Science Geography

How much do you know about farts? Did you know it would take just nine farts from every person on earth to power an atomic bomb? That fish farts nearly triggered a war against Russia? That women's farts smell worse than men's? Pfwoort! It's all in this book. Did you know that inhaling farts is healthy, yet people fart after death? That you can get a job as a professional fart smeller? That farting is illegal in Africa but polite in South America? Heard any ancient Babylonian fart jokes lately? Blorrrk! It's all in this book.

Joe Tasker lies, struck down by illness, in a damp, bug-infested room in the Himalaya, wondering if he will be well enough to climb Dunagiri, his first venture to the "big" mountains. One of Britain’s foremost mountaineers and a pioneer of lightweight climbing, he is about to attempt one of the first true "Alpine-style" climbs in the Greater Ranges. The Dunagiri attempt forms part of Tasker’s striking tale of adventure in the savage arena of the mountains.

Growth has been both an unspoken and an explicit aim of our individual and collective striving. It governs the lives of microorganisms and galaxies; it shapes the capabilities of our extraordinarily large brains and the fortunes of our economies. Growth is manifested in annual increments of continental crust, a rising gross domestic product, a child's growth chart, the spread of cancerous cells. In this magisterial book, Vaclav Smil offers systematic investigation of growth in nature and society, from tiny organisms to the trajectories of empires and civilizations.

At once a beautifully poetic memoir and an exploration of the various ways we live in the world, A Language Older Than Words explains violence as a pathology that touches every aspect of our lives and indeed affects all aspects of life on Earth. This chronicle of a young man's drive to transcend domestic abuse offers a challenging look at our worldwide sense of community and how we can make things better.

Glaciers figure prominently in both ancient and contemporary narratives around the world. They inspire art and literature. They spark both fear and awe. And they give and take life. In The Age of Melt, environmental journalist Lisa Baril explores the deep-rooted cultural connection between humans and ice through time.

From the poisoned rivers, barren wells, and clear-cut forests, to the hundreds of thousands of farmers who have committed suicide to escape punishing debt, to the hundreds of millions of people who live on less than two dollars a day, there are ghosts nearly everywhere you look in India. India is a nation of 1.2 billion, but the country's 100 richest people own assets equivalent to one-fourth of India’s gross domestic product.

Explore the Garden State! Learn about New Jersey's history, geography, weather, people, and more in this book that's all about our third state.

Welcome to the Aloha State! Learn about Hawaii's history, geography, weather, people, and more in this book that's all about our 50th state.

Visit the Sunflower State! Learn about Kansas' history, geography, weather, people, and more in this book that's all about our 34th state.

Take a trip to the Bay State! Learn about Massachusetts' history, geography, weather, people, and more in this book that's all about our sixth state.

Visit the Nation's Capital! Learn about Washington, D.C.'s, history, geography, weather, people, and more in this book that's all about our nation's capital.

Visit the Badger State! Learn about Wisconsin's history, geography, weather, people, and more in this book that's all about our 30th state.

Take a trip to the Beehive State! Learn about Utah's history, geography, weather, people, and more in this book that's all about our 45th state.

Welcome to the Great Lakes State! Learn about Michigan's history, geography, weather, people, and more in this book that's all about our 26th state.

Welcome to Greece! Gaze at the crumbling walls of ancient ruins. Cross the Aegean Sea to a volcanic island. Learn about the people, places, and traditions of the country where the Olympic Games began.

Explore the Centennial State! Learn about Colorado's history, geography, weather, people, and more in this book that's all about our 38th state.

Visit the Pine Tree State! Learn about Maine's history, geography, weather, people, and more in this book that's all about our 23rd state.

Visit the Volunteer State! Learn about Tennessee's history, geography, weather, people, and more in this book that's all about our 16th state.

Visit the Green Mountain State! Learn about Vermont's history, geography, weather, people, and more in this book that's all about our 14th state.

Welcome to the Hawkeye State! Learn about Iowa's history, geography, weather, people, and more in this book that's all about our 29th state.