Most Popular Books by John Farndon

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.

Every single thing and person consists of elements, and this informative series will help young readers understand just how important the elements are and what role they play in the science of chemistry. Enhanced by easy-to-follow diagrams and full-color illustrations, the text explains how elements behave, their individual characteristics and their importance in everyday life. In addition to informative "fact boxes, " each volume also contains "Did You Know" features which explore topics such as why carbon makes soft drinks fizz. A wonderfully balanced combination of color photographs, paintings and drawings enhance the text and assist in learning about each element.

This book introduces the fields of astronomy, science, natural history, geography, the earth sciences, history, botany and human biology.

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.

This book, divided into one hundred illustrated topic panels, presents information on aardvarks to zebras.

Text and illustrations examine galaxies, stars, planets, telescopes, rockets, and more.

"Illustrated spreads designed to engage young readers and keep them captivated as they learn accessible, fun facts."--

"How do termites build their extraordinary cities? How high can a flea jump? And how do hunting wasps use pebbles? Meet some unusual insects and learn about their unique survival skills"--

"Explore the devastation left behind by fires and floods though these dramatic stories. Clear text emphasizes scientific efforts to better understand how to prepare for and prevent fires and floods, while appropriately high-impact visuals keep readers engaged"--Provided by publsher.

Presents an introduction to the solar system and provides information on the Sun, its planets, and their moons.

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!

Presents information on how to get energy from food and what happens along in the digestive system.

How did the Universe begin? Who first measured the distance to a star? What is the mysterious force called dark energy? This title tells the amazing story of astronomy, from the ancient belief that all the planets revolve around Earth to the latest discoveries about how fast the universe is expanding.

From skyscrapers to jet aircraft, from mobile phones to computers, the products of modern science surround us on all sides. Perhaps the most significant product of science, however, is not the microwave, or the space station or the widescreen TV; it is the scientific method itself. Those societies that have actively embraced this method have flourished. The men and women who appear in The Great Scientists haver all excelled in their chosen field of science; some have excelled across a range of scientific areas, while still others can, with some justification, claim to be the founders of their own disciplines. The road into the light of reason has not always been an easy one: skepticism, mockery, threats and worse have often been the lot of the experimental scientist who has dared to challenge the accepted ''truths''. Yet they have persevered, and in doing so have provided a shining example for the rest of humanity. The great scientists have burned, in Bertrand Russell''s telling phrase, ''with all the noonday brightness of human genius''. The Great Scientists tells their story."

Describes how scientists investigate the physical phenomenon of light.

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

From the extraordinary distance our food can travel to reach our tables to the remarkable benefits of eating avocados, John Farndon shows the amazing, often shocking, truth behind the food we eat. Covering everything from the big businesses that control food production around the world to the dangers of food dyes, this book reveals the complex facts behind the simplest of meals.

In Touch with Nature provides exciting introductions to the amazing world of nature, built around hands-on experiments, observations, and projects. The series helps children to find out about the natural world in a way that no amount of reading alone could match.Each book in the series provides a fascinating way into a particular aspect of nature, from mammals to flowering plants. Lively, concise explanatory pages are interwoven with a series of safe, practical activities for children carry out in the home or close by. Specially commissioned photographic sequences and step-by-step instructions how clearly how to perform each activity.

Sections on geography, geology, meteorology and ecology explain the workings of our planet.

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!

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

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

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!

This series explains the development of some major 21st century scientific advances. This book tells the amazing story of transplant surgery form Ancient India to modern facial reconstruction.

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

Describes what life was like in the age of pirates, including life onboard a pirate ship, swordfighting, pillaging, and pirate punishments.

Describes the training involved in becoming an Aztec priest, including schooling in literacy, discipline, combat, and ritual, and provides information on Aztec city life, religion, food, and games. --Publisher.

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.

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.

"Each spread of this high-energy book profiles a different monster truck and delves into records it has broken, races it has won, and other amazing feats related to its speed."--Provided by publisher.

"The dubious history of doctors"--Cover.

Describes the development of ancient civilization, from the Stone Age and the first Mesopotamian cities to the vast empires of China, the Mayans, and Rome.

"Discover the wave of invention and the destruction from recent wars that shaped the world of today. Engaging illustrations, maps, and a continuous timeline detail important events and inventions and the changes they created from 1900 to the millennium"--

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.