John Farndon

Being sick is horrible. But it used to be worse. Inside this book, you'll see evidence of the plagues of the past--rotting skin, dissolving lungs, and sinister swelling all over the body. Diseases like the Black Death wiped out whole towns and villages. Tuberculosis consumed young people like a bloodsucking vampire. And Smallpox left its victims scarred for life--if they survived. At the time, no one knew where these killer diseases came from or how to treat them. But eventually doctors discovered how these diseases and others were spread. Being sick isn't quite as sickening as it was in the past

"Highly detailed and methodologically sound, the book is a quality introduction to geology and to applying scientific principles in practical settings." --Booklist The ultimate identification guide to hundreds of rocks, minerals and gems. This is a definitive full color guide for young readers. It includes an introduction to rocks, minerals and gems and how they form, how and where to look for them, how to identify rocks and minerals, and everything there is to know about building a collection. Packed with fun facts and practical activities, the book features high-definition color photography and data keys that show noteworthy qualities of each specimen in extraordinary detail. Rocks, Minerals and Gems shows how to read the landscape for clues and identify different rock types -- from dazzling diamonds to grainy sandstone. It describes fascinating facts and data boxes provide short facts to help with quick identification. Earth's most precious rocks, minerals and gems can be anywhere and everywhere in the world -- from riverbeds to beaches, cliff faces to fields. The only equipment needed is a backpack, a smartphone and some good walking shoes -- and maybe a small bag to carry home the treasure.

Brilliant Birds As the true descendants of dinosaurs, birds are the great survivors, with acutely sharp senses and extraordinary memories. Crows not only use tools to extract insects from trees, but make them from leaves, while barn owls hunt by sound alone. Some birds can learn thousands of different sound combinations that they reproduce in song. The lyrebird is one of the leading bird mimics, giving concerts that may include the songs of 20 other bird species and man-made sounds he has heard a camera shutter, chainsaw or car alarm ¬ all to attract a partner ...

Motorcycles are made for speed--but some get there louder and faster than others You'll need your toughest gear to ride the turbo-charged MTT Turbine Superbike Y2K--perhaps the most powerful (and expensive) road bike ever. Blow past speeds of 200 mph (320 km/h) with the Kawasaki Ninja of the Night. Ride the world's fastest production motorcycle, the Suzuki Hayabusa, and hit 188 to 194 mph (303 to 312 km/h). Hang on tight as detailed illustrations take you on the road, around the track, and across salt flats on these powerful bikes. Get the latest facts on how they reach those extreme speeds--and stay on the road.

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

From the ever-curious mind that brought you the bestselling Do You Think You're Clever? comes a brand-new trip to the far reaches of the intellectual universe, courtesy of even more notoriously provocative Oxbridge interview questions. How would you poison someone without the police finding out? (Medicine, Cambridge)What makes a strong woman? (Theology, Oxford)Instead of politicians, why don't we let the managers of IKEA run the country? (Social and Political Sciences, Cambridge)How do you organise a successful revolution? (History, Oxford)Whether you're interested in going to Oxbridge or just want to give your brain a workout, join polymath John Farndon on another exhilarating journey through the twists and turns of thought, and explore just what it means to be genuinely clever - rather than just smart.

Motorcycles are made for speed—but some get there louder and faster than others! You'll need your toughest gear to ride the turbo-charged MTT Turbine Superbike Y2K—perhaps the most powerful (and expensive) road bike ever. Blow past speeds of 200 mph (320 km/h) with the Kawasaki Ninja of the Night. Ride the world's fastest production motorcycle, the Suzuki Hayabusa, and hit 188 to 194 mph (303 to 312 km/h). Hang on tight as detailed illustrations take you on the road, around the track, and across salt flats on these powerful bikes. Get the latest facts on how they reach those extreme speeds—and stay on the road.

Are you ready to take off with the world's fastest supersonic aircraft? Strap yourself in for a trip in the MiG-25 Foxbat interceptor and clock up to 2,100 mph (3,380 kmh/h)! Soar in the NAA X-15 rocket plane, which set a record of 4,520 mph (7,274 km/h) in 1967! Hop into the world's fastest jet, the NASA Hyper X-43 scramjet, but hang on—it has the potential to go 7,000 mph (11,265 km/h)! Detailed illustrations put you in the cockpits of these mighty, streaking aircraft, while bite-sized facts explain how they work, their pilots' daring risks, and the thrill of supersonic flight.

Monster Trucks See the world from the cab of a Shockwave powered by three jet engines, it is the world s fastest truck the Banks Sidewinder Dodge Dakota, the Dodge Ram SRT10 pick-up and more. They can even race and leap! Megafast - These four books bring together the top 40 fastest machines ever invented, with statistics on maximum speeds, facts about engineering and anecdotes about the journey from factory to road, race track or air. A dynamic way to discover how powerful vehicles and their drivers work together...

How was the Universe created? Is the sun a star? Is there life beyond planet Earth? Discover the answers to all your galactic questions in the fascinating new series Exploring the Universe.

How was the Universe created? Is the sun a star? Is there life beyond planet Earth? Discover the answers to all your galactic questions in the fascinating new series Exploring the Universe.

From the ever-curious mind that brought you the bestselling Do You Think You're Clever? comes a brand-new trip to the far reaches of the intellectual universe, courtesy of even more notoriously provocative Oxbridge interview questions. How would you poison someone without the police finding out? (Medicine, Cambridge) What makes a strong woman? (Theology, Oxford) Instead of politicians, why don't we let the managers of IKEA run the country? (Social and Political Sciences, Cambridge) How do you organise a successful revolution? (History, Oxford) Whether you're interested in going to Oxbridge or just want to give your brain a workout, join polymath John Farndon on another exhilarating journey through the twists and turns of thought, and explore just what it means to be genuinely clever - rather than just smart.

The dramatic lives and conflicts of the world's strangest creatures are shown in 1500 amazing close-up photographs. It is a fascinating guide to the hidden world of snakes, crocodiles, alligators, lizards, turtles, spiders, beetles, bugs, butterflies, moths, bees and ants. More than 1500 fabulous wildlife photographs and illustrations provide a stunning close-up view of survival in the wild. Exciting and accessible information provides an insight into every aspect of reptile and insect life. 'Did You Know' spotlights reveal amazing-but-true facts: for example, some crocodiles can live up to 100 years. It is an ideal reference book for 8- to 12-year-olds for school and home study, and a superb family encyclopedia. It is written by a team of experts: Barbara Taylor, Dr Jen Green, John Farndon and Mark O'Shea. From poisonous snakes and fearsome alligators to delicate butterflies and industrious honey bees, this guide captures the world of reptiles and insects from all over the globe. It examines life cycles, how the bodies work, habitat, ancestors and conservation. Did you know that some species of ant can lift up to 50 times their own weight? Close-up photos and expert cross-section diagrams reveal anatomical secrets. The text sets out the link between animals and their environment, bringing the subject to life with stunning photography, informative diagrams and lively text. This book makes learning about natural history exciting and accessible.

This title includes expert analysis of the key rock-forming environments of the world, plus full advice on identifying rock types and building a spectacular collection. It features more than 375 beautifully shot photographs and concise artworks. It categorizes rocks in family groups according to their composition, to enable the reader to gauge shared characteristics and distinguish between similar types. It explains how rocks form and the geological processes at work in the environment, including mountain-building, volcanic activity, plate tectonics and metamorphism. Simple identification techniques let amateurs classify rocks by quick and easy tests and comparisons. This is the ultimate photographic guide to all types of rock, an essential reference book for even the most experienced geologist, with many tips on sourcing rocks in the field and identifying collected specimens. The first part of the book will give amateurs and enthusiasts a thorough grounding in how rocks are made. The second part is a photographic directory of 150 different rocks, grouped by major categories and composition. It covers such ancient rocks as greenstone, rare rocks like eclogite, pegmatites - prized for their beauty - and much more. Practical information and checklists to aid classification make this the perfect fieldbook.

A vibrant journey through the Earth's oceans and a timely, important treatise on what must be done to save them A tragedy is playing out beneath the surface of the world's bodies of marine waters, one that began long before the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Although many books have explored the environmental problems being faced on land, Atlas of Oceans is the first book for a general audience that examines how creatures of the marine environment are if anything more vulnerable than their land-based counterparts. Readers are introduced to the dazzling, diverse array of creatures that inhabit the oceans and seas, and to the nature of the problems they face. Special features focus on the threats to particular animals, plants, and habitats, as well as on specific issues like overfishing, global warming, and pollution. The book also includes success stories, recommendations for what can be done to preserve ocean ecosystems, and a complete rundown of the most endangered species of marine life. Beautifully illustrated, packed with maps and diagrams, and containing up-to-the-minute data on the status of endangered marine species, Atlas of Oceans is a celebration of Earth's vibrant and awe-inspiring oceans and seas and an urgent call to action to protect one of our planet's most vital resources.

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.

With a population of 1¼ billion people and the world's second largest economy, China is fast becoming one of the most powerful and important countries in the world. But while it is one of the world's oldest civilisations, China refuses to conform to expectations. The country's controversial policies, ranging from the one child policy to the repression of opposition groups, have placed it at odds with other world powers, and yet its influence in the world is growing ever stronger. We all need to know more about this fascinating country. John Farndon explores the changing face of modern China and its fundamental contradictions, as a communist state where business is booming, as a nation that continues to support North Korea even as it develops its relationships with the West. Getting to the heart of these and other inconsistencies, Farndon gives a fascinating introduction to the country as it is now and as it will be in the future, revealing how China's changing face will affect us all.