Best Selling Books by John Farndon

Contains 17 practical projects and experiments designed to help students learn about the formation of the earth.

What is light and where does it come from? Can light be slowed to a stop? How do scientists plan to make an invisibility cloak? This book explains how scientists realized that all light comes from atoms and how one day they might use light to teleport obje

What happens if I drop an ant? What books are bad for you? What percentage of the world''s water is contained in a cow? The Oxbridge undergraduate interviews are infamous for their unique ways of assessing candidates, and from these peculiar enquiries, professors can tell just how smart you really are. John Farndon has collected together 75 of the most intriguing questions taken from actual admission interviews and gives full answers to each, taking the reader through the fascinating histories, philosophies, sciences and arts that underlie each problem. This is a book for everyone who likes to think they''re clever, or who thinks they''d like to be clever. And cleverness is not just knowing stuff, it''s how laterally, deeply and interestingly you can bend your brain. Guesstimating the population of Croydon, for example, opens a chain of thought from which you can predict the strength of a nuclear bomb ...and that''s just the start of it.

Just think, every single thing you do is handled by an amazing computer inside your head—your brilliant brain! And it''s helped by your body''s internet—your nervous system. Join the Stickmen to discover how spidery nerve cells send messages to the brain in seconds, how quick reflexes keep you safe, and how different parts of your brain are in charge of different thoughts and actions. Learn how all the parts of your body work together with the brain to help you to see, hear, smell, and make memories. Fun illustrations and fact-filled text reveal the mysteries of your brain and what it is that makes you so smart!

Find out how atoms fit together and how our solar system spins. Take a look at Earth''s biomes and then explore the human body and more with full-color illustrations designed to keep young readers engaged and entertained while they learn.

Explore the structures you encounter in your everyday life and around the world that exist because of engineering. Discover how the world''s tallest building stays standing and more with full-color illustrations designed to keep young readers engaged and entertained while they learn.

Earthquakes can destroy entire cities in mere minutes and send shock waves rippling around the world. These devastating quakes become even more deadly when followed by monster waves. Tsunamis may travel faster than a jet across thousands of miles of ocean. Once they reach the coast, these huge walls of water can wash away everything in their path in one fatal whoosh. No place on Earth is entirely safe from earthquakes. But the technology to detect these hidden terrors is constantly improving. Discover the most fearsome earthquakes and tsunamis throughout history, as well as the science behind how and where these disasters strike.

How does a giant cruise ship stay upright? Just how big is an aircraft carrier? How are submarines powered? Join the Stickmen for a close look at how watercrafts work, though be careful—you may get into deep water!

Discusses the physical properties of various rocks and minerals and gives instructions for experiments that identify their unique characteristics.

Discusses the origin, discovery, special characteristics, and use of nitrogen in such products as explosives and fertilizers.

Jump back in time to discover what was happening during the mysterious Middle Ages. Some people occupied themselves with putting crowns on their heads, others kept busy discovering and spreading new religions, and some focused on invasion and conquest. Follow along as warlords carve out kingdoms in Europe, China''s only empress comes to power, Vikings set foot in America, and Mongol hordes create the greatest land empire. Fun, illustrated maps sweep you across the world from the Incas'' Machu Picchu to medieval Mali and shogun Japan and on to the court of Kublai Khan. What a ride!

It''s the year 1492, the height of the Aztec Empire, and Ten Vulture is learning to become a priest—and a deadly warrior. On his adventures, he has to learn a secret language and rituals and make human sacrifices to the gods. Visit the largest city in the Americas and take part in the ultimate bloodletting ceremony alongside Ten Vulture. You''ll need a courageous heart and a strong stomach!

Looks at rockets, lunar modules, shuttles, satellites, and probes, in terms of basic space travel theory, gravity, drag, sources of power, design, and steering.

People have always needed doctors. But the doctors of the past might not look like the doctors you are used to seeing! Sometimes their healing methods were weird, disgusting, or even dangerous. Doctors in the Middle Ages sniffed patients'' urine to diagnose disease, and barbers might cut off a person''s injured arm or leg. The ancient Chinese fought smallpox by blowing powdered pus up the nose. Many of these old remedies turned out to be dangerous, but others paved the way for modern blood transfusions, vaccines, and anesthetics. If you''re not too squeamish, read this book to learn more about the history of doctors!

In just a few seconds, a spark can turn a forest into a rapidly spreading inferno of intense heat and suffocating smoke. Firefighters try to control the wildfire—a battle that might last for months. Water can be used to fight wildfires, but too much water can cause deadly floods. Floods reduce land to swamp and sweep away houses and bridges. In their wake, they leave food shortages, contaminated drinking water, and diseases like cholera and typhus. Follow the scorched trail of the worst wildfires ever, learn what causes flash floods, and discover the technology that helps predict these devastating disasters.

It''s 1718 and the world goes dark for Jamie Flynn, who''s been snatched from the docks to join Blackbeard''s crew of the fearsome pirates. Join him on board as he learns to fight with a cutlass and pistol, and follow him as he storms a treasure ship and shares in the spoils. You''ll need your sea legs and strong nerves to live like a Caribbean pirate!

Muscles help you run, jump, play sports, and even sit still long enough to read this book. Your bony skeleton holds you up and keeps everything in its place. Let the Stickmen give you a tour of your incredible body! Find out why muscles are strong and how they get even stronger, how many bones make up your skeleton, and how your body twists, bends, and moves. Along the way, you''ll discover the world''s oldest skeleton, the longest and strongest muscle, and more. Colorful illustrations and fascinating facts reveal the inner workings of your muscles and bones.

A collection of experiments that explore the nature of sound and how we hear it.

Learn how number systems and measurements allow us to make sense of the world. Discover how important addition and subtraction are and look at cell division with illustrated spreads designed to give readers fast, digestible facts that keep them engaged.

Presents information on chemicals and chemistry, providing instructions for relevant scientific experiments.

Step back into the recent past and discover the moments that defined the modern world. The century took off with the Wright brothers'' historic flight, then swung between two devastating world wars, while people''s revolutions around the globe shook up society and transformed politics. Discover how the Russian Revolution overthrew the tsars, the Cold War split Europe, suffragettes won the right for women to vote, Nelson Mandela became South Africa''s first black president, and more. Cool, illustrated maps show what was happening in different places at the same time, including milestones such as talking pictures and television, the moon landing, and the World Wide Web.

Climb into the cabs of the world''s fastest trucks. They may be big, but these machines can really move! Roar off in the three jet engines of the Shockwave—powered to 376 mph (605 km/h)! Ride in the Banks Sidewinder Dodge Dakota, which set a world record at 217 mph (349 km/h)! Go off-roading in the fastest off-road terrain conqueror, the Ford F-150 SVT Raptor. Colorful illustrations capture these swift, powerful beasts on the road and off, while interesting text features highlight jet propulsion, turbocharging, and great truck racers past and present.

How do planes stay in the air? What is vertical takeoff? How does a pilot control altitude in a hot-air balloon? Join the Stickmen to find out how mechanisms work. Get an insider''s view of these airborne wonders!

How Does Your Heart Beat? is a fantastic introduction to the incredible ways that our body keeps us alive. The respiratory, circulatory, and immune systems are explained through hilarious, colorful illustrations and an engaging question-and-answer format, designed to appeal to even the most reluctant readers. Packed with plenty of giggle-worthy gross bits, it''s a fun and accessible young guide to an important subject. Stuff kids want to know, that need an answer... How much blood is in your body? What are germs, and are they all baddies? What are boogers made of? Yuk! Find the answers to these questions and much more! Kids will love the hilarious illustrations. With so many fun facts to uncover, science has never been more fun!

The ancient birthplace of some of the world''s major religions and now a modern nuclear power, India is experiencing spectacular economic growth. In twenty-five years its population will overtake that of China, making it one of the most populous and rapidly-developing countries in the world. We all need to know more about this intriguing country. John Farndon explores the changing face of modern-day India and its fundamental contradictions. The country is leading the world in cutting edge technology and research, but it is also home to 40 per cent of the world''s malnourished children. It is a liberal democracy, yet its political processes are influenced by some of the most conservative religious ideas in the world. The booming economy is at times both global and archaic. Getting to the heart of these inconsistencies, Farndon gives a fascinating insight into the country as it is now and as it will be in the future, and reveals how the changes in India will affect us all.

The small format books in this series cover 1000 topics each, are suitable for family use and ideal for homework projects for Key Stages two and three.

It''s easy to take a pill when we aren''t feeling well. But did you know that the art of making medicines goes back thousands of years? Early remedies weren''t always so easy—or effective. Some seemed downright disgusting. Wine infused with a venomous snake was used to cure fatigue and hair loss. Snail slime soothed burns, and a mixture of ear wax and mud treated headaches. Discover more about how medicine was practiced centuries ago and how, eventually, scientists discovered some truly amazing remedies, from the magic bullet that treated syphilis to the insulin used for diabetes.

At the age of five, Takeshi joins the other youngsters in a samurai''s castle to train as a noble fighter. Join him in action as he fires arrows while riding on horseback and defeats three foes in bare-handed combat. Take on the samurai''s "way of the warrior" lifestyle and it will make you strong—but always remember that honor can be more important than life.

Provides information about eight different habitats around the world and the various animals that live in each.

A visual encyclopedia with 1000 facts thematically organised into nine sections: space, the Earth, the living world, human body, science and technology, transport, the world, people, society and history. There are time-lines and cross-referenced connected topics to support school study.

Using jargon-free language, this dictionary uses illustrations to help children discover the definition of a word or concept, how to use it in its correct context, and to see how scientific laws and principles work. There is also a who''s who of key figures and their discoveries, with cross-referencing used throughout.

Discusses the history of flight and suggest experiments to explore the subject.

This is a pocket-sized encyclopaedia that introduces everything the young, enquiring mind should want to know about the animals. Organized by theme, it contains step-by-step experiments, cross-reference boxes and a full index and glossary.