Kristi Lew – författare

Have you ever crashed your bike and torn up your knee? Or have you been hit in the face by a ball and gotten a big shiny bruise around your eye? Have any of your scabs ever oozed with gross-looking pus? Blood, bruises, and scabs are all part of your body’s healing process. But sometimes you need a little extra help - from stitches, staples, or maybe even maggots and leeches! Hey, people do crazy things. Learn how your body repairs itself and what happens when something goes wrong, like getting gangrene (eew!). With close-up pictures and lots of disgusting facts, this book tells all about the gross science behind your body’s functions.

Have an itch? Let’s zoom in for a closer look at what’s causing it. It could be one of many nasty things. How about bacteria poop? (It happens, and it stinks!) It might be a tiny critter that lives on people like a skin mite, louse, chigger, or other creature. It could be a rash . . . or even flesh-eating bacteria. Your skin is your biggest organ, and an important one at that. See all the nasty things that can go wrong - and right - on your skin, and learn about the skin’s amazing ability to protect you and heal itself. With close-up pictures and lots of disgusting facts, this book tells all about the gross science behind the skin you’re in.

Provides comprehensive information on the causes, treatment, and history of mosquito-borne illnesses.

Completed in April 2003, the Human Genome Project was an international effort to map out and read all the genes that make up Homo sapiens. This book supports the Next Generation Science Standards on heredity and biological evolution by examining the history of genetics and the Human Genome Project, the mechanisms behind heredity, and the types of genetic errors that lead to hereditary diseases. Through simplified explanations of complex scientific concepts, full-color images, and informative sidebars, students will also learn about the ethical issues associated with the program as well how the information gained from the research has given rise to individualized medical tests and treatments.

Through simple yet engaging language and detailed images and charts, readers will explore the work of Aristotle, Linnaeus, Darwin, and other well-known, and some not so well-known, figures throughout history who tried to make sense of the natural world, as well as the breakthroughs and technologies that allow scientists to study organisms down to the genetic level. This book supports the Next Generation Science Standards on heredity and biological evolution by helping students understand how mutations lead to genetic variation, which in turn leads to natural selection. In addition, informative sidebars, a bibliography, and a Further Reading section with current books and educational websites will allow inquisitive minds to dive deeper into the evolutionary relationships among organisms.

Popular television shows, such as Finding Your Roots and Who Do You Think You Are?, have ignited a renewed passion for traditional genealogical research and thrown genetic ancestry testing into the spotlight. Once a tool only for historians and forensic scientists, DNA testing is now available directly to the consumer. Supporting the Next Generation Science Standards on heredity and inheritance of traits, this book uses simple language and detailed images and charts to explain how genetic ancestry testing is done, what it can, and cannot, reveal about a family tree, and the potential unintended consequences of being tested. Sidebars offer information about related topics, such as the Human Genome Project, mitochondrial Eve, and genetic genealogy careers.

This book explores the common and useful element zinc. The author discusses the structure of the zinc atom in clear and simple language, describing in detail the characteristics that give the element is unique qualities. In addition, readers learn why zinc is crucial to good health in humans, as well as how and why the element is used in the production of brass, industrial die casts, and batteries, among other things.

Argon (Ar) is the third most abundant gas in the atmosphere after nitrogen and oxygen. In 1894, argon was discovered by the chemists Sir William Ramsay and Lord Rayleigh when they removed all the oxygen and nitrogen from the air in an experiment. Readers learn about the use of argon in incandescent and fluorescent light bulbs, and about inert and noble gases. Atomic argon will also be explained, along with the octet rule, Argon’s place on the periodic table, and how argon is formed by the radioactive decay of long-lived, radioactive potassium-40. Readers will learn how potassium-argon is used in dating rocks and minerals. Various industrial uses of argon are also examined.

The Ancient Romans used the metal lead (Pb) to make pewter plates and pipes to carry water. Scientists now know that lead is quite poisonous to humans. It is a cumulative poison, and its built-up effects can lead to damage in the brain, liver, and kidneys. Lead has no useful biological function and should not be eaten or otherwise taken into the body. Students will learn about the physical and chemical properties of lead, its atomic structure, and its place on the periodic table. Readers will also learn about the various industrial applications of lead, including its use as a shield for X-rays and radiation produced in nuclear reactors and for absorbing vibration and sound. In compounds, lead is used in making lead-acid storage batteries, fine crystal, solder in circuit boards, and vulcanized rubber.

Mercury is the only metal that is a liquid at room temperature. Mercury''s chemical symbol is Hg. The "Hg" comes from the Greek word hydrargyrum, which means "liquid silver." Because of its silvery appearance and the way it moves, the metal was also called quicksilver. The chemical is named for the Roman god, Mercury, who was known for his speed and mobility. Students will learn about the sources of mercury and its effects on the environment; coal-burning power plants are responsible for nearly 40 percent of the human-caused mercury emissions in the United States. They''ll learn about mercury''s chemical properties and classification as a transition metal. Mercury''s place on the periodic table and its subatomic particles are also discussed. Readers will study mercury ions and isotopes. This book also explains the element''s applications in thermometers, thermostats, silent wall switches, fluorescent lights, and dental amalgams.

Iodine (I) is used to seed clouds, detect and treat cancer, prevent infections, and protect people from radiation in the even of a nuclear accident. Most of the iodine found in nature is in seaweed. Pure iodine can also be obtained from natural brines. This book delves into the properties of the group 17 elements, also called the halogens, and the subatomic makeup of iodine. Readers discover the role of valence electrons, and the use of iodine in biology labs and in identifying types of bacteria. Iodine compounds are examined and their many uses explained. The book also includes a discussion of iodine deficiency around the world.

Radium (Ra) was discovered in the ore pitchblende by the French chemists Marie and Pierre Curie and an assistant in 1898. It is a radioactive element, classified as an alkaline earth metal in the periodic table. It is found naturally in uranium and thorium ores, and when isolated, it is a slivery, lustrous, and soft metal. Radium is formed by the radioactive disintegration of uranium. Radiation from radium harms living cells, and overexposure to its rays can burn. Because cancer cells are more sensitive to radiation than normal cells, radium is used in the treatment of a few types of cancer. Radium was once used in the production of luminous paints that were applied to clock dials and other objects to make them glow in the dark, until its harmful effects became widely known. This book gives readers a comprehensive overview of the properties and uses of the radioactive element radium and its place on the periodic table.

Nestled in the Appalachian mountains, North Carolina has always been at the crossroads of American history. Both Revolutionary War and Civil War battles were fought on its soil, and the state underwent many changes from its inception to the present day. This accessible, informative book will guide the reader through the state’s absorbing history. Students will learn about plant and animal life, geography, famous residents, and details about the state’s government. Full color photographs and eye-catching design will make this a favorite go-to source on beautiful North Carolina

Biological evolutionary theory rests upon some basic assumptions, two of these being that all life on earth shares a common ancestor and that life has existed for billions of years, changing over time. As with all scientific theories, evolutionary theory is subject to change when new data becomes available. However, as of today, the theory of evolution is the best fit for the scientific evidence that biologists have observed so far. What makes scientists so willing to accept the theory of evolution? To understand their reasons, readers first examine how living organisms are related to one another. Students learn about inheritance, the history of evolutionary theory, the evolution of populations (how species change), and the evidence for evolution (fossils and homologies). The absorbing narrative is buoyed by interesting and straightforward sidebars.

E. coli infections are on the rise in the United States, resulting in thousands of people getting seriously ill or dying each year. This book examines the causes of these deadly outbreaks and the methods in place to prevent the spread of the bacteria in our food supply. Readers will learn about the effects of E. coli, how it makes people sick, how it spreads, and how they can reduce the chance of being exposed to it. Significant E. coli outbreaks in the United States are examined, as well as the failures in food processing, handling, and storage that allowed the bacteria to spread. Comprehensive and engaging, this book will raise reader awareness about the dangers of E. coli and its prevalence in the United States.

In some regions of the United States, legendary stories of monsters, beasts, and demons have been passed down from generation to generation. In other areas of the country, areas with more recent beastly sightings, these legends are still being written. Whether these monsters are real or are simply tall tales, readers will enjoy a fabulously fun expedition in search of creepy cryptids in the forests, rivers, lakes, and oceans of America.

Readers learn that the ozone layer prevents the sun’s harmful rays from reaching the Earth’s surface and how it is already thin in certain places. Readers investigate the causes of the thinning of the ozone layer, and some of the consequences—skin cancer, destruction of crops, and harm to marine life. They also learn about the link between the ozone layer and increased global warming that could lead to climate change. The book provides a solid background on the specific environmental factors of exposure to excess UV radiation and the physical and mental effects on people. The final chapter explains what readers can do to protect the ozone layer, including preventing the release of more chemicals that harm it.

The main feature that defines a flat is a bottom that slopes gently to the shore with very few, if any, steep drop-offs. In some lakes, a flat may be very small and shallow, say eight inches deep, or it may be very deep and go on for acres, as in the Gulf of Mexico. Anglers learn that fishing the flats for fish such as bass, bonefish, snook, and tarpon brings with it some unique challenges, such as casting with finesse. In this exciting narrative, anglers learn safety tips, fishing techniques, and rules about fishing in flats, and all about fishing rods, line, bait, lures, and hooks. They also study the life cycle of a fish, fish food, handling and keeping the catch, and catch-and-release fishing. Other topics covered in this fact-filled resource are overfishing, pollution prevention, and the preservation of fishing grounds.

Laurie Halse Anderson is a bestselling author of realistic and historical fiction for young adults and children. Two of her books, Speak and Chains, have been nominated for the National Book Award. Anderson spent her childhood in Syracuse, New York, and today lives in Mexico, New York. In her writing, she is passionate about story. Readers learn about Anderson''s special writing cottage that her carpenter husband built for her, and how she reaches out to readers in her novels, including Speak, Catalyst, Prom, Twisted, Fever 1793, Chains, Wintergirls, and Forge. In this enchanting narrative, teens examine Anderson''s writing process and literary life.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse reports that prescription painkillers are one of the most commonly abused drugs by teens, after tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana. Readers get the facts about narcotics, including opioids and opiates, the class of chemicals that includes oxycodone. The misuse of narcotic painkillers has more than tripled since 2001, according to the CDC. This frank narrative explains how opioid painkillers work on the body and brain, how to spot the symptoms of abuse and overdose, and how to fight addiction. Detoxification and rehabilitation programs and what it takes to recover are also examined.

In a world steeped with media images of unrealistic bodies and new diet fads, many of those at highest risk for disordered eating don''t have access to accurate, straightforward information. This compelling guide to a variety of eating disorders including anorexia nervosa, bulimia, pica, and anorexia athletica offers help. Readers will identify anxious thoughts or habits about eating and seek the appropriate, discrete help. A discussion of causes and consequences informs readers that while disordered eating is not their fault, they can overcome it.

Jobs in nanotechnology are STEM-related careers, and opportunities are expanding rapidly. Scientists imagine using nanoscale science to better understand and enhance the fields of medicine, imaging, computing, printing, chemical manufacturing, and material science. A profession in nanoscale science might involve the development of increasingly small medical devices, the design of improved automobile or aeronautical manufacturing processes, the creation of new cosmetics or fabrics, or the production of faster and smaller computers. Readers explore a multitude of nanotechology jobs, most of which focus on atom and molecules. Career preparation, education requirements, and job search strategies are highlighted.

There are many different types of engineers, from civil engineers to mechanical to electrical and more. Discover what it takes to work in this challenging field in Engineer.

Earthquakes are some of the most powerful natural disasters on Earth. They can swallow people, cars, and buildings. This exciting book explores the ways earthquakes form, how they''re measured, and what people on the ground can do when the room starts to shake. Using carefully leveled text and engaging full-color graphics and photographs, this book introduces readers to the science behind earthquakes and details ways people can prepare for and stay safe during earth-moving events. It also takes a look at advancements in earthquake technologies, from the historical to the cutting-edge. This book is filled with stats, visuals, and real-life examples sure to engage young readers interested in discovering more.