Ideal for librarians, instructors, and students, this superior, one-stop reference guide makes finding answers to natural history questions or doing research a breeze. More than just an answer book on natural history, this unique guide provides understanding into the history of science itself. Readers get rare insight into the beginnings of a scientific event, how it evolved, and who were some of the key scientists along the way. Recent scientific controversies also are included. Covering the history of earth and its living creatures, this special reference contains 30 chapters on topics in geology, oceanography, climatology, meteorology, biology, paleontology, and anthropology.

From modern-day challenges such as balancing a checkbook, following the stock market, buying a home, and figuring out credit card finance charges to appreciating historical developments by Pythagoras, Archimedes, Newton, and other mathematicians, this engaging resource addresses more than 1,000 questions related to mathematics. Organized into chapters that cluster similar topics in an easily accessible format, this reference provides clear and concise explanations about the fundamentals of algebra, calculus, geometry, trigonometry, and other branches of mathematics. It contains the latest mathematical discoveries, including newly uncovered historical documents and updates on how science continues to use math to make cutting-edge innovations in DNA sequencing, superstring theory, robotics, and computers. With fun math facts and illuminating figures, "The Handy Math Answer Book" explores the uses of math in everyday life and helps the mathematically challenged better understand and enjoy the magic of numbers.

Featuring more than 600 questions about dinosaurs--such as "What dinosaurs are thought to have evolved into birds?" "Did dinosaurs travel in herds? "and "Where and what is the Dinosaur Freeway?--"this fun-filled fact-book provides a wealth of information on the lives and habits of these astonishing creatures. From the "Tyrannosaurus rex" to the "Stegosaurus," the guide profiles numerous species, chronicling their time on earth and exploring their roles in archaeological expeditions and museums today. Delightful and intriguing, this comprehensive record includes the debates still surrounding the origins and fate of these creatures that dominated the earth for millions of years but seemed to disappear in the blink of an eye.

These award-winning science writers answer such puzzlers as: What is the theory of continental drift? What are polarity reversals? They deliver captivating reading and easy understanding of the complexities that shaped our planet, as they answer nearly 1,000 of the most often asked questions. Tracing the formation of the universe and the planet, investigating the layers of the Earth, and explaining the formation of mountains and bodies of water are just some of the chapters. Questions and answers are also devoted to volcanoes, fault lines, caves, fossil fuels, world morphological features, and even the geology of other planets. Entertaining and informative, "Handy Geology" combines vivid, clear writing with a great format.

Covering 70 percent of the surface area of our globe, the oceans are vast and mysterious and primal and pretty much everywhere you go. The Handy Ocean Answer Book tackles over 1,000 questions on ocean life, waterspouts, whirlpools, ocean shelves, tides and quakes, famous shipwrecks, the effects of pollution and global warming, and more. Plus, you'll find out what the ocean has revealed about the origins and evolution of life on our planet and major climate changes. With 180 photos and illustrations, Handy Ocean will please landlubbers and salty sailors alike.

Gene therapy. Forensic DNA profiling. Biochemistry. Biotechnology. Cloning. Stem Cells. Super Bugs. Genetically modified food. Botany. Zoology. Sex. The study of life and living organisms is ancient, broad and ongoing. Biology combines the Greek word for life, bios, with the suffix -ology, or science/study/knowledge of. The new, completely revised and updated "The Handy Biology Answer Book," examines, explains, and traces mankind's understanding of this important topic.
This handy reference is the go-to guide for students and the more learned alike. It answers questions in plain English on all aspects of human, animal, plant, and microbial biology. It also introduces the scientists behind the breathtaking advances. Easy to use and a friendly reference source, "The Handy Biology Answer Book" explains the workings of cell structures, bacteria, viruses, fungi, plant and animal characteristics and diversity, endangered plants and animals, evolution, adaption and the environment, DNA and chromosomes, genetics and genetic engineering, laboratory techniques, and much more.
From the newsworthy to the practical and from the medical to the historical, this entertaining and informative book brings the complexity of life into focus through the well-researched answers to more than 1,250 common biology questions, such as ...
What is life?
How many different species are on Earth?
Why do you need protein in your diet?
Why is stem cell research controversial?
Do animals suffer from allergies just like humans?
What is the Human Genome Project?
Why do birds fly in formation?
Can the environment affect genes?
What's the difference between antibiotics and antibacterials?
Do bacteria get addicted to caffeine?
What famous children's author studied and drew illustrations of fungi?
How is a fairy ring formed?
What was the historical significance of hemp?
How are seedless grapes grown?
What is the most expensive spice in the world?
What is social Darwinism?
What do the numbers inside the recycling symbol on plastic containers mean?
Is IQ genetically controlled?
What are vitamins and minerals?
Why are carbohydrates a major part of the human diet?
Can animals suffer from psychological disorders?

Looking at the science of law enforcement, how evidence is gathered, processed, analysed, and viewed in the courtroom, and more. From the cause, manner, time of a death, and autopsies to blood, toxicology, DNA typing, fingerprints, ballistics, tool marks, tread impressions, and trace evidence, it takes the reader through the many sides of a death investigation. Arson, accidents, computer crimes, criminal profiling, and much, much more are also addressed.

Your fitness, health, and well-being depend on food and proper nutrition. Yet, knowing what is in the foods we eat, understanding the differences between good and bad fat, learning which foods are good sources of vitamins, keeping up on the latest scientific discoveries, or discerning the effectiveness of different diets can be challenging. To help answer these questions there's The Handy Nutrition Answer Book. Additionally, the book scrutinises the pros, cons and effectiveness of the biggest, most popular and trendiest diets on the market today.

The Handy Anatomy Answer Book covers all the major body systems - integumentary (skin, hair, etc.), skeletal, muscular, nervous, sensory, endocrine, cardiovascular, lymphatic, respiratory, digestive, urinary and reproductive - and, for good measure, adds chapters on growth and development and how science can help and augment the body. It follows the fascinating maze of organ systems and shows how much the body is doing at any one moment just to let you move, breathe, eat and fight off disease. Fascinating trivia plus serious facts answer over 1200 questions about the body.

The skies aren't friendly anymore!

Sweltering heat waves. Bone-chilling blizzards. Ferocious winds. Mighty peculiar weather we've been having, isn't it? Well, scientists predict that climate trends are only going to get stranger in the future. And in Skies of Fury, top science writers Patricia Barnes-Svarney and Thomas E. Svarney take you around the world, bringing you face-to-face with the eye of the storm, explaining the full range of weird weather affecting us. Discover the reasons behind:

* downdrafts, heat bursts, derechoes, and tornadoes
* monsoons, tropical storms, hurricanes, and rogue waves
* sandstorms, dust devils, wildfires, and polar ice deserts
* light pillars, diamond dust, and sun dogs
* mirages, UFOs, and green flashes
* torrential rainfall, ball lightning, and super showstorms
* flash flooding, hall, sea smoke, and smog

And much, much more!

Fully illustrated with photographs from key weather trackers, and packed with unusual factoids and records, Skies of Fury reveals the extremes to which Mother Nature can go in both her unparalleled beauty and her wanton destructiveness.