazing possibilities for pinpoint treatment of infections and other illnesses without upsetting the vital balance of an individual microbiome. This book has been inspired by an exhibition, The Secret World Inside You: The Microbiome, at the American Museum of Natural History, which will open in New York in early November 2015 and run until August 2016. It will then travel to other museums in the United States and abroad.

What evolutionary process could have resulted in the unique and amazing human brain? New research by neuroscientists, paleontologists, and others reveals startling answers. After several million years of jostling for ecological space, only one survivor from a host of hominid species remains standing: us. Human beings are extraordinary creatures, and it is the unprecedented human brain that makes them so. In this delightfully accessible book, the authors present the first full, step-by-step account of the evolution of the brain and nervous system. Tapping the very latest findings in evolutionary biology, neuroscience, and molecular biology, Rob DeSalle and Ian Tattersall explain how the cognitive gulf that separates us from all other living creatures could have occurred. They discuss the development and uniqueness of human consciousness, how human and nonhuman brains work, the roles of different nerve cells, the importance of memory and language in brain functions, and much more. Our brains, they conclude, are the product of a lengthy and supremely untidy history-an evolutionary process of many zigs and zags-that has accidentally resulted in a splendidly eccentric and creative product.