The cell is the basic building block of life. In its 3.5 billion years on the planet, it has proven to be a powerhouse, spreading life first throughout the seas, then across land, developing the rich and complex diversity of life that populates the planet today. With The Cell: A Visual Tour of the Building Block of Life, Jack Challoner treats readers to a visually stunning tour of these remarkable molecular machines. Most of the living things we're familiar with--the plants in our gardens, the animals we eat--are composed of billions or trillions of cells. Most multicellular organisms consist of many different types of cells, each highly specialized to play a particular role--from building bones or producing the pigment in flower petals to fighting disease or sensing environmental cues. But the great majority of living things on our planet exist as single cell. These cellular singletons are every bit as successful and diverse as multicellular organisms, and our very existence relies on them. The book is an authoritative yet accessible account of what goes on inside every living cell--from building proteins and producing energy to making identical copies of themselves--and the importance of these chemical reactions both on the familiar everyday scale and on the global scale. Along the way, Challoner sheds light on many of the most intriguing questions guiding current scientific research: What special properties make stem cells so promising in the treatment of injury and disease? How and when did single-celled organisms first come together to form multicellular ones? And how might scientists soon be prepared to build on the basic principles of cell biology to build similar living cells from scratch.

A lively introduction to rocks and minerals and how they are formed and used, with facts, pictures and science projects to try yourself, perfect for 8-12 year-olds at home or school.

An accessible and engaging guide to the atom, the smallest, most fundamental constituent of matter.Until now, popular science has relegated the atom to a supporting role in defining the different chemical elements of the periodic table. In this book, Jack Challoner places the atom at center stage. The Atom investigates the quest to identify the smallest, most fundamental constituents of matter--and how that quest helps us to understand what everything is made of and how it all works. Challoner covers a wide range of topics--including the development of scientific thinking about atoms and the basic structure of atoms; how atomic interactions account for the familiar properties of everyday materials; the power of the atomic nucleus; and what the mysterious quantum realm of subatomic particles can tell us about the very nature of reality. Illustrated in color throughout, The Atom offers clear answers to questions we have all pondered, as well as some we have never even dreamed of. It describes the amazing discoveries scientists have made about the fundamental building blocks of matter--from quarks to nuclear fission to the "God particle"--and explains them accessibly and concisely. The Atom is the engaging and straightforward introduction to the topic that we didn't get in school.

Everything in the universe is made up of the elements - including us. Forged in the Big Bang, the elements and their resulting compounds created the solar system, planet Earth, the air we breathe, the water we rely on and the proteins that would become life. In fact, everything in the known Universe is made up of one of the 118 elements of the periodic table - so we really should know something about them! This little book is the perfect guide, listing all the elements' vital stats, and exploring their astonishing histories and usages in an accessible and easy-to-understand way.

Genius Inventions gives readers an unprecedented insight into the events, people and histories behind technological and scientific developments that have helped shape modern civilization. Discover the inspiration for some of the most important moments in the history of technology. An invention is rarely the brainchild of a single person, however brilliant, and the book includes timelines that explain the development of each creation and pays homage to some of the other great developments that came before and after. Beautifully illustrated throughout, showing 20 items of rare, on-the-page documents and memorabilia. See plans of the Wright Brothers' plane and extracts from the notebook of Alexander Graham Bell.

Now in Paperback

"Eyewitness: Hurricane & Tornado" is a compelling guide to nature's most dangerous and destructive forces. Striking images, models and illustrations offer a unique view of catastrophic weather conditions allowing readers to see into the eye of a cyclone, witness hailstones the size of tennis balls, and learn how a gentle mountain stream can become a raging surge within a few minutes. Learn the techniques developed through the centuries to forecast weather, see a chicken that was stripped of its feathers by a tornado, and how human activity can cause weather patterns to change.

For over 25 years, DK's "Eyewitness" books have been the most trusted nonfiction series in classrooms, libraries, and homes around the world. In summer 2014 this award-winning series will get a fresh new look both inside and out. The introduction of paperback editions, eye-catching jackets, and updated interiors ensure that the "Eyewitness" series will continue to be relevant in the ever-changing world of education and remain the go-to source for homework help, research projects, reluctant readers, ESL students, and, as always, to satisfy the minds of curious kids.

Supports the Common Core State Standards.

These giant books containing exciting projects and experiments take a hands-on approach to science concepts. Hundreds of simple and easy experiments explore the various scientific principles behind natural phenomena like friction, centrifugal force, and the underlying laws of physics that help make machines work. These fun yet practical experiments make it easy for anyone to become a rocket scientist Sound and light may seem like things we know everything about, but by conducting these easy to navigate science experiments using these seemingly straight-forward concepts, young learners will see that there is "much" more than meets the eye. Through these informative and easy to conduct experiments and activities, budding scientists will discover the interesting and often-changing characteristics of materials in their everyday world.

"The Elements: An Interactive Guide to the Building Blocks of our Universe" is an illustrated reference book to the elements that make up everything in our universe. General information about the properties, behaviour and occurrence of the elements, their main compounds and their principal uses is given. It is authoritative and accessible, with a sense of wonder about the way the material world works, thanks to the protons, neutrons and electrons that make up the atoms of the elements.