Books in Science Questions series

Trace the quest to solve the scientific riddle of how human traits are passed down from one generation to the next in this new book from National Geographic. The story begins in 1856, when the scientist and monk Gregor Mendel begins experiments on pea plants, not knowing that he was about to unlock the first secrets of genetics and change our understanding of heredity forever. Double Helix follows the path to understanding the mysteries of DNA—a twisting quest that will draw young readers into the stories of scientists like Crick and Watson and reveal the discovery's strange connection to the atomic bomb. Author Glen Phelan's accessible text will help readers understand how complex genetic codes distinguish every single individual on Earth. The book also explores the vast range of applications for this landmark biological discovery in areas such as medicine, law, and historical research.National Geographic supports K-12 educators with ELA Common Core Resources.Visit www.natgeoed.org/commoncore for more information.

The challenge for young readers: follow the scientific quest to finding the world's first vaccines—and move towards a future of saving lives worldwide. Thanks to modern vaccines, many diseases, such as smallpox, cholera, and polio, have been virtually eradicated. Before the discovery of vaccines, however, epidemics killed thousands of people worldwide every year. Killing Germs, Saving Lives traces the path to the creation of the vaccines that revolutionized modern medicine. Young readers learn of the background to this historic quest through fascinating profiles of the men and women whose breakthroughs changed the world. Personal portraits of the scientists involved give aspiring young scientists a look at great figures like Louis Pasteur, Joseph Lister, and Florence Nightingale. Readers will tour the germ-filled hospitals of the past, examine the current state of vaccine research, and look ahead to future developments in this fascinating scientific field.National Geographic supports K-12 educators with ELA Common Core Resources.Visit www.natgeoed.org/commoncore for more information.

Follow the quest to understand the laws of motion and gravity—to formulate the ups and downs of physics and solve the mysteries of the strange forces that propel all objects on Earth. Whenever we throw a baseball, sail a boat, or guide a spacecraft through the atmosphere, we manipulate the principles of motion and gravity. But for centuries these fundamental laws of nature mystified mankind. Author Glen Phelan guides young readers through the quest towards understanding the invisible forces at play on our planet. Ancient wisdom posited Earth as the center of the universe, but studies of the universe led Copernicus and Galileo to challenge that idea and radically alter perceptions of physics. Later, the Englishman Isaac Newton made the big breakthrough by defining the meaning of gravity (with the aid of a famous falling apple). An Invisible Force traces the historical and scientific path to man's understanding of motion and gravity. From stargazing astronomers to a look at accelerating future developments, young readers are drawn into an age-old science quest.