John Farndon – författare

This is an accessible and exciting illustrated reference book that the whole family will enjoy using.

A fascinating guide to the hidden world of snakes, crocodiles, alligators, lizards, turtles, spiders, beetles, bugs, butterflies, moths, bees and ants. More than 1500 fabulous wildlife photographs and illustrations provide a stunning close-up view of survival in the wild. Exciting and accessible information provides an insight into every aspect of reptile and insect life and behaviour

This title includes expert analysis of the key rock-forming environments of the world, plus full advice on identifying rock types and building a spectacular collection. It features more than 375 beautifully shot photographs and concise artworks. It categorizes rocks in family groups according to their composition, to enable the reader to gauge shared characteristics and distinguish between similar types. It explains how rocks form and the geological processes at work in the environment, including mountain-building, volcanic activity, plate tectonics and metamorphism. Simple identification techniques let amateurs classify rocks by quick and easy tests and comparisons. This is the ultimate photographic guide to all types of rock, an essential reference book for even the most experienced geologist, with many tips on sourcing rocks in the field and identifying collected specimens. The first part of the book will give amateurs and enthusiasts a thorough grounding in how rocks are made. The second part is a photographic directory of 150 different rocks, grouped by major categories and composition.It covers such ancient rocks as greenstone, rare rocks like eclogite, pegmatites - prized for their beauty - and much more. Practical information and checklists to aid classification make this the perfect fieldbook.

This is the ultimate photographic guide to the world of rocks and minerals, as well as how to build your own collection. An extensive introduction section describes the impact of factors such as time, weather and water erosion on the development of these substances, and the part played by natural phenomena such as volcanoes and earthquakes. Specimens are grouped according to their chemical composition and characteristics, and all entries include quick-reference identification checklists to aid recognition. A scientific introduction looks at the origins of these materials and their impact on the landscape, with examples of striking natural formations and explanatory diagrams. The amateur geologist is shown how to identify specimens by their appearance, texture, hardness, and density, as well as how to extract samples safely, how to clean and store rocks and minerals, and build and present their own collection. Featuring over 800 images, this book is a classic illustrated encyclopedia and field guide on an endlessly fascinating and richly consuming subject.

Out of print. See isbn 9780754834427 for the updated new hardback edition. The ultimate photographic guide to the world of rocks and minerals, explaining their formation and classification, and instructing the amateur geologist on how to identify, extract and home-test samples safely.

An essential reference book for amateur geologists and palaeontologists, revealing how rocks and fossils form, sites and habitats, classification and a visual directory. Features over 1200 photographs for easy identification, plus more than 800 artworks.

Buckle up and explore some of the fastest superbikes ever made! From superbikes fighting each other to become the world’s fastest to unbelievable bikes fitted with jet engines, Spotlight on Superbikes is packed with awesome speed machines that have broken records around the world. Each bike is accompanied by an awesome stats “dashboard” revealing insights including its max speed and engine power. Full to the brim with fantastic, true-to-life illustrations, facts about engineering, the journey from factory to road or racetrack, and iconic races, speed-lovers will find themselves entertained for hours with this dynamic book in the Built for Speed series.

Buckle up and explore some of the most impressive planes ever made! From planes defying the speed of sound to those launched into mid-air by rockets, Spotlight on Smart Planes is packed with awesome speed machines that have broken records around the world. Each plane is accompanied by an awesome stats “dashboard” revealing insights including its max speed and altitude. Full to the brim with fantastic, true-to-life illustrations, facts about engineering, the journey from factory to liftoff and beyond, and iconic sky races, speed-lovers will find themselves entertained for hours with this dynamic book in the Built for Speed series.

Buckle up and explore some of the fastest supercars ever made! From cars battling to break the land-speed record to cars so powerful they shoot out flames, Spotlight on Fast Cars is packed with awesome vehicles that have redefined what’s possible in engineering. Each car is accompanied by an awesome stats “dashboard” revealing insights including its max speed and engine power. Packed with fantastic, true-to-life illustrations, facts about vehicles and how engines work, the journey from factory to road or racetrack, and iconic races, speed-lovers will find themselves entertained for hours with this dynamic book in the Built for Speed series.

Buckle up and explore some of the fastest trucks ever made! From superpowered monster trucks performing stunts to a truck that races faster than a jet plane, Spotlight on Mega Trucks is packed with awesome speed machines that have broken records around the world. Each truck is accompanied by an awesome stats “dashboard” revealing insights including its max speed and engine power. Full to the brim with fantastic, true-to-life illustrations, facts about engineering, the journey from factory to road or racetrack, and iconic races, speed-lovers will find themselves entertained for hours with this dynamic book in the Built for Speed series.

The dramatic lives and conflicts of the world's strangest creatures are shown in 1500 amazing close-up photographs. It is a fascinating guide to the hidden world of snakes, crocodiles, alligators, lizards, turtles, spiders, beetles, bugs, butterflies, moths, bees and ants. More than 1500 fabulous wildlife photographs and illustrations provide a stunning close-up view of survival in the wild. Exciting and accessible information provides an insight into every aspect of reptile and insect life. 'Did You Know' spotlights reveal amazing-but-true facts: for example, some crocodiles can live up to 100 years. It is an ideal reference book for 8- to 12-year-olds for school and home study, and a superb family encyclopedia. It is written by a team of experts: Barbara Taylor, Dr Jen Green, John Farndon and Mark O'Shea. From poisonous snakes and fearsome alligators to delicate butterflies and industrious honey bees, this guide captures the world of reptiles and insects from all over the globe. It examines life cycles, how the bodies work, habitat, ancestors and conservation. Did you know that some species of ant can lift up to 50 times their own weight?Close-up photos and expert cross-section diagrams reveal anatomical secrets. The text sets out the link between animals and their environment, bringing the subject to life with stunning photography, informative diagrams and lively text. This book makes learning about natural history exciting and accessible.

What happens if I drop an ant?What books are bad for you?What percentage of the world's water is contained in a cow?The Oxbridge undergraduate interviews are infamous for their unique ways of assessing candidates, and from these peculiar enquiries, professors can tell just how smart you really are. John Farndon has collected together 75 of the most intriguing questions taken from actual admission interviews and gives full answers to each, taking the reader through the fascinating histories, philosophies, sciences and arts that underlie each problem.This is a book for everyone who likes to think they're clever, or who thinks they'd like to be clever. And cleverness is not just knowing stuff, it's how laterally, deeply and interestingly you can bend your brain. Guesstimating the population of Croydon, for example, opens a chain of thought from which you can predict the strength of a nuclear bomb ...and that's just the start of it.

From the ever-curious mind that brought you the bestselling Do You Think You're Clever? comes a brand-new trip to the far reaches of the intellectual universe, courtesy of even more notoriously provocative Oxbridge interview questions.How would you poison someone without the police finding out? (Medicine, Cambridge)What makes a strong woman? (Theology, Oxford)Instead of politicians, why don't we let the managers of IKEA run the country? (Social and Political Sciences, Cambridge)How do you organise a successful revolution? (History, Oxford)Whether you're interested in going to Oxbridge or just want to give your brain a workout, join polymath John Farndon on another exhilarating journey through the twists and turns of thought, and explore just what it means to be genuinely clever - rather than just smart.

This book takes the reader back through time, showing what it was like to live in the past. It investigates the whole of human history in a lively and accessible visual style, using detailed text and dramatic images to show how great cities were built and destroyed, how wars were lost and won, how new religions were born, and how advances in science and exploration transformed everyday life and the living environment. The high spots of human achievement are all brilliantly brought to life in this fascinating volume.

Motorcycles are made for speed—but some get there louder and faster than others! You'll need your toughest gear to ride the turbo-charged MTT Turbine Superbike Y2K—perhaps the most powerful (and expensive) road bike ever. Blow past speeds of 200 mph (320 km/h) with the Kawasaki Ninja of the Night. Ride the world's fastest production motorcycle, the Suzuki Hayabusa, and hit 188 to 194 mph (303 to 312 km/h). Hang on tight as detailed illustrations take you on the road, around the track, and across salt flats on these powerful bikes. Get the latest facts on how they reach those extreme speeds—and stay on the road.

Are you ready to take off with the world's fastest supersonic aircraft? Strap yourself in for a trip in the MiG-25 Foxbat interceptor and clock up to 2,100 mph (3,380 kmh/h)! Soar in the NAA X-15 rocket plane, which set a record of 4,520 mph (7,274 km/h) in 1967! Hop into the world's fastest jet, the NASA Hyper X-43 scramjet, but hang on—it has the potential to go 7,000 mph (11,265 km/h)! Detailed illustrations put you in the cockpits of these mighty, streaking aircraft, while bite-sized facts explain how they work, their pilots' daring risks, and the thrill of supersonic flight.

Monster Trucks See the world from the cab of a Shockwave - powered by three jet engines, it is the world's fastest truck - the Banks Sidewinder Dodge Dakota, the Dodge Ram SRT10 pick-up and more. They can even race and leap!

Plague looks at the most frightening diseases and epidemics in the history of medicine. These include the bubonic plague or Black Death, its effects and how people tried to combat it. The king s evil was a kind of TB (symptoms were black lumps on the neck). Smallpox and the search for a cure, the falling sickness or as we now know it, epilepsy and much more.... Grisly History of Medicine is a series that looks at the fascinating and more often than not gruesome stories of illness and their treatments throughout history. Here are some revolting stories about some toe curling treatments, some of which are still used today. There is a fantastic mix of some very successful treatments and some of the experimental failures. It all makes for a great scientific read.

Brain Benders is the ultimate test for your brain. It engages all your mental skills- imagination, mathematical, linguistic, lateral thinking and more. Amazing optical illusions, tricks and puzzles devised by one of the world s leading experts, that will get them thinking outside the box. There are useful tips to help solve puzzles in case they get stuck. It s a fun, all singing all dancing, complete workout for the brain!