SuperHERoes of Science

This brand-new series highlights some of the major contributions women have made in the world of science. Women have been pioneers of inventions. Some have come up with practical ways to solve problems in their own lives, such as Marie van Brittan Brown, who invented closed-circuit TV because she did not feel safe opening the door in her New York City tenement block in the 1960s. Other women have been trained scientists working in laboratories, such as Stephanie Kwolek, inventor of bullet-proof Kevlar. Few of these women have received full credit, because their inventions are not always spectacular, yet we all use them every day: the windshield wiper, the paper bag, the coffee filter, and the diaper. This book tells their stories and describes their vital contributions.

Questioning established knowledge isn't usually a popular course of action. Galileo learned this throughout his life as he tested scientific theories using mathematical calculations. He challenged the Catholic Church and Aristotle, which got him into trouble, but also added him to the pantheon of great scientists. Readers learn all about Galileo's most important discoveries through the story of his life, complete with historical images. Sidebars add detail and understandable explanations to the main content, including concepts such as the scientific method and the planets orbiting the sun.

This brand-new series highlights some of the major contributions women have made in the world of science. Women have historically been associated with caring for the sick, but their role in health sciences goes far beyond their traditional role. Women played a leading role in placing hygiene and nursing on a scientific footing. They have also advanced surgical techniques, developed cures for killer diseases, learned about human anatomy, and figured out the chemistry behind some of the biochemicals on which humans depend for their health. This book tells their stories and describes their vital contributions.

This brand-new series highlights some of the major contributions women have made in the world of science. From studying stars and discovering comets to flying into space as pioneering astronauts, women have been central to learning about space. Female astronomers gave us our first understanding of how large the universe really is and how much matter it contains. They were key to designing humans' first rocket-powered flights into space. And as soon as women could go into space themselves, they were eager to do so: some 65 women have now become space travelers. This book tells their stories and describes their vital contributions.

This brand-new series highlights some of the major contributions women have made in the world of science. What shapes our planet? Women have been answering the question for centuries on many levels. Scientists such as Marie Curie have investigated the building blocks of matter, and the physical forces that act upon them. Geologists have studied the rocks beneath our feet by venturing dangerously close to erupting volcanoes, and have figured out what lies at Earth's center and why its surface moves as it does. Women have also led the way in exploring the planet's atmosphere and the causes and effects of climate change, the most urgent problem scientists are trying to solve. This book tells their stories and describes their vital contributions.

This brand-new series highlights some of the major contributions women have made in the world of science. Women have led the way in learning about the living things with which we share the planet. They have discovered dinosaur fossils and the tools made by our earliest ancestors, and were among the pioneers of the study of insects. They have spent years living with chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans in order to better understand the connections between humans and other primates. They have also pioneered the investigation of the genes by which adult organisms pass on characteristics to their young. Women were also among the most important pioneers in the conservation of the Earth's most fragile ecosystems. This book tells their stories and describes their vital contributions.

This brand-new series highlights some of the major contributions women have made in the world of science. Did you know that the technology behind cell phones was based on an idea developed during World War II by the Hollywood star Heddy Lamar to prevent the enemy intercepting radio messages? The computer and other electronic devices have changed life dramatically over the last 70 years-and many of the key breakthroughs in technology were made by women. These women's achievements were often highly specialized and have been widely overlooked. This book tells their stories and describes their vital contributions.

In 2010, the Royal Society named Mary Anning one of the 10 British women most influential in the history of science. Though she wasn't appreciated in her time because she was a woman, Anning certainly earned this distinction. Readers are introduced to one of the premier fossil hunters of 19th century England through biography, historic images, and detailed sidebars. Anning learned how to find and clean fossils from her father and began doing so when she was a child. With this in mind, readers can find inspiration-as well as interesting scientific content-in her story.

Most people know the story of Sir Issac Newton discovering gravity. An apple fell from a tree, hitting him on the head. However, Newton is also responsible for articulating the laws of motion and many early studies on light and color, including work with prisms. Learning about Newton's life during his discoveries engages readers with the curiosity and hypotheses involved in scientific inquiry. Colorful photographs and historic images highlight important events and scientific fact as readers discover Newton and his many breakthroughs.

Rachel Carson loved nature since childhood. It was only natural for her to become one of the first conservation advocates and environmental scientists in the United States. Through detailed biography, the main content introduces readers to Carson as well as her work, including Silent Spring and its incredible influence on the United States and the pesticide industry. Sidebars complement understandable scientific content by adding interesting and illuminating information about each topic. Full-color photographs of Carson and accounts of work in the field encourage readers to care for the world around them-even if it's not popular to do so.

One of the most important physicists of all time, Stephen Hawking isn't only a brilliant scientist-he's an inspiration. Hawking was diagnosed with a muscular disease as a young adult, making movement and later speech very difficult. However, he still was able to make discoveries about space and time that no one could have imagined. In this detailed biography, readers learn about Hawking's life, including his childhood, schooling, and writing of A Brief History of Time. Full-color images and sidebars help readers understand Hawking's research as well as the inner workings of a legendary scientist.