Books in Shadows of the World series

When the Wright brothers made their first flight, they stayed aloft for less than thirty seconds. Thanks to evolving technology, people can now travel in modern aircraft to far-flung continents in the span of a day. Airplanes have opened up the world for both leisure and business, and flight has forever changed warfare and continues to redefine it. This exciting book explores how the imaginative minds of early inventors first lifted people skyward and how continued technological innovation has allowed us to travel farther, faster. It includes accessible content about science, engineering, and math, and attention-grabbing topics including jet fighters and space flight.

At top speeds of more than 250 miles per hour, high-speed trains are designed to carry passengers over long distances quickly and safely. Readers will explore how trains have evolved over time and how special tracks, powerful motors, and physics come together to get travelers where they want to go. Readers are encouraged to think critically about how trains stay on their tracks and how high-speed trains handle extreme friction. They'll be enthralled to learn about new advances like maglev trains, which use magnets to levitate.

Bridges and tunnels have changed the landscape of transportation and are high-interest topics for young people. They are also excellent examples of the lasting improvement that science, technology, engineering, and math can make in people's lives. Aligned with the NextGen Science Standards, this volume examines the work of early engineers and mathematicians in devising successful bridges and tunnels, as well as the advancements in building materials used over time and the creative challenges experts face today. It will ground young readers in history while introducing up-and-coming innovations.

The youngest generation of digital natives will enjoy exploring the stories of how the first computers led to the latest cutting-edge technology. From Charles Babbage's Difference Engine and Ada Lovelace's programming skills to groundbreaking biotechnology and haptic technology, this awesome volume examines the STEM concepts behind the electronics revolution and imagines what might come next. Alongside high-interest content about computers, cameras, and other digital devices, this book asks readers to think through the ways that technology improves our lives, how ideas are communicated efficiently across long distances, and how information is converted into code.

For thousands of years, humans have used machines to accomplish tasks more efficiently and often to complete tasks people simply can't do on their own. Now, modern technology allows inventors to design robots capable of amazing feats that used to seem unthinkable. This cool book examines how automation revolutionized the world in the 1940s and has grown and changed over time. Readers learn how cutting-edge factories use robots, and the latest information about self-driving cars and drones. They'll evaluate the problems that robots solve, like disaster cleanup and exploring uninhabitable areas in outer space. This book also looks at what's next in the field of robotics, including lifelike social robots and advanced machine learning.