Rachel Firth – författare

Philosophy is a way of thinking about just about anything. It asks big questions, such as "how can I be good?" or "what makes something beautiful?" Using lively examples, humorous illustrations and simple thought experiments, this book opens up the world of philosophy to children and adults with enquiring minds.Chapters in this book include:- What is philosophy?- A world of philosophy?- Doing philosophy- How to argue- Thought experiments- Why do philosophy?KnowledgeHow do we know anything about the world around us - can we be sure that we know anything at all?The mindIs your mind somehow different from your body, and are you even in control of it?Beauty and artWhat is beauty, and what is art?And why is it so hard to answer these questions?GodIf there is a God, is it possible to prove that he or she exists?PoliticsAre there any rules that everyone can agree on that would make a society a fair and happy place for everyone to live in?How to be goodIf you're not sure of the right thing to do, can the tools of philosophy help you find an answer?Time and IdentityEverything changes with time - but how much can something change and still count as the same thing? What is time, anyway?Logic and languageWhat are the rules of philosophy, and how can you follow them if people don't agree on what words themselves actually mean?The meaning of lifeIs philosophy merely a way asking questions about the world - or can it also be a way of life itself? Can it answer the ultimate question: what is the meaning of life?What next?Multiple mysteriesFamous Philosophers

Artificial Intelligence is all about humans asking computers and other machines to think and even behave like humans, and to take on jobs that people find too difficult or too boring. But how do you actually define the term? What exactly can machines with AI already do, and what might they be able to do in the future?AI For Beginners answers all the questions - where answers exist - and raises debating points at every turn about what it all means. Should we be asking machines to do creative tasks, such as writing and illustrating books? Do we need to worry if intelligent machines need to be treated like people? Is there a chance that machines might take over the world, either by accident or on purpose? Is there any point going to school and doing homework if computers can do it all for us, and better?Chapters in this book include:- What is artificial intelligence?- How far has AI come?- How will the world change?How does AI work?AI only exists thanks to computeres. Find out the basics about what computers are and how they work - before diving into the coding secrets that explain how people can teach computers... too teach themselves.AI in actionFind out how AI is being used in everything from searching the internet to solving crimes, looking after people and even waging war.Perhaps most interesting of all, AI tools have given computers the power to talk to people and even create art in ways that feel more and more human.Find out how these tools work, how smart they can be and their limits, too.How AI is changing our worldAs AI-powered machines take on more and more tasks, the way people live is changing. It's not just about what jobs people do - or don't do - anymore. It's about how we make friends and share ideas, and learn about the world. AI might even have the power to solve the climate crisis - or, perhaps, make it worse.Into the futureSome experts are trying to create machines that are just like people. But how similar to a human can a computer program actually be? How much closer might AI ever comt to being.. a 'living' thing?What next?

Part of the best-selling '...for Beginners' series that brings to life the wide world of physics. Rather than explaining details about how to do physics, this book focusses on explaining what different branches of physics are about, how we know about them, and what mysteries remain for budding physicists to uncover. It doesn't shy away from the hard stuff, tackling black holes, quantum mechanics and even Einstein's theories of relativity.Chapters in this book include:- What is physics?- Asking questions?- Physics is everywhere- What do physicists do?Forces & motionWhat makes things move, what makes things stop, and why some things move faster and easier than others.WavesHow sounds travel, how light works, and the mysterious connection between electricity and magnetism.The speed of light and the shape of the universeAlbert Einstein came up with two of the most significant theories in modern physics: special relativity, which explores the speed of light, and general relativity, which unpacks the shape of the universe. But what actually ARE these theories?Nuclear and particle physicsIntroducing the very smallest things physicists have discovered, and seeing what happens when they try to break those things apart into even smaller pieces.Quantum mechanicsThe smallest particles don't seem to follow the same rules as bigger things. So what rules do they follow, and why don't they seem to make sense?SpaceWhat is out there, beyond the Earth? And where exactly did it all come from?Unsolved mysteriesThere are plenty of things physicists don't understand about how things work, whether on Earth or out in space. Discover some of the mysteries that YOU might help to solve one day.

Discover the amazing age of dinosaurs with this 300-piece jigsaw and fold-out dinosaur timeline. A sturdy gift box contains a stylishly-illustrated jigsaw showing a selection of dinosaurs - all with their names and when they lived. The richly detailed, fold-out timeline charts dinosaurs from the Triassic to the Cretaceous period. On the reverse, the dinosaurs are shown with more information about where each one lived, how big they were, what they ate and other fascinating facts.

From the Big Bang to the present day, discover the wonders of our ever-changing planet as you fold out this brightly illustrated book. Then turn it over to find out how, through billions of years of volcanic eruptions, ice ages and mass extinctions, life on Earth has emerged.

Meet monsters, ogres and giants - plus a very grumpy troll - from all over the world. Ten entertaining stories include a female Jack climbing the beanstalk, a lonely ogre and a brave little tailor whose adventure begins with some annoying flies and a pot of jam.Chapters in this book include:- Jack and the beanstalk- The magic bird- The one-inch prince- The billy goats Gruff- The brave little tailor- Hop-on-my-thumb- Theseus and the Minotaur- The giant princess- The princess and the ogre- The valley of diamonds

Spanning the life of the great leader from his teens to his brutal assassination, and featuring events such as Caesar's capture by pirates as a young man, his military successes across Europe, encounters with Cleopatra and becoming dictator of Rome. A captivating title in this hugely entertaining and informative series. Part of Young Reading Level 3, created for children ready to tackle longer stories and more diverse subjects.Developed in conjunction with reading experts from Roehampton University.Chapters in this book include:- Gaius Julius Caesar- Adventures with Pirates- A Rising Star- Glory Abroad- Crossing the Rubicon- Cleopatra- Dictator of Rome- The Final Betrayal- My Life

Takes beginner readers on a trip back to medieval times to learn what it was like to be a knight and live in a castle, finding out how they fought and what they did for fun. Includes short biographies of famous knights and descriptions of castles that can still be seen today. Part of the Usborne Reading Programme developed with reading experts at the University of Roehampton. Internet links to carefully selected websites reveal more about knights and castles. Also available as an English Learner's Edition with CD recordings in British and American English and downloadable worksheets and teacher's notes.

This informative book is filled with 100 fascinating facts about food, from how to grow a burger in a laboratory to how many bees it takes to fill an orchard with apples. With bright, infographic-style illustrations, detailed facts on every page, a glossary and index, plus internet links to specially selected websites for more information.

This luxurious anthology of stories from all Shakespeare's plays, with beautiful illustrations and quotations, is the perfect introduction to Shakespeare. With stories of love, loss, joy and heartbreak, this collection will captivate young children with every page. The perfect book for children studying The Bard, or those who simply enjoy reading wonderful stories.Each story includes short details about the main characters, and famous and memorable quotations from the play. With a padded hardback cover, a ribbon marker and traditional binding, this is a fabulous book that will be referred to again and again, by both children and adults.

This beautifully illustrated collection contains all of Jane Austen's novels retold for young readers, including Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Northanger Abbey and Mansfield Park, with notes on the characters and quotations from the original text. With links to websites to find out more about Jane Austen's life and times.

Meet a girl who fights dragons, a brave warrior queen, and a daughter in search of her Samurai father...This beautifully illustrated collection brings you eight fantastic fairy tales from around the world. Full of wit, charm, compassion and courage, these heroes will inspire and empower a new generation of readers.Chapters in this book include:- Tales from Around the World: An introduction- About the stories- Mulan- Nanabolele- Vasilisa and Prince Vladimir- Moremi and the Egunguns- The Legend of Tokoyo- The Dragon Slayer- The Sleep Watchers- The Warrior Queen

Discover the amazing age of dinosaurs as you fold out this superbly illustrated scene. Then turn it over to find out when each dinosaur lived, what they ate, and other fascinating facts. With Quicklinks to specially selected websites with video clips, activities and a dinosaur name pronunciation guide.

How can you bend water with a ruler? What makes grass green? How do machines work? What happens if you add raisins to a fizzy drink? Why don't seals freeze in icy water? Can anything stop paper clips from sinking? This book will show you how to discover the answers to these questions and more - making you think like a scientist in a few simple steps.

Discover the mysterious selkies of the Scottish seas and the haunting Philippine tale of the curse of Sirena. Meet the merman from China whose tears turn to pearls and Hans Christian Anderson's brave little mermaid, pursuing her dream. These nine stories, beautifully illustrated and full of wonder, will whisk you from the bottom of the Arabian sea to rivers, deep in the Trinidadian rainforest.Chapters in this book include:- The mermaid of Zennor- The sea princess- Mama Dlo- Jing and the pearls- Sirena- Alonzo and the Yara- Melusine- The seal catcher- The little mermaid

Children love to ask questions about their bodies that adults struggle to answer, about life, death and everything in between. This is the book to give those curious children!Not just a tour of the body, its organs, and how they work, this book takes the time to answer questions kids didn't know they were allowed to ask. That means fun questions, such as 'What's itching for?' or 'What will humans look like a million year from now?', and also serious questions, such as 'Can we slow down ageing?' or 'Can we cure allergies?'Clear diagrams and fun cartoons guide readers through complex answers about how genes work, how brains learn, how bodies build themselves, and all sorts of fascinating topics. Carefully selected photos show what cells and tissue and other body parts really look like - for kids brave enough to look.

Philosophy is a way of thinking about just about anything. It asks big questions, such as "how can I be good?" or "what makes something beautiful?" Using lively examples, humorous illustrations and simple thought experiments, this book opens up the world of philosophy to children and adults with enquiring minds.

Why do things float? How do magnets work? What is gravity? The answers to these questions and more can be found in this fact-filled book. Simple, easy-to-read text and lively illustrations introduce basic science topics. Also includes fun science activities and exciting recommended websites.Chapters in this book include:- What is science?- What do scientists do- Our Universe- What is the Earth made of?- The seasons- Weather- Living things- Cells- Plants- Animals- Your body- Bones and muscles- What happens to food?- Your brain and senses- Atoms and molecules- Solids, liquids and gases- How materials change- Energy- Forces- Hot and cold- Gravity- Floating- Friction- Magnets- Light and colour- Sound- Electricity- Computers- Science words

What are UFOs, and has our planet ever really been visited by aliens? Thousands of people every year believe that they have seen signs of life from other planets, but is there any good evidence for this?With a mix of intriguing photographs and unsettling illustrations, this book examines real cases of UFO sightings and alien contact claims, presenting possible explanations - both extra-terrestrial and more everyday - for close encounters of every kind.The search for aliens is not limited to planet Earth. This book also covers efforts to find alien life on other planets, and to capture signals and messages that may come from creatures living far out in space.Read terrifying and often bizarre tales of alleged alien abductions, find out about famous fakes and enter the murky world of government conspiracies and science fiction. Is there really any evidence that aliens and their technology have come to Earth? Can sightings all be dismissed as the result of secret human technology... or just very vivid imaginations?Make up your own mind about what really happened.

Buckle up, get ready to LIFT OFF and take a spectacular journey around our Universe with this awe-inspiring space book.You'll find ALL you need to know about space - and more - inside this book packed full of over 2000 fascinating astronomy facts. Did you know that the biggest asteroid is SO big, it's the size of a dwarf planet? Or that if you were to fall into a black hole, you would be stretched out like a string of spaghetti?Read from cover to cover, or dip in and out at random, to discover the wonders of our solar system - and begin to unlock the mysteries of outer space.Bold illustrations combined with dazzling photography make this book the perfect companion for any space enthusiast.

Riddare var soldater som stred till häst. Några av de mest berömda levde i Europa under medeltiden. Under den tiden var riddarna de mest framstående stridsmännen på slagfälten. I denna bok berättas i text och många bilder om riddarborgar, vapen och rustningar, torneringar, korståg, berömda riddare m m.

Discover the amazing age of dinosaurs with this 300-piece jigsaw and fold-out dinosaur timeline. A sturdy gift box contains a stylishly-illustrated jigsaw showing a selection of dinosaurs - all with their names and when they lived. The richly detailed, fold-out timeline charts dinosaurs from the Triassic to the Cretaceous period. On the reverse, the dinosaurs are shown with more information about where each one lived, how big they were, what they ate and other fascinating facts.