Science

Buildings were weaving in and out. The street pitched like a stormy sea. Bricks were raining down all around him. The ground shook with such violence that Jacob thought the world had come to an end.

The San Francisco Earthquake is a thorough examination of the April 18, 1906, earthquake that is considered one of the first environmental disasters of the modern age. Striking California's Bay Area, the quake and its resulting fires destroyed a rapidly growing, prosperous city and left more than 500 people dead, thousands homeless, and $500 million worth of property damage.

A huge earthquake rocked the West Coast on April 18, 1906. Worst hit was the city of San Francisco, where buildings collapsed and fires raged for days. Thousands of people died, and many more were left homeless. The disaster was just one of a long series of earthquakes triggered by the San Andreas Fault. It taught scientists valuable lessons about preparing for earthquakes.

Born on a crocodile farm in Zambia's untamed South Luangwa Valley, the puppy seemed different from his littermates. Too quiet. Unresponsive. Terriers are usually full of energy and bouncing off walls. But not this one. Nobody wanted him. Enter Anna and Steve Tolan-former police officers who had left behind their life in England to live in the African bush. People thought the Tolans were a bit different, too. The peculiar puppy suited them perfectly. They named him Bulu, or "wild dog" in the local Nyanja language.

On June 10, 2003, a little rover named Spirit blasted off on a rocket headed for Mars. On July 7, 2003, a twin rover named Opportunity soared through the solar system with the same mission: to find out if Mars ever had water that could have supported life.A thrilling addition to the acclaimed Scientists in the Field series, The Mighty Mars Rovers tells the greatest space robot adventure of all time through the eyes—and heart—of Steven Squyres, professor of astronomy at Cornell University and lead scientist on the mission.

Meet rufa red knot B95. Scientists call him the Moonbird because, in the course of his astoundingly long lifetime, this robin-sized shorebird has flown the distance to the moon — and halfway back! Each February he joins a flock that lifts off from Tierra del Fuego, headed for breeding grounds in the Canadian Arctic, nine thousand miles away. Late in the summer, he begins the return journey. B95 can fly for days, but eventually he must descend to refuel and rest.

Take a walk in the rain forest. It's hot and humid and humming with life. Look up into the dense canopy of leaves above you. Tangled vines lead to the treetops, where parrots squawk and monkeys swing from branch to branch.

This series looks at the biology and behavior of the rainforest plants, animals and people, describing how they live together in harmony and balance and how vital they are to the well-being of the world. Resources and Conservation examines the eco-systems provided by the rain forests of the world, why forest clearance is taking place on such a large scale and how it is damaging the delicate environments. Divided into short, concise chapters it looks at the biology and behavior of rain forest plants and describes how they live together.

There is an abundance of life in the rain forests of Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Amazon, though few humans live there. People and Places describes what and where the world's tropical rain forests are, how they are decreasing in size, and who the settlers, scientists, and indigenous peoples are who live in the rain forests.

For many animals, danger lurks in every corner of the rainforest. From brightly colored poison-dart frogs, whose poison is used by hunters to tip their arrows, to snakes and spiders with venomous fangs that inflict instant death, Poisoners and Pretenders shows how nature has provided many of these animals with bright warning colors and camouflaged skin to help protect them from other hungry animals.

In its rainforest home, the sloth can spend its whole day chewing leaves and moving so rarely that plants actually grow on its fur. From giant trees with buttress roots to air plants that bloom suspended from trees, Plants and Planteaters describes the flowers, fruits and seeds of the rainforest that sustain this ecosystem's many fascinating insects, birds, monkeys and mammals.

Earth Watch examines the science behind environmental problems and solutions in an attractive, child-friendly way. Extra panels contain facts and figures, case studies and activities. First published in hardback in 1999.