A chronicle of snow crystal creation from the Caltech physicist known as the world's leading snowflake expert and consultant for the movie Frozen.Snowflakes may be an everyday, common subject, but you've never seen them like this! A collection of amazing photography of snow crystals using a unique system designed to take super-detailed micro images of these miniature ice masterpieces, The Snowflake is an extraordinary look at a seemingly ordinary o...

The perfect geometry and exquisite beauty of nature is nowhere so clear to us as in the snowflake. But how have we been able to appreciate this infinitesimal wonder in all its crystalline glory? This book, as much a work of art as a testament to science, reveals how one of the snowflake's most inspired photographers came to such intimate knowledge of his craft and its fleeting focus. Beautiful pictures illustrate Kenneth Libbrecht's story of the microphotography of snow crystals, from the ...

A cute giftbook packed with glorious color microphotography of real snow crystals by Dr. Snow—Caltech physicist Kenneth Libbrecht. His photos of snowflakes have appeared in National Geographic, the New York Times, and on Martha Stewart’s TV show, as well as numerous other places. This thick “cube” book is packed with a blizzard’s worth of amazing images as well as literary quotes on the beauty of snow.

Leah Elson draws upon her wildly popular web series, 60 Seconds of Science, in this highly entertaining and visually appealing giftable book of real-world scientific questions and answers.How does DNA work?Does chicken noodle soup actually help with being sick?When cats purr, what is actually making the noise?Does singing to plants really help them grow?Is it possible to clone a woolly mammoth?In the vein of Randall Munr...

A study of how doctors and surgeons treated the brutal injuries and illnesses suffered by medieval combatants.Soldiers of the Middle Ages faced razor-sharp swords and axes that could slice through flesh with gruesome ease, while spears and arrows were made to puncture both armor and the wearer, and even more sinister means of causing harm produced burns and crush injuries. These casualties of war during the 500-year period between the ninth and thirteenth centuries...

The timeless stories of Greek mythology come to life in these reimagined tales written in the voices of Zeus, Oedipus, Odysseus, and many others.Though the gods are featured prominently in Greek mythology, there is nothing sacred about it. Anyone is free to bring their own interpretation to these stories, just as Homer, Sophocles, and Euripides did centuries ago. In this volume, classicist and author Robert Garland presents nearly forty Greek legends as told by the ...

"Addresses an important topic for biologists and zoologists about vertebrates' place in the 'grand scheme' . . . genuinely witty and charming . . . magnificent." —Neil J. Gostling, University of SouthamptonOur understanding of vertebrate origins and the backbone of human history evolves with each new fossil find and DNA map. Many species have now had their genomes sequenced, and molecular techniques allow genetic inspection of even non-model organisms. But as longti...

A journey to forty-five unexpected destinations near and far, with quirky histories, beautiful maps, and evocative photography: "First-class armchair travel." — South China Morning PostA New Statesman Best Book of the YearTake an armchair voyage to places both infamous and unknown that have, often by chance or by haphazard means, been destinations of discovery that shaped our world. Set foot on the aptly named Just Enough Room Isla...

Star charts, step-by-step projects, photos, and more: " The Total Skywatcher's Manual is a fun book, but more importantly, it's a useful book." — Sky & TelescopeWith fully illustrated star charts, gorgeous astrophotography, and step-by-step project instruction, this is the only guide you need to navigate the night (and day) sky. Learn about the phases of the moon, how to conduct your own deep-sky observations, how the universe is expanding, our sea...

A 2021 Mathical Honor Book: "One of the best math teachers on the planet. His book is as buoyant, open-hearted, and energetic as he is." —Steven Strogatz, New York Times–bestselling author of Infinite Powers: How Calculus Reveals the Secrets of the UniverseWhy aren't left-handers extinct? What makes a rainbow round? How is a pancreas like a pendulum? These may not look like math questions, but they are—because they all have to do with patterns. And...

The authors of Ice Age "present a well-documented argument that [Newton] owed more to the ideas of others than he admitted" ( Kirkus Reviews).Robert Hooke and Edmond Halley, whose place in history has been overshadowed by the giant figure of Newton, were pioneering scientists within their own right, and instrumental in establishing the Royal Society.Although Newton is widely regarded as one of the greatest scientists of all time and the fa...

An "absorbing" look at how our species evolved, from the curator of human evolution at the American Museum of Natural History ( Kirkus Reviews).What makes us so different from those other animals? How did we get this way? How do we know? And what exactly are we? These questions are what make human evolution a subject of general fascination. Ian Tattersall, one of those rare scientists who is also a graceful writer, addresses them in this delightful book.