Books with author Robert Snedden

Why do tigers have stripes? Do they choose to have them, or is that just how they are? Adaptation and Survival explains what is meant by the fitness of an organism and shows how adaptations improve a plant or animal's chances of survival to have offspring. It tackles common confusions about the science and shows how topics are relevant to the reader.

This title looks at how cells are put together and how they sustain life by controlling a complex series of chemical reactions. It examines the differences between the two fundamental cell types: the prokaryotes (bacteria and archaea) and the eukaryotes (everything else!). The book shows how the first forms of life were probably cells very similar to some bacteria today. The newly-classified kingdom archaea may also offer clues to the origin of life on Earth.

Rosetta isn’t the first probe that’s been sent to study comets, but it’s the most successful as the first spacecraft to closely observe a comet as it approaches the sun. For 10 years, Rosetta moved around the solar system, just so it could finally meet up with the right comet and release a lander to further study it. Readers learn about Rosetta’s incredible journey from just an idea to a fascinating robot with solar-charging batteries and other special features. From full-color diagrams of Rosetta to informative sidebars about the probe’s findings, readers are sure to enjoy this book’s STEM content.

This title examines how cells work together to form the huge range of plants and fungi we see around us. It looks at the typical structure of a plant cell, and points out the ways in which this differs from a typical animal cell. It shows how plant cells have become specialized so that they can carry out different jobs, from photosynthesis to reproduction. This book also looks at the differences between plants and fungi, and how fungi and algae can work together to form lichens.

This addition to the Sci-Hi series looks at scientists who have made major advances and affected the way we live - men and women, historical and modern, and from a range of cultures. Some are household names, some deserve much greater recognition and credit than they currently receive, and others who have helped us understand and protect living things.