Books in Mission: Space Science series

Light and sound are two of the most important things in the universe. Without them everything would be dark and silent. Plants and animals would die. What scientists have found out about light and sound helps us live and work, but there is more to learn. For more information on light and sound, read Pioneers of Light & Sound, another book in the Mission: Science series.

All living things are made of cells. Cells are tiny parts of plants and animals that help them get energy from food, expel waste, and make more cells. To reproduce, cells split in one of two ways: mitosis or meiosis. Scientists using microscopes study both of these important processes. For more information on cell biology, read Pioneers of Cell Biology, another book in the Mission: Science series.

Everything is made up of atoms. There are many kinds of atoms, and groups of one kind of atom come together to create elements. Physicists, the scientists who study atoms, ask questions like: What do atoms do? How do atoms interact with each other? They are also interested in the energy that atoms produce. For more information on atoms and physicists, read Marie Curie: Pioneering Physicist, another book in the Mission: Science series.

No matter where you live on Earth, the water cycle plays an important role. Without water, you couldn’t brush your teeth or take a bath. Water is used to grow crops and raise animals for food. It’s used to manufacture products and as a source of energy. Nothing on Earth can survive without water. The water cycle is a fascinating process that makes our planet unique. For more information on the water cycle, read Water Scientists, another book in the Mission: Science series.

Cells are the basic unit of life. Plants and animals are made up of cells. In fact, the average human is made up of more than 75 trillion cells! These cells are so small they must be viewed with a microscope. Cells have different functions, and they are made up of even smaller parts, each of which is assigned a specific task. For more information on cells, read Cell Scientists: From Hooke to Nusslein-Volhard, another book in the Mission: Science series.

Earth’s surface is always changing. Landforms such as mountains, valleys, plains, and plateaus are made by natural forces. These natural forces, whether earthquakes, volcanoes, wind, or rain, wear down and reshape Earth’s landforms over a period of time. Some landforms are only a few hours old, while others are a million years old. Scientists who specialize in landforms are called geomorphologists. For more information, read Pioneers of Earth Scientists: From Mercator to Evans, another book in the Mission: Science series.

From birds to bats and from snakes to starfish, the animal kingdom contains a tremendous amount of diversity. This vast variety of animals is organized into a number of subcategories based on physical attributes or ancestors. Wings, backbones, teeth, and number of legs are among the features that help scientists understand and classify the animals of our world. For more information, read Jane Goodall: Primatologist and Animal Activist, another book in the Mission: Science series.

Have you ever wondered why your eyes or your hair are the color they are? Or why you can roll your tongue but your best friend can’t? It’s all because of genetics. This branch of biology involves the study of heredity, the passing on of traits from parents to children through genetic material. For more information on genetics, read Gregor Mendel: Genetics Pioneer, another book in the Mission: Science series.