Hardback
Condition: New
This beautifully illustrated pop science book which answers the enduring questions raised by science fiction, such as " Do hoverboards really exist?" , " How can you bring a dinosaur back to life?" and " Can we really travel in time and space?"Packed with stunning images, including 75 illustrations created exclusively for this book, Blueprint for a Battlestar takes twenty-five remarkable and memorable technologies from the world of sci-fi, from Star Wars and The Matrix to Ironman and The Terminator. Each concept will be explained and dissected to reveal the real science behind it. Some are boldly obvious - such as the Death Star and exoskeletons - and some less so (think bio-ports or cloaking devices). All are fascinating and will make wonderful explorations into the science of the future as we understand it today.
Hardback
Condition: New
From the earliest-known elements to those named in 2016, this book takes a comprehensive look at the development of the periodic table - and reveals untold stories, unsung pioneers and plenty of fascinating science along the way.In twelve illustrated chapters, the book makes sense of the patterns and groups within the periodic table, introducing each of the 118 known elements individually and exploring questions including:- Why did the history of fizzy water give early chemistry a sparkle?- How did hydrogen reveal the structure of the atom?- What was the Bunsen burner's role in discovering new elements?- Which of the alkaline earth metals accounts for a kilogramme of your weight?- Why is Marie Curie such a scientific star?- How do tungsten and vanadium explain the secret of super-sharp Syrian swords?- Who discovered the most elements in the periodic table?- What made nihonium, element 113, such a wonderful new year's gift for Japan?- Is glass a liquid or a solid?- How did nitrogen fulfill the alchemists' dream?- Would you have smeared antimony on your face if you'd lived in ancient Egypt?- Why might naked mole rats have clues for surviving a heart attack?- How did the Haya people of Tanzania make steel 1500 years ago?- What makes xenon a great anaesthetic - and why can't all patients use it?- Might there be a pattern in yet undiscovered elements beyond number 118?