New Releases by John Farndon

Where would humanity be now without fire, vaccinations, farming ... or wine? A great idea is one that has changed the path of human civilisation. But which is the greatest of them all? John Farndon, author of the bestselling Do You Think You''re Clever?, has set out to find the answer. A distinguished panel of experts agreed on a list of 50 ideas, and each chapter of The World''s Greatest Idea sees Farndon explore the argument for a different one. The candidates are intriguingly varied: Electricity grids enable us to power our cities, but then sewers allowed those cities to grow. Without the wheel, modern civilisation would be pretty much impossible, but take away Logic and we''d lose the essential structures for rational thought ... But then what would be the point of all of this without the idea of romance? The World''s Greatest Idea is an enthralling voyage of discovery through the most powerful intellectual, social, scientific and creative brainwaves humans have ever had. They are ranked in the book determined by a public vote on www.theworldsgreatestidea.com But will you agree with the verdict?

With a population of 11⁄4 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.

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.

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

"Explores and explains physics concepts--including energy, motion, simple machines, gravity, flight, electricity, and magnetism--and provides experiments to aid in understanding physics"--Provided by publisher.

This book examines the structure of Earth and how earthquakes happen, highlighting how science helps prediction and being prepared.

Describes how scientists investigate the physical phenomenon of light.

Traces the history of modern astronomy and examines some of its important concepts.

The books in this series look at the history of scientific development. This book looks at the history of transplant surgery.

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.

A bird flu pandemic is inevitable—so we are told. First identified in China, this apparently merciless virus, which originated in chickens, has the potential to mutate and kill thousands, even millions of people. John Farndon offers a compact, one-stop read that tells it straight. The public doesn’t want to spend months doing research, and Bird Flu provides readers with all the necessary information. This is something that can’t be pushed aside and ignored––people really do need to know if there is anything to fear, and if so, what can they do about it.

"How did the Earth begin? How does a Venus fly-trap catch prey? Why did dinosaurs become extinct? You''ll find the answers to these and over 1000 other intriguing questions inside this . . book."--Cover [p 4]

Discusses the physical characteristics, feeding habits, behavior, habitats, and life cycles of spiders and insects, including butterflies, moths, and beetles.

Describes the discovery, versatility and other special characteristics, various uses, and affect on the human body of this most common metal in the world.

How Science Works is a series that explains clearly how a number of devices and machines work. Key principles are explained before showing how they are put to use in a practical way by designers.

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

These DK books are a convenient, affordable source of information that fits perfectly in a knapsack or a briefcase or as ready reference on a desk. The DK Concise Encyclopedia is an illustrated guide to the world around us and the DK Dictionary/Thesaurus offers definitions plus synonyms for thousands of words. For those interested in foreign languages, DK Spanish Dictionary and DK French Dictionary offer a world of homework and conversational help!

Discusses such elements of weather as clouds, wet air, frost, ice, wind, and air pressure. Includes some projects.

"A warrior I have been. Now, it is all over. A hard time I have had." With these words, Sitting Bull surrendered to the U.S. government on July 20, 1881. Sitting Bull spent most of his life trying to protect his people. A proud father and brave warrior, Sitting Bull wanted the Lakota Sioux to continue hunting buffalo and roaming the Plains. Although he lost this battle, Sitting Bull is remembered for his brave actions and notable accomplishments. In this new biography of Sitting Bull, kids will marvel at the man who lived a life full of adventure and who was noted for his courage.