Best Selling Books by Chris oxlade

Making Machines with Screws looks at everything from lifting, gripping and fixing with screws to the role of screws in more complex machines, such as microscopes.

This book is an introduction to igneous rocks, telling how they are formed, the different types, and how they are used.

Provides an overview of metamorphic rocks including how they are formed, where they are found, their characteristics, history, significance, and uses.

How do planes fly? How many people can an ultralight carry? How does a space shuttle land? Planes looks at types of planes that are used for travel, work, and fun. Jet airliners fly thousands of feet above the ground. Harrier jets can take off without a runway. Some planes even go out into space. Each book contains: a timeline so the reader can put the developments into context, a glossary for explanations of some difficult words, an index for easy reference. Book jacket.

Why is a spring like a simple machine? What forces do you need for a spring to change shape? How do springs store energy? Look at everything from historical examples of springs, such as a ballista, to the role of levers in complex machines, such as racing cars.

This book tells the story of the invention of the camera, including the key players, setbacks along the way, and moments of discovery.

A young reader''s guide to understanding metal properties and uses that vary from ball bearings to jet engines.

This series looks at how materials can be changed in various ways. Each book examines the types of materials we commonly encounter and explores their properties through practical and familiar examples. "Investigation" spreads give readers the chance to find out for themselves how materials can be changed.

Provides an introduction to metals, including their physical properties, their place in the periodic table, their uses in everyday life, and how they react with other substances. Includes experiments.

Explains how scientists learned about atoms; describes atomic structure, how atoms combine into molecules, and how they respond to changes around them; and suggests related activities.

Looks at the history of gunpowder and explosives, from the earliest alchemical experiments with saltpeter in ancient China, through the invention of black powder, to the eventual developments of other types of explosives in the nineteenth century.

Do you know that the first industrial robot started work in 1959? Now robots are in factories, in homes, laboratories, and the sky. Robots explore other planets as well as ocean depths. They also carry out jobs that are dangerous for humans. From the first robots of the 1950s to the drones and androids of the present day, this book charts the amazing history of robots.

Do you know that computers were only invented within the past 100 years? And that the smartphone was only recently invented, in the mid-1990s? Yet today, computers and other devices are everywhere in our lives--in classrooms, homes, and public places. From the first calculating machines made of cogs and wheels during the 1640s to virtual reality headsets such as Oculus Rift, this book charts the incredible history of computers.

This book provides a simple and fun introduction to soil, discussing what soil is, how it is made and what we use it for. With the help of some Rock Solid! facts that provide cool examples, the book will show you how amazing soil can be: from making houses with mud bricks and how crops grow in volcanic soil to how tree roots can break up rock.

Introduces basic concepts of weather, discussing such topics as atmospheric pressure, clouds, rain, and wind.

Learn about sedimentary rocks, what they are, how they form, and what they can be used for.

Presents facts about the moon, and describes what it would be like to visit there.

This book explains what happens when hurricanes strike and discusses what causes hurricanes and what you can do to stay safe if you are ever caught in one.

This updated edition asks some great questions. Why did the Romans build bridges? What is the longest bridge? How does a suspension bridge work? You''ll find the answers to these questions and many more in Building Amazing Structures. Each book in the series looks at some of today''s most amazing structures from around the world. Begin your journey by reading about similar structures in history and how they were built. Then discover the techniques and materials that today''s engineers and builders use to make even more amazing structures. Finally, learn about structures that failed and why.

This updated edition asks some great questions. What are dams used for? Who built the first dams? How do dams affect the environment? You''ll find the answers to these questions and many more in Building Amazing Structures. Each book in the series looks at some of today''s most amazing structures from around the world. Begin your journey by reading about similar structures in history and how they were built. Then discover the techniques and materials that today''s engineers and builders use to make even more amazing structures. Finally, learn about structures that failed and why.

This series offers a clear introduction to simple machines - what they are, what they''re made of, and how we use them in today''s world. Exciting examples of each machine''s applications draw on the world familiar to a child - machines that we use all the time, including some that may be hidden in houshold objects or everyday fixtures. Amazing machine facts illustrate how we use machines to do tasks that would otherwise be difficult or impossible.

Explore the history of solar power, and examines how energy from the Sun is harnessed and used in modern day cars, homes, and buildings.

This book briefly describes the functions of conductors and insulators in electricity.

The mystery of the Bermuda Triangle has puzzled people for many years. Can ships and planes really disappear without a trace? If so, is there a strange, unknown force at work? Can we get to the bottom of this mystery using science and logic, or will it continue to mystify us forever? Discover all of the theories, from the reasonable to the ridiculous, then decide for yourself what to believe. Learn how scientists analyze and explain fakes and hoaxes. This book includes eyewitness accounts, dramatic photographs, up-to-date information, a glossary, further resources, and web search tips.

This book explains what happens when a tornado strikes and discusses what causes tornadoes and what you can do to stay safe if you are ever near one.

A hands-on approach introduces young scientists to pulleys. Science theory and practical, fun projects teach the physics and the technology behind this simple machine. Important science curriculum is explained through historical and contemporary examples of pulleys. Step-by-step projects range from the simple to the more challenging.

Read this book to find the answers to all these questions, and more. It is packed with information, facts, photos, charts, and diagrams to help you find out all there is to know about skyscrapers. Book jacket.

Do you know that 200 years ago, the only way that one person could send a message to another person was by letter or messenger? It''s hard to imagine now, with our smartphones and computers at our fingertips. From the invention of the telegraph in the 1830s all the way through to the wearable technology of the present day, this book charts the incredible history of telecommunications.

Did you know that the wheel was invented in prehistoric times, in about 3500 B.C.'' Now we can travel between towns and cities in super-fast trains, in fast cars, and halfway around the world in a day in airplanes. From dugout canoes from 10,000 years ago right through to modern-day driverless cars, this book charts the amazing history of transportation.

Presents experiments that demonstrate the properties of sound, including how sound waves work, the speed of sound, and modern sound recording.

Capitalizing on the public''s fascination with forensic investigative techniques, this brand-new kit provides kids with the tools they need to solve household mysteries. With the detective tool kit, children can use fingerprints to determine who drank that last glass of orange juice, or work with hair samples to figure out if someone''s been snooping in their secret hiding place. Using the science of forensics, they will discover how to find and interpret seemingly ordinary clues around them. The kit includes a 32-page illustrated full-color book, innovative facial identification kit, fingerprint pad, ink stamp, brush and powder, clue containers, evidence bags, labels, chromatography paper for ink analysis, and magnifying glass.

Describes the properties and the many uses of plastic.

Explains the responsibilities of the circulatory system and highlights blood sugar, the vessels'' role in carrying hormones, and heart anatomy.

This volume provides an overview of the history and uses of nuclear power.

Uses infographics to describe environmental statistics about the population of the world, including the nations with the most people, the biggest cities in the world, and the ethnic makeup of the United States.

Explores where coal comes from and how it is mined, its importance in the environment, the various uses of coal such as for heat and power, and the different types of coal.

Describes boats and ships that are used for travel, work, and fun.

Describes the various ways that materials can be joined together, such as wood with glue, metal with a weld, and fabric with a thread; and includes simple experiments using common household items.

Each application of materials acts as a starting point for learning about the properties of each material. For example, why is glass used in windows but not used to make shoes? For a unique perspective, "Don''t Use It" boxes describe how the matieral shouldn''t be used.