How is elephant, panda, and sheep poop turned into paper? Can seabird droppings really be used to make explosives? And why are coffee beans that pass through the digestive system of a small furry animal the most expensive in the world? Poop might be considered a waste product, but many people around the world see no reason to let it go to waste. As yucky as it might seem, poop can actually have many unexpected uses. This new Science Slam! title will...

Why do rabbits and guinea pigs feed on their own droppings? How is munching on hyena dung helpful to an African leopard tortoise? And why might you spot scientists carrying buckets of fox poop and dirty diapers into the woods? To humans, eating poop sounds disgusting, but many members of the animal kingdom regularly chow down on poop! This new Science Slam! title will engross readers--and gross them out! Filled with information perfectly suited to...

Why did medieval physicians fill a patient's nostrils with hog's dung? Can eating camel poop really help cure dysentery? And why are 21st-century doctors carrying out fecal transplants on patients with serious digestive problems? We often think of poop as yucky and dirty, but since ancient times, doctors have explored how it can be used as a treatment for illnesses and injuries. This title will engross readers--and gross them out! Filled with information...

For many months a tiny seed has been warm and safe underground. Now it's spring and a little green shoot bursts from the seed and appears from under the soil. Beneath the surface, the new plant's roots spread out in search of water and nutrients. One day the little shoot will be a tall, strong tree. None of this would be possible without soil! Inside this book, readers will discover how important soil is to plant life. How do plants get water and...

Sandy, crumbly, muddy, rocky, red, brown, gray--all these words can be used to describe soil. Some soil is soft and black and smells of wet leaves. By contrast, another kind is dry, orange, and as hard as rock. Inside this book, readers will discover that it's the ingredients that make up soil that give it so many different forms. Why is soil in a desert different from soil in a forest? What is the silvery-gray soil on the slopes of a volcano made...

From playing a musical instrument to chatting with a friend, we experience sound every day, but what exactly is sound? In this title, students will have the opportunity to conduct experiments to help them understand that sounds are caused by vibrations. Kids will also investigate concepts such as how sounds travel, and why we are able to hear sounds. Using everyday items that kids can easily find around the house, students will transform into scientists...

We see and use it every day, but what exactly is water, and what are its properties? In this title, students will get the opportunity to conduct experiments that show how water can be a liquid, a gas, or a solid. Kids will also get the chance to investigate questions such as "What floats in water?" and "What dissolves in water?" Using everyday items that kids can easily find around the house, students will turn into scientists as they carry out step-by-step...

Which tree weighs as much as 450 elephants and is the heaviest living thing on Earth? How can a tree have bark on its trunk that grows in rainbow colors? What is the strange red liquid that pours from the trunk of the dragon's blood tree? And where in the world can you see a 1,000-year-old tree that has two churches carved into its trunk? In this title, young readers are introduced to some of the plant kingdom's most extreme trees. While children...

What happens if you put two magnets together? What objects are attracted to a magnet? How strong is a magnet? And how do we use magnets in our everyday lives? Using items that kids can easily find around their homes, young students will get the chance to transform into scientists and carry out step-by-step experiments to answer these intriguing questions. Along the way, children will pick up important scientific skills as they investigate magnets,...

From switching on a lamp to seeing the sun rise in the morning, we experience light every day, but what exactly is light? In this title, students will have the opportunity to conduct experiments to help them understand what light is, how it travels, and how we see it. Kids will also investigate concepts such as what causes shadows to form, and how white light is made up of a mixture of different colors. Using everyday items that kids can easily find...