"How would you know what time it was without clocks? How would you buy things without money? It's hard to imagine what life would be like today without the inventions and discoveries that we take for granted, from the humble bar of soap to the fantastic complexity of the Internet. Combining history with science, this series explains how these products of human ingenuity have transformed our world" --

Lilly loves everything about school, especially her teacher, but when he asks her to wait a while before showing her new purse, she does something for which she is very sorry later.

"An essential analysis of the modern science and technology that makes our twenty-first century lives possible--a scientist's investigation into what science really does, and does not, accomplish. We have never had so much information at our fingertips and yet most of us don't know how the world really works. This book explains seven of the most fundamental realities governing our survival and prosperity. From energy and food production, through our...

Say "algae" and most people think of pond scum. What they don't know is that without algae, none of us would exist. There are as many algae on Earth as stars in the universe, and they have been essential to life on our planet for eons. Algae created the Earth we know today, with its oxygen-rich atmosphere, abundant oceans, and coral reefs. Crude oil is made of dead algae, and algae are the ancestors of all plants. Today, seaweed production is a multi-billion...

"Ever wondered what's inside the plastic of your video game console but don't want to crack it open to find out? Crack open this book instead! You'll learn what computer code looks like, how a game console's "brain" makes decisions, and how its memory allows you to return to play each day without starting from scratch."--Provided by publisher.

"Originally published in 1970, Marge Piercy's second novel follows the lives of four teenagers in a near-future society, as they rebel against a military draft and 'the system.' The occupation of Franklin High School begins, and with it the open rebellion of America's youth against their channeled, unrewarding lives and the self-serving, plastic society that directs them. From the disillusionment and alienation of the young at the center of the revolt,...

"Takes a look at the pileup of waste in the United States, including the problem of plastic, the industry of overmedication, e-waste products, everyday garbage, fast fashion trash, space waste, and other forms of profligacy that make our nation the biggest waster on the planet. Looking at the environmental impact of so much garbage, Dondero explores not just how we got here and where we're headed, but ways in which we might be able to curb the tide....

"How do soaps and detergents clean? Why do metals conduct electricity? How does burning fossil fuel contribute to global warming? The answers to these questions are found by examining the properties and behaviors of atoms and molecules. Insightful explanations and hands-on science activities break down complicated chemistry principles into pieces of information that are more easily grasped. Sidebars include discussions on animals that can live thirty...

"The Animal Lover's Guide to Changing the World is the inspiring, accessible, and empowering book for everyone who loves animals and wants to live a more animal-friendly life, even if they aren’t ready to join a movement or give up bacon. With more than 7.5 billion people on the planet, wildlife is going extinct at the fastest rate since the dinosaurs. Three to four million dogs and cats are killed in shelters every year; billions of chickens,...

"All You Need is Less is about realistically adopting an eco-friendly lifestyle without either losing your mind from the soul-destroying guilt of using a plastic bag because you forgot your reusable ones in the trunk of your car (again), or becoming a preachy know-it-all whom everyone loathes from the tips of her organically-shampooed hair to the toes of her naturally sourced recycled sandals. It's all gotten kind of complicated, hasn't it? These...