Technologys Child

Kaboom! Find out how explosions are used to demolish large buildings. Demolition experts say it's the safest way. Learn why!

Did you know hot air balloons were dreamed up by a French boy in the 1700s? Joseph Montgolfier devoted his life to experiments that he hoped would allow him to fly. With the help of his little brother, his invention allowed humans to fly for the first time in history!

Have you ever wondered how the Hoover Dam was built? Follow along as the Colorado River itself tells you its story! A lot of work went into the construction of this giant dam, but it was worth it—we now have Lake Mead and a way of converting the river’s energy into electricity!

Have you ever visited the Grand Canyon? As one of the world’s seven wonders, millions of people have visited this landmark. Have you ever wondered how it was formed? Learn how the 3 "R"s- Rock, Rivers, & Erosion, have led to the formation of the Grand Canyon and the changes it undergoes in present day.

From water, to paint, to breakfast cereal, who could have guessed that all of these things have metal in them? There's metal all around! This story includes a fun experiment to pull iron out of cereal.

Have you ever wondered how a river forms, which animals live near rivers, or where those rivers lead? Rivers are a vital part of life and the ecosystem. Rivers help transport water to humans and animals as well. It can also be used to create energy. Water from rivers can end up in many different places downstream!

Follow along with this class as they explore a creek near their school in Pennsylvania! They want to learn about the water and its ecosystem, so they perform a survey to determine its quality and biota. What do you think they will find?

Will an orange float or sink in water? Are heavier objects able to float in water versus lighter objects? Learn about the density of materials and how water affects the objects! Make your own scientific discoveries and expand your knowledge by conducting your own experiments with water.

Aluminum was once more valuable than gold. A breakthrough in refining aluminum from rock transformed it from rare matter to sandwich wrapper. In this science story, you'll learn how two chemists, Charles Hall and Paul Héroult, solved the problem.

Where do all the metals on earth come from? They were all made by stars! In this science story, you'll discover how the fusion of atoms in dying stars in space creates enough heat and energy to make metals.

Follow along this brief history of the pursuit of perpetual motion machines and how this endeavor led to the laws of physics we have today. From Robert Park's generator-rigged bicycle, to Robert Fludd's self-running bicycle, to the steam engines of the 19th century, these stories offer a peek into some of mankind's successes and failures when it comes to the exploration of science and advancement.

Learn about how the body processes food by following Joe's pizza lunch—from the plate to his mouth to his stomach and beyond. The nutrients from food are absorbed in the small intestine, which are delivered to rest of the body.

Can you imagine visiting a doctor's office for an illness or injury, but getting treated by a robot instead? According to some researchers, this could be the reality in the not too distant future. Ongoing research into artificial intelligence and its use in medicine might someday produce robots that will work alongside human doctors and nurses to deliver the best health care possible.

Your skin does a lot to make sure you are healthy and feeling good. It can keep you warm on a cold day, and cool on a hot day. It's tough and helps protect you from the sun. Its ridges help you grip things. Let's face it, your skin has you covered.

Inventing is all about ideas—ideas for making products better or creating new ones. To put these ideas into action, young inventors need tools for tinkering. Find out how to put together your own inventor's workshop with simple tools and common household objects.

Have you ever wondered where glasses came from? This book takes a fun look at the invention of glasses starting with the Greeks and Romans. Then it looks at attempts by the Spanish, Chinese, French, and even inventor Ben Franklin to improve the design.

Red is a red blood cell. Luke is a leukocyte, or white blood cell. Patty is a platelet. What do these three have in common? They are the workers in your blood. Listen to find out why each worker is important for your body.

In the late 1700s, young Louis Braille overcame his disability by inventing "night writing," a system of raised dots to help blind people read. This alphabet of raised dots allowed sightless people to live more independent lives.

Garrett Morgan was an inventor concerned for the well-being of other people. His inventions included the safety hood gas mask and signals that set the standard for today's traffic lights. It is easy to see that the lives of many people were made better or saved by Garrett Morgan’s inventions.

If you want to know what's going on, you check the news. But where does the news come from? Where do the reporters get their stories? Reporters ask five basic questions during an interview to gather all the facts and follow a few rules to keep the news truthful and fair.