Aliens. Ley lines. Water dowsing. Conspiracies and myths captivate imaginations and promise mystery and magic. Whether it's arguing about the moon landing hoax or a Frisbee-like Earth drifting through space, when held up to science and critical thinking, these ideas fall flat. In Weird Earth: Debunking Strange Ideas About Our Planet, Donald R. Prothero demystifies these conspiracies and offers answers to some of humanity's most outlandish questions....

Get the Summary of Toby Ord's The Precipice in 20 minutes. Please note: This is a summary & not the original book. Original book introduction: If all goes well, human history is just beginning. Our species could survive for billions of years-enough time to end disease, poverty, and injustice, and to flourish in ways unimaginable today. But this vast future is at risk. With the advent of nuclear weapons, humanity entered a new age, where we face existential...

In this book, readers will learn how 130 of the more than 3,000 minerals that exist form gemstones. Vibrant, full-color photos and carefully leveled text will engage readers as they learn more about how gemstones are formed and the qualities for which they are prized. Infographics aid understanding, and an activity offers readers an opportunity to extend discovery. Children can learn more about gemstones using our safe search engine that provides...

Get the Summary of Ed Conway's Material World in 20 minutes. Please note: This is a summary & not the original book. Original book introduction: The fiber-optic cables that weave the World Wide Web, the copper veins of our electric grids, the silicon chips and lithium batteries that power our phones and cars: though it can feel like we now live in a weightless world of information-what Ed Conway calls "the ethereal world"-our twenty-first-century...

"From cell phones to toothpaste, minerals are everywhere. But what do you really know about minerals? Dig underground to see how we get minerals from rocks. Explore some of the most beautiful, rare minerals. Then, look at streets, jewelry, food, and more to see how we use minerals in our everyday lives. It's key Earth science curriculum made approachable for all!"--

Discusses the nature, causes, and dangers of tornadoes, tornadoes of the past and way to survive them.

Discusses the nature, causes, and dangers of blizzards, blizzards of the past and way to survive them.

Explains how the water cycle leads to different types of weather patterns.

Trying to breeze through weather and climate facts just might cause a brain freeze! You're showered with details about extreme temperatures (Earth's record high is 134°F and record low is -129°F), crazy heights (our atmosphere extends 6,200 miles above Earth), and even huger mysteries (how predictions in weather and climate work). How can all these big numbers and concepts make more sense? Infographics! The charts, maps, and illustrations in this...