Science is all about the pursuit of knowledge. But sometimes that pursuit leads scientists down the wrong path, and things can go spectacularly wrong! Learn about some of the biggest fails in the history of science, from scientists accidentally poisoning themselves to accidentally poisoning the environment. Nuclear meltdowns, a space telescope that didn't work, and fake science all help illustrate how scientists sometimes fail and how they learn from their missteps.
Ships, bridges, and tall buildings are marvels of engineering. They are designed to be strong and safe. But even state-of-the-art designs don't always hold up in the real world. Learn about the biggest engineering goofs throughout history—from bridges that collapsed to ships that sank. Discover how engineering mistakes have also led to improvements, such as stricter building regulations and the use of sturdier materials.
Without inventors, we wouldn't have cars, airplanes, or light bulbs. Inventors build devices that make our lives better. But not all inventions succeed. In fact, the history of inventions is filled with missteps and blunders. Learn about the biggest goofs—from flying cars to Smell-O-Vision. Discover how invention mistakes have also led to brand-new products, such as bubble wrap and sticky notes.
Sports are all about great strategy and overcoming obstacles, right? Not always! Sometimes failures in sports are as exciting as successes. Learn about the biggest fails—from an NFL team blowing a 35–3 lead in a playoff game to the Boston Red Sox selling Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees. Discover how athletes and teams have dealt with failure and how they've improved after their mistakes.
Explore some of history's biggest failures in medicine—from bloodletting to early remedies—and how some of those failures eventually led to success.
In this deeply moving nonfiction picture book, award-winning author Caren Stelson brings Sachiko Yasui's story of surviving the atomic bombing of Nagasaki and her message of peace to a young audience. Sachiko's family home was about half a mile from where the atomic bomb fell on August 9, 1945. When they returned to the rubble where their home once stood, her father miraculously found their serving bowl fully intact. This delicate, green, leaf-shaped bowl—which once held their daily meals—now holds memories of the past and serves as a vessel of hope, peace, and new traditions for Sachiko and the surviving members of her family.
Hockey is a thrilling, fast-paced sport, and the action gets even more intense during the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Fans can't get enough of the booming slap shots, the devastating body checks, and the overtime finishes. The Stanley Cup Playoffs: The Quest for Hockey's Biggest Prize covers it all with exciting text and vivid photos. The greatest games, the biggest moments, and the most incredible goals are all here. Join Wayne Gretzky, Alex Ovechkin, and more hockey superstars of the past and present on a fun journey through the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Technology is constantly changing the world we live in. But new tech doesn't always catch on right away, or even work like it's supposed to. In fact, the history of technology is filled with failures and mistakes—from computer bugs to an early version of the video phone. Discover how even successful tech companies, like Apple and Google, made major missteps along the way and learned from their mistakes.
On April 19, 1995, something terrible happened in Oklahoma City: a bomb exploded, and people were hurt and killed. But that was not the end of the story. Those who survived—and those who were forever changed—shared their stories and began to heal. Near the site of the bomb blast, an American elm tree began to heal as well. People took care of the tree just as they took care of each other. The tree and its seedlings now offer solace to people around the world grappling with tragedy and loss.
Each season the two best teams in the NHL (National Hockey League) battle for hockey's biggest prize: the Stanley Cup. Follow the epic upsets, game-winning goals, and most amazing games from the Stanley Cup Finals.
From the greatest pitching performances to the thrilling extra-inning wins of the MLB (Major League Baseball) World Series, discover the history of the most-watched games in baseball. Plus, learn about the future of the Fall Classic.
At the end of every season, football fans watch the Super Bowl to see the top teams in the NFL (National Football League) battle for the Vince Lombardi Trophy. The biggest game of the year has a culture of its own, from dazzling halftime shows to hilarious TV commercials. Dive into the Super Bowl's long history of epic football face-offs, nail-biting comebacks, and unbelievable upsets, and discover why each game keeps fans talking for years to come.
A football soars through the air—and the perfect pass is fumbled by the receiver! In one moment, a team that barely made the playoffs can beat the favorite to win the Super Bowl. Dive into thrilling plays and other surprising moments in professional football.
Thrilling upsets are part of what makes professional soccer so exciting! Sometimes, a team that barely makes it to the playoffs can win it all on a penalty kick for the league championship. Learn about the most exciting upsets and underdog moments in soccer through exciting photos and action-packed text.
Get an inside look at the men's and women's soccer World Cup. Explore the phenomenal performances, jaw-dropping goals, and biggest celebrations that have made the World Cup the most popular sports event in the world.
The countdown clock is almost at zero—and suddenly, a player scores a three-pointer to win the game! Professional basketball is full of underdog stories. Sometimes, a lower-seeded team can dominate the top seed to win an NBA Championship. Learn about some of the biggest upsets in basketball history.
In the history of life on this planet, 99.9 percent of all species have gone extinct. But a few have survived almost unchanged. Author Rebecca E. Hirsch introduces readers to six living fossils, including the chambered nautilus, the horseshoe crab with its sticky blue blood, and venomous platypuses that sting, as well as a comprehensive explanation of evolution and extinction for readers who may not be familiar with the terms yet. Readers will also discover a a spectacular timeline of the history of animal life on Earth. Dive into the stories of these incredible animals and find out how they help scientists piece together evolutionary history.
During the Middle Ages, your position in life was based on birth. This position would follow you throughout your life. To make it easy for others to know your social class, rules about what you could wear—or not wear—were created. Such rules, called sumptuary laws, determined colors of clothing, types of fabric and trims, length of garments, types of sleeves, and types of furs. The laws also regulated shoe lengths and height, hat height, types of buttons, and even the number of buttons you could wear. People were to dress according to the class in which they were born. In this way, just by looking at someone, you could tell if they were important or not.
A suspenseful and heartfelt story about an era whose uncertainties, controversies, and dangers will seem anything but distant to contemporary readers. If thirteen-year-old Marty Rafner had his way, he'd spend the summer of 1953 warming the bench for his baseball team, listening to Yankees games on the radio, and avoiding preparations for his bar mitzvah. Instead, he has to deal with FBI agents staking out his house because his parents—professors at the local college—are suspected communist sympathizers. Marty knows what happens to communists, or Reds, as his friends call them: They lose their jobs, get deported...or worse. Two people he's actually met, Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, have been convicted of being communist spies, and they're slated to be executed in two months. Marty just wants everything to go back to normal, but that's impossible thanks to the rumors that his parents are traitors. As his friends and teammates turn on him and federal agents track his every move, Marty isn't sure what to believe. Is his family really part of a Red Menace working against the United States? And even if they're simply patriotic Americans who refuse to be bullied by the government, what will it cost them?
On December 18, 2019, Donald Trump became the third president in US history to be impeached by the House of Representatives. He was later acquitted by the Senate. Earlier that summer, Trump held a phone call with President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine. An unknown whistleblower raised concerns about the call, claiming that Trump had improperly pressured Zelensky to get involved in US politics. Over the following months a dramatic impeachment inquiry unfolded. Fraught hearings played out on television while Democrats and Republicans traded interpretations, arguments, and even insults. Faced with suppressed information and conflicting accounts, the nation tried to discover the truth. In over two hundred years Congress has gathered only a handful of times to debate what makes an impeachable offense. What events led to Trump’s impeachment? How does the impeachment process work? What other presidents have been impeached, and why? Learn the history, mechanics, and milestone events behind impeachment, and discover how the most recent one may affect US politics for years to come.
Follow the spectacular shots, thrilling comebacks, and monumental moments of basketball's most exciting games. Readers learn about the history and greatest players of the NBA (National Basketball Association) and WNBA (Women's National Basketball Association) Finals.
Fuel up for an exciting look at Formula 1 racing! Readers will learn about the history of the sport, some of the most well-known racers, and more with the aid of exciting photos and thrilling facts!
Enter the thrilling world of stock car racing! Readers will discover the history of stock car racing, what a typical race day looks like, who the hottest racers are, and more.
Start your engines and get in gear! Exciting photos and facts will have readers turning the pages to discover the history of drag racing, what a typical race day looks like, and more about the sport.
At the Olympics, the best athletes in the world compete for the gold medal. No matter the event, there are sure to be surprising moments. Someone who has never placed first can soar past the competition to win the top prize. Learn about the biggest upsets in the history of the Olympic Games!
