A beautifully illustrated volume, this almanac serves as an invaluable companion for those who have an insatiable curiosity about the world around them. Entertaining and engrossing, this book can be used as a learning tool, a reference book, or as a fun "read." From prehistoric excavations to the invention of the X ray to the discoveries of the Hubble Space Telescope, each entry may surprise, provoke, and titillate you. Explore the wonders of science, invention, and medicine. Learn the important birthdays and dates of invention, as well as some captivating lesser-known stories behind such great names as Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein, Alexander Graham Bell, Thomas Edison, Marie Curie, Louis Leakey, Neil Armstrong, and many more.

Technology pervades our daily lives and modern society, and not just when it comes to computers and smart phones. Before there was the computer, there was the abacus. Before the smart phone, there was the telegraph and ball point pen. Electricity, penicillin, and the compass have all led to revolutionary changes in how we live. The Handy Technology Answer Book explains how technology has revolutionized the way people live, work, and play. It covers a broad range of fields, including medicine, mining, buildings, transportation, the military, and agriculture, and how they have been changed by technology. From the relationship between science and technology to nanotechnology, robots, and predictions for future technology, The Handy Technology Answer Book presents the latest and historical in an engaging and informative format. It brings well-researched answers to more than 1,100 common questions on technology, such as What are the major time periods of technology? Who is considered to be the first engineer? Which individual was granted the most U.S. patents? What is a Uniform Resource Locator, or URL? What products are made from recycled plastic? Can human beings be cloned? What is the future of wearable technology in health care?

Neuroscience in small bits for the brain-curious. From magazine covers to Hollywood blockbusters, neuroscience is front and center. This popular interest has inspired many questions from people who wonder just what is going on in the three pounds of tissue between their ears. In Brain Bytes, neuroscience educators Eric Chudler and Lise Johnson get right to it, asking and answering more than one hundred questions about the brain. Questions include: Does size matter (do humans have the largest brains)? Can foods make people smarter? Does surfing online kill brain cells? Why do we dream? Why can’t I tickle myself? Why do cats like catnip? Why do we yawn and why are yawns contagious? What can I do to keep my brain healthy? Whether you are interested in serious topics like the history of neuroscience or practical topics like brain health or fun topics like popular culture, this book is sure to provide your brain with some piece of information it didn’t have before.

This book lists the work and contributions of thousands of people from many countries, representing numerous fields of endeavor, over many centuries. This work contains the necrologies (names, dates, and a brief biography) up to the year 2000 of people involved in engineering and invention literature. This book is a must for reference collections and those in the media who cover the field of engineering advancement.

The only source that focuses exclusively on engineering and technology, this important guide maps the dynamic and changing field of information sources published for engineers in recent years. Lord highlights basic perspectives, access tools, and English-language resources—directories, encyclopedias, yearbooks, dictionaries, databases, indexes, libraries, buyer's guides, Internet resources, and more. Substantial emphasis is placed on digital resources. The author also discusses how engineers and scientists use information, the culture and generation of scientific information, different types of engineering information, and the tools and resources you need to locate and access that material. Other sections describe regulations, standards and specifications, government resources, professional and trade associations, and education and career resources. Engineers, scientists, librarians, and other information professionals working with engineering and technology information will welcome this research