Central Kansas Library System

Presents readers with the most important scientific advances in history, from the idea that Earth is round to the discovery of DNA. The book features historic photos, engaging sidebars, and thought-provoking prompts.

How long does it take for science to find an answer to a problem? On January 25, 1862, naturalist Charles Darwin received a box of orchids. One flower, the Madagascar star orchid, fascinated him. It had an 11.5 inch nectary, the place where flowers make nectar, the sweet liquid that insects and birds eat. How, he wondered, did insects pollinate the orchid? After experiments, he made a prediction. There must be a giant moth with a 11.5 inch proboscis,...

A tale set in a world in which technological advances have been suppressed finds particle physicist Jon Grady helping to innovate a device capable of reflecting gravity only to be targeted by a shadowy organization from the future.

Earth. The Final Frontier Contrary to popular belief, Earth is not an insignificant blip on the universe's radar. Our world proves anything but average in Guillermo Gonzalez and Jay W. Richards' The Privileged Planet: How Our Place in the Cosmos Is Designed for Discovery. But what exactly does Earth bring to the table? How does it prove its worth among numerous planets and constellations in the vastness of the Milky Way? In The Privileged Planet,...

Unearthing the perfectly preserved body of a female warrior in Southeast Asia, archaeologist Riley Smith and Eve Duncan seek answers about this extraordinary past life, leading Riley to make a discovery that will change history--if she can survive long enough to share it with the world. Traveling to an island in Southeast Asia, archaeologist Riley Smith is aware of the threat from treasure hunters who have no qualms about killing to get what they...

Presents over 600 entries describing inventions and scientific discoveries and the people responsible for them.

From atoms to X-rays and from the Big Bang to the Internet, brilliant breakthroughs by successful scientists have changed the world again and again. Dip inside this book to tread the stories of 100 scientists and their amazing discoveries.

Explains in simple terms how science really works and offers stories of ingenuity and endeavor that convey the sense of wonder that inspired great scientists past and present.

"Science has helped us make sense of some of the freakiest things about life on Earth, and more amazing discoveries are made every day. This book takes readers on a jaw-dropping journey through some of history's wildest scientific revelations, such as the existence of black holes, the role of mold in fighting killer diseases, and how maggots--yes, maggots!--are used to treat serious wounds."--Publisher's website.