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!

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Everyone in the modern world knows what technology is. But what is nanotechnology? Taken from the Greek, nano means "one billionth part of" a whole. In modern parlance, it means very, very small. In today's world of smaller cell phones and portable computers, miniaturization is the current technology. Nanotechnology is the next step after miniaturization. In tomorrow's world, nanotechnology will be the new common technology. It will affect everyone on the planet and may change civilization as we know it.

Scientific American's UNDERSTANDING NANOTECHNOLOGY presents the cutting edge of a new technology that will find usage in medicine, space exploration, communications, manufacturing, and almost every other aspect of modern society. Imagine getting an injection of "smart" molecules that can seek out cancer cells and destroy them without harming any of the surrounding tissue. Imagine a simultaneous space launch of thousands of robotic probes, each no bigger than an insect, and each programmed to do a single task in concert with all of the others. And that's just the beginning. Nanotechnology is the future of science.

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We're all familiar with computers and the concept of doing work via these silicon-chip-driven modern wonders. The technological advances have been stunning: a typical handheld computing device today has more computing power than a 1960s computer that took up an entire room. In today's world, computing size is inversely proportional to computer speed: The smaller the computer, the faster it works. With computing speed just about doubling every eighteen months, today's processing power is more than 100 million times that of a computer in 1970.

What does the future hold for computers and their ever-growing power? In Scientific American's UNDERSTANDING SUPERCOMPUTING, you'll discover what constitutes a "supercomputer," how supercomputers function, and how you can make your own computer into a super machine (it's a matter of networking). From a chess computer that can beat the world's greatest human player to machines that control satellite communications, find out what tomorrow holds in store for supercomputers in terms of hardware, software, and everyday applications.

Are you an avid sky-watcher? Would you like to observe the changes in the moon’s surface? Predict the orbit of a satellite? Record sunspots?

Finally, here is the book you’ve been waiting for! From the longest-running column in Scientific American’s history comes this collection of fascinating projects for the amateur astronomer. Whether you’re interested in designing your own telescope or determining the chemical composition of faraway stars, this unique book will help you satisfy your passion for the skies. You’ll learn how to build and use astronomical tools that will help you better understand and appreciate the solar system, our galaxy, and the cosmos.

Here you’ll discover fascinating facts about astronomy along with helpful tips and clear instructions on how to build inexpensive astronomical instruments in home-based workshops using ordinary shop tools. From making a pendulum that detects the earth’s rotation, to observing Jupiter with a homemade telescope, to taking picture-perfect images of a comet, these projects will help you go deeper into space than you’ve ever imagined.

Who names newly discovered planets? What exactly are black holes? Where are there the most earthquakes? When did the first Homo sapiens walk the earth? Why is the night sky dark? How does the fluoride in toothpaste prevent cavities? Since 1845, Scientific American has answered questions and provided the best information available in all areas of science. Now, Scientific American is proud to present an accessible, one-volume reference covering all the sciences. Whether you want to examine the tiniest microbes, the properties of the earth's core, or the farthest reaches of space, this handy desk reference is the resource to turn to for the answers you need. * Over 500 biographies of key science figures * Thousands of glossary terms * Hundreds of useful Web sites * Tables, charts, diagrams, and illustrations * Sidebars featuring fascinating facts, mnemonic aids, and quizzes * Essays exploring ideas in-depth

SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN's The Big Idea: 150 Years of the Best and Worst Ideas in Modern Science goes beyond the headlines to present the passions, prejudice, and outrage that, from 1845 on, formed the ideas of modern science -- from the sublime to the ridiculous. This fascinating new book, based on SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN's wildly popular feature, "50, 100, and 150 Years Ago in Science Today", presents the often hilarious human aspect of science as well as a serious timetable of scientific discovery.

Progress in science is rarely a straight line. While the events are arranged in chronological order, the chapters reflect the somewhat twisted path scientists take in developing their theories, conducting their experiments, presenting their findings, and getting acceptance for their ideas. The chapters in THE BIG IDEA include:

Eureka! Great Discoveries & Inventions, which details achievements from insulin to the Talkies and more, often as first reported in SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN.

From the Editor's Desk, which contains insightful and occasionally provocative commentary and news articles about subjects that have shaped our modern world.

Great Debates reveals that not every invention or discovery was greeted with universal acclaim and acceptance -- and which big ideas were subject to derison when first advanced.

It Seemed Like A Good Idea at the Time...contains reports on ideas and inventions that, quickly or ultimately, failed the test of time.

Bizarro reveals the truly unusual lengths scientists go to prove their theories, no matter how outlandish.

Who do we love? Who loves us? And why? Is love really a mystery, or can neuroscience offer some answers to these age-old questions?

In her third enthralling book about the brain, Judith Horstman takes us on a lively tour of our most important sex and love organ and the whole smorgasbord of our many kinds of love-from the bonding of parent and child to the passion of erotic love, the affectionate love of companionship, the role of animals in our lives, and the love of God.

Drawing on the latest neuroscience, she explores why and how we are born to love-how we're hardwired to crave the companionship of others, and how very badly things can go without love. Among the findings: parental love makes our brain bigger, sex and orgasm make it healthier, social isolation makes it miserable-and although the craving for romantic love can be described as an addiction, friendship may actually be the most important loving relationship of your life.

Based on recent studies and articles culled from the prestigious "Scientific American" and "Scientific American Mind" magazines, "The" Scientific American "Book of Love, Sex, and the Brain" offers a fascinating look at how the brain controls our loving relationships, most intimate moments, and our deep and basic need for connection.