Super Science Encyclopedia: How Science Shapes Our World

208 Pages·2021·84.588 MB·English

by  DK

UUSS__000022--000033__TTiittllee..iinndddd 22 1199//0044//2211 44::2277 PPMM
S M I T H S O N I A N
SUPER
S C I E N C E
E N C Y C L O P E D I A
AUTHORS JACK CHALLONER, DR. KAT DAY,
HILARY LAMB, GEORGIA MILLS, BEA PERKS
CONSULTANT JACK CHALLONER
UUSS__000022--000033__TTiittllee..iinndddd 22 1199//0044//2211 44::2277 PPMM UUSS__000022--000033__TTiittllee..iinndddd 33 1199//0044//2211 44::2277 PPMM
CONTENTS
SCIENCE IN OUR
EVERYDAY LIVES 6
FIELDS OF SCIENCE 8
LIVING AND BUILDING AND TRAVELING AND
WORKING CREATING CONNECTING
10 50 86
HYDROPONICS 12 ECO BUILDINGS 52 ELECTRIC CARS 88
AUTONOMOUS ROBOTS 14 HOUSE INSULATION 54 MAGLEV TRAINS 92
NEUTRALIZING ACIDS 16 SUSPENSION BRIDGES 58 HOT AIR BALLOONS 94
MICROBES IN FOOD 18 CRANES 60 DRONES 96
GM FOODS 20 UNDERWATER WELDING 62 WIND TUNNELS 98
GROWING PLANTS DIAMOND DRILLS 64 HEAT SHIELDS 100
IN LOW GRAVITY 22
LASERS 66 ROCKETS 102
ICE STUPAS 24
WATER-REPELLENT PERSEVERANCE ROVER 104
FOG CATCHERS 26 MATERIALS 68
FLARES 106
SEPARATING MIXTURES 28 REFLECTIVE MATERIALS 70
AIRCRAFT CATAPULTS 110
SHADE BALLS 30 WETSUITS 72
FIBER-OPTIC CABLES 112
WASTE WATER TREATMENT 32 MAKING GLASS 74
RADIO COMMUNICATION 114
SUPPLYING ELECTRICITY 34 BIODEGRADABLE MATERIALS 76
BIOMETRICS 116
NUCLEAR POWER 36 ALUMINUM RECYCLING 78
ONLINE GAMING 118
SOLAR ENERGY 40 DRY ICE 82
BIG BATTERIES 42 PRINTING 84
WIND TURBINES 44
BIOFUELS 48
UUSS__000044--000055__CCoonntteennttss__aanndd__IImmpprriinntt..iinndddd 44 1199//0044//2211 44::2277 PPMM
CONTENTS
DK LONDON
Senior Art Editor Sheila Collins
Editor Vicky Richards
US Editor Kayla Dugger
US Executive Editor Lori Cates Hand
Picture Researcher Nic Dean
Illustrators Brendan McCaffery,
Adam Benton, Peter Bull, Gus Scott
Managing Editor Francesca Baines
Managing Art Editor Philip Letsu
Senior Production Editor Andy Hilliard
Production Controller Sian Cheung
Jacket Designer Surabhi Wadhwa-Gandhi
Jacket Design Development Manager
Sophia MTT
Publisher Andrew Macintyre
SCIENCE IN OUR Associate Publishing Director Liz Wheeler
EVERYDAY LIVES 6 Art Director Karen Self
Publishing Director Jonathan Metcalf
FIELDS OF SCIENCE 8
DK DELHI
Senior Editor Virien Chopra
Project Art Editor Baibhav Parida
Project Editor Kathakali Banerjee
Art Editor Sifat Fatima
Picture Researcher Nishwan Rasool
Picture Research Manager Taiyaba Khatoon
Managing Editor Kingshuk Ghoshal
Managing Art Editor Govind Mittal
Senior DTP Designer Neeraj Bhatia
DTP Designer Anita Yadav
Pre-Production Manager Balwant Singh
Production Manager Pankaj Sharma
First American Edition, 2021
Published in the United States by DK Publishing
1450 Broadway, Suite 801, New York, NY 10018
LIVING AND BUILDING AND TRAVELING AND PROTECTING AND LEARNING AND
Copyright © 2021 Dorling Kindersley Limited
DK, a Division of Penguin Random House LLC
WORKING CREATING CONNECTING SURVIVING DISCOVERING 21 22 23 24 25 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
10 50 86 120 158 001–310498–Aug/2021
All rights reserved.
Without limiting the rights under the copyright reserved
HYDROPONICS 12 ECO BUILDINGS 52 ELECTRIC CARS 88 ANTIBIOTICS 122 UNDERWATER VEHICLES 160 above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored
in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in
AUTONOMOUS ROBOTS 14 HOUSE INSULATION 54 MAGLEV TRAINS 92 VACCINES 126 FORECASTING VOLCANIC any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical,
ERUPTIONS 162 photocopying, recording, or otherwise), without the
NEUTRALIZING ACIDS 16 SUSPENSION BRIDGES 58 HOT AIR BALLOONS 94 BLOOD DONATION 128 prior written permission of the copyright owner.
WEATHER PLANES 164 Published in Great Britain by Dorling Kindersley Limited
MICROBES IN FOOD 18 CRANES 60 DRONES 96 PACEMAKERS 130
A catalog record for this book is available
GM FOODS 20 UNDERWATER WELDING 62 WIND TUNNELS 98 EXOSKELETONS 132 SONAR 166 from the Library of Congress.
ISBN 978-0-7440-2890-4
ICE CORES 168
GROWING PLANTS DIAMOND DRILLS 64 HEAT SHIELDS 100 MEDICAL MACHINES 134
DK books are available at special discounts
IN LOW GRAVITY 22 LASERS 66 ROCKETS 102 COCHLEAR IMPLANTS 136 WEATHER BALLOONS 170 when purchased in bulk for sales promotions,
premiums, fund-raising, or educational use.
ICE STUPAS 24 WATER-REPELLENT PERSEVERANCE ROVER 104 RUNNING BLADES 138 TELESCOPES 172 For details, contact: DK Publishing Special Markets,
1450 Broadway, Suite 801, New York, NY 10018
FOG CATCHERS 26 MATERIALS 68 FLARES 106 CRASH TESTING 140 MICROSCOPES 176 [email protected]
SEPARATING MIXTURES 28 REFLECTIVE MATERIALS 70 DATING FOSSILS 178 Printed and bound in China
AIRCRAFT CATAPULTS 110 UV RADIATION 142
SHADE BALLS 30 WETSUITS 72 CT SCANS 180
FIBER-OPTIC CABLES 112 OXYGEN TANKS 144
WASTE WATER TREATMENT 32 MAKING GLASS 74 REBUILDING FOSSILS 182 www.dk.com
RADIO COMMUNICATION 114 OIL SKIMMERS 146
SUPPLYING ELECTRICITY 34 BIODEGRADABLE MATERIALS 76 THERMAL IMAGING 184
BIOMETRICS 116 BIOME DOMES 148
NUCLEAR POWER 36 ALUMINUM RECYCLING 78 ROBOT CAMERAS 186
ONLINE GAMING 118 BIOROCKS 150
SOLAR ENERGY 40 DRY ICE 82 DNA ANALYSIS 190
FIRE RETARDANTS 154
BIG BATTERIES 42 PRINTING 84 MRI SCANS 192
CARBON CAPTURE 156 Established in 1846, the This book was made with
Smithsonian is the world’s Forest Stewardship Council™
WIND TURBINES 44 ARTIFICIAL SKIN 194
largest museum and research certified paper—one small
complex, dedicated to public step in DK’s commitment to
BIOFUELS 48 MAPPING MIGRATION 196
education, national service, and a sustainable future. For
scholarship in the arts, sciences, more information go to
CAMERA TRAPS 198
and history. It includes 19 www.dk.com/our-green-pledge
museums and galleries and the
National Zoological Park. The
GLOSSARY 200 total number of artifacts, works
of art, and specimens in the
INDEX 204 Smithsonian’s collection is
estimated at 155.5 million.
UUSS__000044--000055__CCoonntteennttss__aanndd__IImmpprriinntt..iinndddd 44 1199//0044//2211 44::2277 PPMM UUSS__000044--000055__CCoonntteennttss__aanndd__IImmpprriinntt..iinndddd 55 1199//0044//2211 44::2277 PPMM
SCIENCE IN OUR
EVERYDAY LIVES
Science is a way of finding out about the world around us. Scientists ask
questions about what the world is made of and how it works and study the
three main areas of science: physics, chemistry, and biology. But science isn’t
just theory—science is behind many things we rely on in the modern world,
such as the light in our homes, the food we eat, and the clothes we wear.
This book shows some of the ways scientific knowledge is put to use to
help make our lives easier and find solutions to our problems.
PHYSICS
Physics is the study of energy and
forces. Understanding physics allows
us to design ways to get around, such
as by bike or plane. The way our data
travels over the internet also relies on
knowledge of light gained by physicists.
UUSS__000066--000077__IInnttrroodduuccttiioonn..iinndddd 66 1199//0044//2211 44::2277 PPMM
INTRODUCTION 7
BIOLOGY
SCIENCE IN OUR
Biology looks at how animals, plants, THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD
and other living things work. Learning There are many different areas of science,
about the human body allows scientists but most scientists follow a method in their
EVERYDAY LIVES
to develop crucial medicine, and quest to understand the world. The most
understanding how trees grow important part of the scientific method
can help us fight climate change. is experimentation, which allows
scientists to test their hypotheses
(suggested explanations).
Science is a way of finding out about the world around us. Scientists ask
questions about what the world is made of and how it works and study the
three main areas of science: physics, chemistry, and biology. But science isn’t
just theory—science is behind many things we rely on in the modern world,
such as the light in our homes, the food we eat, and the clothes we wear. Observation
The scientific method begins with
This book shows some of the ways scientific knowledge is put to use to
careful observation of some aspect
help make our lives easier and find solutions to our problems. of the world, something no one
can yet fully explain. Scientists may
observe something in a laboratory
or in the wider world around us.
Hypothesis
Next, a scientist comes up with
a possible explanation for their
observation: a hypothesis. The
hypothesis should be based on
existing scientific knowledge and
must be something that can be
tested by carrying out an experiment.
Experiment
A scientist must design their
experiments carefully, making
sure they control as many aspects
of the setup as possible. Typically,
they will predict an outcome of the
experiment that, if true, will support
or disprove their hypothesis.
Analysis and theory
If a hypothesis is supported by the
outcome of the experiments, that
hypothesis may become part of a
PHYSICS CHEMISTRY theory—a generally accepted part
of science that may explain lots of
Physics is the study of energy and Chemistry is the study of how different
different observations. Well-tested
forces. Understanding physics allows substances react together. Using their
theories include the theory of
us to design ways to get around, such knowledge, chemists can create new
evolution and the Big Bang theory.
as by bike or plane. The way our data materials, such as synthetic textiles,
travels over the internet also relies on and can also develop ways to extract
knowledge of light gained by physicists. key resources, such as salt.
UUSS__000066--000077__IInnttrroodduuccttiioonn..iinndddd 66 1199//0044//2211 44::2277 PPMM UUSS__000066--000077__IInnttrroodduuccttiioonn..iinndddd 77 1199//0044//2211 44::2277 PPMM
8 INTRODUCTION
FIELDS OF
BIOLOGY
SCIENCE BIOCHEMISTRY
Biochemists study the
complicated chemical reactions Biology is the science
that take place inside cells and of living things, from the
keep living things alive.
structure of cells to how
Modern scientists are all specialists different organisms grow,
who work in one of many different fields. behave, and interact with
Some fall under the main subjects of their environments.
biology, chemistry, and physics, while
others combine knowledge from across
these areas. A scientific breakthrough in
one field can impact another—such as GENETICS
Geneticists work out how DNA
how the discovery of gene editing (how
(deoxyribonucleic acid) carries
scientists can change the genes of living
information within cells and
things) is now leading to advances passes it on to new generations.
in medicine and agriculture.
CHEMISTRY
Chemistry is the study
of substances such as
elements, mixtures, and
As science
FORENSIC SCIENCE even tiny atoms. It looks
advances, new
Forensic scientists use biology, at their properties and
chemistry, and physics to analyze
fields emerge, such how they react together.
evidence gathered at crime scenes

synthetic in order to help investigations.
as
biology
(building
artificial living
things).
GEOLOGY PHYSICS
Geologists study the rocks
and minerals our planet is made
Physics is the study of
APPLYING SCIENCE of and the enormous forces
that shape the landscape. energy, force, and matter—
Knowledge from the
many scientific fields the building blocks of
can be used for practical everything, including
purposes—for example,
sound, electricity, heat,
to design new medicine,
magnetism, light, and the
make new materials, or
invent machines such structure of atoms.
as robots. Fields such
as computer science
and materials science NUCLEAR CHEMISTRY
are considered Nuclear chemists study the
applied sciences. nuclei (the central part) of
atoms and how different
nuclei break apart.
UUSS__000088--000099__FFiieellddss__ooff__sscciieennccee..iinndddd 88 1199//0044//2211 44::2277 PPMM
8 INTRODUCTION
Zoology Microbiology Medicine
Zoologists study the Microbiologists study Medical scientists apply
FIELDS OF body structure and organisms that are too knowledge from many
behavior of animals, small too see without a areas of biology, mostly
as well as their evolution microscope—including human biology, to help
BIOLOGY (how they developed bacteria and fungi. cure disease and keep
SCIENCE BIOCHEMISTRY over millions of years). people healthy.
Biochemists study the
complicated chemical reactions Biology is the science
that take place inside cells and of living things, from the
keep living things alive.
structure of cells to how
Modern scientists are all specialists different organisms grow,
Botany Ecology Paleontology
who work in one of many different fields. behave, and interact with
Botanists study Ecologists study the Paleontologists study
Some fall under the main subjects of their environments. the life cycles and relationships between living things that existed
biology, chemistry, and physics, while structure of different different species and long ago, mostly through
plants and their between species and the examining the fossilized
others combine knowledge from across evolution over time. places they live (habitats). remains of dead plants
and animals.
these areas. A scientific breakthrough in
one field can impact another—such as GENETICS
Geneticists work out how DNA
how the discovery of gene editing (how
(deoxyribonucleic acid) carries
scientists can change the genes of living
information within cells and
things) is now leading to advances passes it on to new generations.
Organic Chemistry Electrochemistry Inorganic chemistry
in medicine and agriculture.
Organic chemists study Electrochemists study how Inorganic chemists study
CHEMISTRY reactions where the electricity is involved in reactions that involve
element carbon makes reactions—how it can substances that do not
up one or more of the make reactions happen, contain the element
Chemistry is the study substances involved. or be produced by them. carbon, most often those
containing metals.
of substances such as
elements, mixtures, and
As science
FORENSIC SCIENCE even tiny atoms. It looks
advances, new
Forensic scientists use biology, at their properties and
chemistry, and physics to analyze
fields emerge, such how they react together.
evidence gathered at crime scenes

synthetic in order to help investigations.
as
biology
(building
Particle physics Mechanics Waves and vibrations
artificial living Particle physicists The study of mechanics The study of vibrating
study the tiny is the study of forces objects and of sound,
things).
particles smaller and motion. Mechanics light, and other forms
than atoms and helps scientists of energy that travel
how they interact understand machines. as waves.
with one another.
GEOLOGY PHYSICS
Geologists study the rocks
and minerals our planet is made
Physics is the study of
APPLYING SCIENCE of and the enormous forces
that shape the landscape. energy, force, and matter—
Knowledge from the
many scientific fields the building blocks of
can be used for practical everything, including
purposes—for example,
sound, electricity, heat,
to design new medicine,
magnetism, light, and the
make new materials, or
invent machines such structure of atoms.
as robots. Fields such
as computer science
and materials science NUCLEAR CHEMISTRY
are considered Nuclear chemists study the Astronomy Thermodynamics Optics Electromagnetism Meteorology
applied sciences. nuclei (the central part) of Astronomers study objects This area of physics is The study of how light Electromagnetism studies Meteorologists study the way
atoms and how different in space, including planets the study of how energy interacts with various the important connection heat interacts with air and
nuclei break apart. and moons, the Sun and is transferred between materials—in particular, between electricity water to produce different
other stars, and galaxies. objects as heat. how it reflects or bends. and magnetism. types of weather.
UUSS__000088--000099__FFiieellddss__ooff__sscciieennccee..iinndddd 88 1199//0044//2211 44::2277 PPMM UUSS__000088--000099__FFiieellddss__ooff__sscciieennccee..iinndddd 99 1199//0044//2211 44::2277 PPMM
1
UUSS__001100--001111__CChhaapptteerr__OOppeenneerr__LLiivviinngg__aanndd__wwoorrkkiinngg..iinndddd 1100 1199//0044//2211 44::2277 PPMM