Inventors Science

Alfred Nobel began his career as a distinguished inventor, but his inventions often failed to bring him the peace of mind he craved. One invention in particular - explosive dynamite - left him full of regret. He knew that it wouldn’t be long before his creation would be used to hurt others, and for this, he felt awful. As part of his final act in life, he would seek to vindicate himself as well as the rest of the world as he pursued the establishment of what would become the Nobel Prize. This is the story of the man who brought us that prize and so much more.

This book dives into all that and more! Whether you’re a future scientist, inventor, or just love learning fascinating facts, Think Like a Genius takes you on a fun and fact-filled adventure. This book isn’t just about giving answers—it’s about making science, nature, and inventions come alive with fun explanations, amazing trivia, and real-world examples. Perfect for ages 8-12, Think Like a Genius is filled with surprising and easy-to-understand explanations, so kids will walk away knowing some truly epic facts about the world.

Sneakers grew out of efforts to make more durable, more comfortable shoes—and became a major link between sports and fashion. Their sales rose with the popularity of tennis and exploded along with basketball, leading to celebrity endorsements, big-name brands, and continued technological breakthroughs. In the twenty-first century, sneakers are still evolving, along with "sneaker influencer" social media, smart tech, and other hot new trends.

Around the world, city highways and country roads have cut through natural spaces. Wild animals are blocked from the resources they need to survive, or must make dangerous crossings across busy roads to get to them. Fortunately, solving this problem has inspired some creative solutions! Take a tour of wildlife crossings across the globe, from grassy badger bridges to underpasses for elephants. Discover how these inventive pathways have saved both animal and human lives and helped preserve ecosystems.

With X-rays, doctors detect problems human eyes can't see. X-rays are a form of invisible radiation. This powerful medical technology helps experts look inside the body and even treat illnesses. But early on, X-rays caused harm too, as people used them without enough protection. This history covers the discovery of X-rays, the development of safety standards, and the rise of more powerful and precise X-ray machines. Find out how modern doctors create digital images of the inner body—even 3D images of our brains!

Cell phones allowed people to connect on the go, and smartphones have transformed the way we share information. From the earliest landlines to the minicomputers that link people across the world, discover the shifts in phone technology that shaped modern communication—and the people who made them happen. This history also shows the big changes in design, size, and battery life that took place before mobile phones hit the center of popular culture.

Video games evolved over decades from simple consoles to cutting-edge entertainment in homes and arcades. In the twenty-first century, they've also become some of the world's most popular apps. Find out more about the technological innovations, major players, and controversies that have made video game history. And from the role of game cartridges to the power of the internet, learn how new inventions keep taking gaming to the next level.

One beastly beast that's more than meets the eye.... Two aliens with slimy tentacles and too many eyes fixed on adopting a human son.... Three inventors and a sea serpent, a princess, an orphanage, and two ships full of pirates.... Here are four fantastic tales by renowned fantasy author Garth Nix.

Nikola Tesla: The Brilliant Inventor Who Dreamed of a Wireless World invites listeners on a powerful journey through the life and mind of one of history’s most electrifying geniuses. More than a catalogue of inventions, this book captures the soul of a man who saw the world not only as it was, but as it could be—lit by unseen energy, connected across great distances, and liberated from the wires that once defined modern life. Born during a lightning storm in 1856, Tesla's life was symbolic from the very beginning.

Sure, almost all kids know Benjamin Franklin as one of America's Founding Fathers, a man with a hand in both the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution. And they may even have some vague idea that he once flew a kite during a lightning storm. What Kathleen Krull sets out to do in this very different biography is show Ben Franklin as the natural philosopher (the term for scientists back in the 1700s), whose experiments led to important discoveries about the nature of electricity - including his famous demonstration that electricity and lightning were one and the same.

Wilbur and Orville Wright have gone down in history as pioneers of flight and the inventors of the first airplane. This is the story of how their mechanical interest in printing presses and bicycles led them towards finding solutions to the conundrum of flight. Find out how their methodological research and innovative ideas set them apart from other inventors, and learn about the newspaper editors and scientists’ reactions to the Wright brothers’ achievement - the slow transformation of skepticism and disbelief to amazement.

Obsessive, brilliant, and tortured, Nikola Tesla was lauded for his invention of the alternating current (AC) and other significant contributions to science. His claim that “harnessing the forces of nature was the only worthwhile scientific endeavor" both impressed and enraged the scientific community. Eventually his peers could no longer dismiss his eccentricities and began to view him as a crackpot - a potentially dangerous one.

Throughout history, people have experimented, invented, and created new ways of doing things. Kid Innovators tells the stories of a diverse group of brilliant thinkers in fields like technology, education, business, science, art, and entertainment, reminding us that every innovator started out as a kid. Florence Nightingale rescued baby mice, Alan Turing was a daydreamer with terrible handwriting, and Alvin Ailey felt like a failure at sports.

With his new shadow in tow, Tom expects the night to be uneventful. But when the facility suddenly goes into quarantine mode, the overnight lock-in turns into a building-wide lockdown. Tom and his friends are left trapped in their respective rooms, with no way to communicate the outside world. As they make their way through the facility using methods that are a little more...creative...than normal, Tom and his friends start realizing that there is more to this quarantine than meets the eye. It’s up to them to not only escape, but also find out what - or who - is behind the lockdown.

Tom gets to take all sorts of cool classes at the Swift Academy of Science and Technology, but robotics may be the one he is most excited for. Their teacher is holding a battling robot tournament, and Tom has to build a machine that will come out on top. With the final battle coming up, Tom and his friends need as much time as possible to refine their masterpiece. But the rest of their teachers have been giving so many pop quizzes that they can barely focus in class, never mind concentrate on the tournament.

In the 1920s cotton buyer Earle Dickson worked for Johnson & Johnson and had a klutzy wife who often cut herself. The son of a doctor, Earle set out to create an easier way for her to bandage her injuries. Band-Aids were born, but Earle's bosses at the pharmaceutical giant weren't convinced, and it wasn't until the Boy Scouts of America tested Earle's prototype that this ubiquitous household staple was made available to the public.

In the new Mini Movers and Shakers children's book series comes a cast of characters who have failed, yet succeeded despite overwhelming obstacles. In the second volume, we meet Steve Jobs. Find out what happens in this kids book about changing the world. Sometimes, we are faced with challenges that seem insurmountable. But with grit and hard work, one can achieve great things!

This audiobook introduces listeners to the science that makes the Internet possible. Accessible text and engaging discussion topics make this short audiobook an exciting introduction to understanding technology.

This audiobook introduces listeners to the science that makes Smartphones possible. Accessible text and engaging discussion topics make this short audiobook an exciting introduction to understanding technology.

John Logie Baird loves inventing things! When he hears about another inventor who has built a machine to show real live pictures, John sets about trying to do the same. Equipped with bits and pieces found in his house, John begins a journey that will change the course of history forever.