Science, with its inherent tension between the known and the unknown, is an inexhaustible mine of great stories. Collected here are twenty-six among the most enchanting tales, one for each letter of the alphabet: the main characters are scientists of the highest caliber most of whom, however, are unknown to the general public. This book goes from A to Z. The letter A stands for Abel, the great Norwegian mathematician, here involved in an elliptic thriller about a fundamental theorem of mathematics, while the letter Z refers to Absolute Zero, the ultimate and lowest temperature limit, - 273,15 degrees Celsius, a value that is tremendously cooler than the most remote corner of the Universe: the race to reach this final outpost of coldness is not yet complete, but, similarly to the history books of polar explorations at the beginning of the 20th century, its pages record successes, failures, fierce rivalries and tragic desperations. In between the A and the Z, the other letters of the alphabet are similar to the various stages of a very fascinating journey along the paths of science, a journey in the company of a very unique set of characters as eccentric and peculiar as those in Ulysses by James Joyce: the French astronomer who lost everything, even his mind, to chase the transits of Venus; the caustic Austrian scientist who, perfectly at ease with both the laws of psychoanalysis and quantum mechanics, revealed the hidden secrets of dreams and the periodic table of chemical elements; the young Indian astrophysicist who was the first to understand how a star dies, suffering the ferocious opposition of his mentor for this discovery. Or the Hungarian physicist who struggled with his melancholy in the shadows of the desert of Los Alamos; or the French scholar who was forced to hide her femininity behind a false identity so as to publish fundamental theorems on prime numbers. And so on and so forth. Twenty-six stories, which reveal the most authentic atmosphere of science and the lives of some of its main players: each story can be read in quite a short period of time -- basically the time it takes to get on and off the train between two metro stations. Largely independent from one another, these twenty-six stories make the book a harmonious polyphony of several voices: the reader can invent his/her own very personal order for the chapters simply by ordering the sequence of letters differently. For an elementary law of Mathematics, this can give rise to an astronomically large number of possible books -- all the same, but - then again - all different. This book is therefore the ideal companion for an infinite number of real or metaphoric journeys.

Fans of Chris Ferrie's ABCs of Space, ABCs of Physics, and General Relativity for Babies will love this introduction to science for babies and toddlers! It only takes a small spark to ignite a child's mind. This alphabetical installment of the Baby University baby board book series is the perfect introduction to science for infants and toddlers. It makes a wonderful science baby gift for even the youngest scientist. Give the gift of learning to your little one at birthdays, baby showers, holidays, and beyond! A is for Amoeba B is for Bond C is for Conductor From amoeba to zygote, ABCs of Science is a colorfully simple introduction for babies—and grownups—to a new science concept for every letter of the alphabet. Written by an expert, each page in this baby and toddler science book features multiple levels of text so the book grows along with your little scientist. If you're looking for the perfect STEAM book for teachers or science toys for babies, look no further! ABCs of Science offers fun early learning for your little scientist!

ABC learning through the power of S.T.E.A.M. for ages 0 to 3 Give your little scientist a jump-start with this fun, inspiring way to master their ABCs. From astronaut to zoologist, ABC Science Book introduces young children, up to age 3, to basic scientific concepts and careers with each letter of the alphabet. This S.T.E.A.M.-themed ABC book for kids features: Levels of discovery—Explore a tiered learning approach that grows with your child; focus first on letters, then on words, and then on understanding concepts. Colorful images—Rich and vibrant illustrations add to the learning and keep your child engaged. Full S.T.E.A.M. ahead—Encourage a lifelong love of learning with all the books in the S.T.E.A.M. Baby series. ABC Science Book makes learning the alphabet a fun, exciting adventure for any toddler.

This alphabetical installment of the Baby University series is the perfect introduction for even the youngest physicists! A is for Atom B is for Black Hole C is for Charge From atom to zero-point energy, The ABCs of Physics is a colorfully simple introduction for babies—and grownups—to a new physics concept for every letter of the alphabet. Written by an expert, each page in this physics primer features multiple levels of text so the book grows along with your little scientist. Also in the Baby University Series: ABCs of Science ABCs of Mathematics Rocket Science for Babies Baby University: It only takes a small spark to ignite a child's mind.

Fans of Chris Ferrie's ABCs of Science, ABCs of Space, and Rocket Science for Babies will love this introduction to biology for babies and toddlers! This alphabetical installment of the Baby University baby board book series is the perfect introduction to science for infants and toddlers. It makes a wonderful science baby gift for even the youngest biologist. Give the gift of learning to your little one at birthdays, baby showers, holidays, and beyond! A is for Anatomy B is for Bacteria C is for Cell From anatomy to zoology, the ABCs of Biology is a colorfully simple introduction to STEM for babies and toddlers to a new biology concept for every letter of the alphabet. Written by two experts, each page in this biology primer features multiple levels of text so the book grows along with your little biologist. If you're looking for the perfect science toys for babies, STEAM books for teachers, or a wonderful baby board book to add to a special baby gift basket, look no further! ABCs of Biology offers fun early learning for your little scientist!

Fans of Chris Ferrie's ABCs of Biology, ABCs of Space, and ABCs of Physics will love this introduction to engineering for babies and toddlers! This alphabetical installment of the Baby University baby board book series is the perfect introduction to science for infants and toddlers. It makes a wonderful science baby gift for even the youngest engineer. Give the gift of learning to your little one at birthdays, baby showers, holidays, and beyond! A is for Amplifier B is for Battery C is for Carnot Engine From amplifier to zoning, the ABCs of Engineering is a colorfully simple introduction to STEM for babies and toddlers to a new engineering concept for every letter of the alphabet. Written by two experts, each page in this engineering primer features multiple levels of text so the book grows along with your little engineer. If you're looking for the perfect STEAM book for teachers, science toys for babies, or engineer toys for kids, look no further! ABCs of Engineering offers fun early learning for your little scientist!

What clutter-busting need was behind the invention of the World Wide Web? Which stain-fighting chemical got its start when a lab assistant dropped a beaker on a lab floor? In S is for Scientists: A Discovery Alphabet, the origins behind some of the most important scientific discoveries are explored. Budding young scientists will learn what Galileo witnessed in a church that led to his theory of measurement; how biologist Rachel Carson's book, Silent Spring, helped to spur the first call to action in the environmental movement; and why Ivan Pavlov's study of a drooling dog laid the foundations for a new branch of psychology. From discoveries that fundamentally changed scientific methods to everyday inventions that are now taken for granted, S is for Scientists sheds light on the events and people who have shaped our lives today. A former teacher, Larry Verstraete now spends his time writing, visiting schools and libraries, and presenting at conferences and festivals. S is for Scientists: A Discovery Alphabet is his second picture book with Sleeping Bear Press. He lives in Winnipeg. David Geister's fascination with American history is celebrated in his work, and his paintings have been featured in The Saturday Evening Post. Dave's books for Sleeping Bear Press include B is for Battle Cry: A Civil War Alphabet and Riding to Washington. He lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota.