Kategoria BISAC: Reference >> Curiosities & Wonders

Why use the traditional approach to study the stars when you can turn computers, handheld devices, and telescopes into out-of-this-world stargazing tools? Whether you're a first timer or an advanced hobbyist, you'll find Astronomy Hacks both useful and fun. From upgrading your optical finder to photographing stars, this book is the perfect cosmic companion.This handy field guide covers the basics of observing, and what you need to know about tweaking, tuning, adjusting, and tricking out a 'scope. Expect priceless tips and tools for using a Dobsonian Telescope, the large-aperture telescope...

For readers of Bill Bryson, Henry Beard, and Richard Lederer, Forgotten English is an eye-opening trip down a delightful etymological path. Readers learn that an ale connor sat in a puddle of ale to judge its quality, that a beemaster...

As the official webmaster for Xerox, Bill McLain was surprised by the kinds of questions he was receiving, like whether people born blind can see in their dreams and why rabbits are associated with Easter. McLain began to answer each and every question--attracting national attention from MSNBC, CNN, and People--and the result, collected in Do Fish Drink...

What do horoscopes, hemlock, Star Trek, the Oscars, and sliced bread have in common? They're all overrated-and systematically skewered in this hilariously opinionated takedown of all things overhyped.

Discover the most overrated...
Animal
Movie
Vegetable
Sport
News item
Wonder of the world
Tourist attraction
Way to die

Readers who are in no mood to celebrate Ulysses, doves, baby boomers, the curse of Tutankhamen, and many other...

Did you know...

? Naples, Italy, enforces laws for what constitutes real pizza, and "pizza police" visit restaurants to crack down on unlawful pies?
? In West Virginia it is a crime to display or possess a red or black flag?
? It is illegal to sell stuffed articles depicting female breasts within a thousand feet of any county highway in California?
? Spherical fishbowls have been banned in Rome since 2004?

There are hundreds of bizarre laws that we could be breaking at any moment. What...

This witty and compulsive collection of trivia will captivate and surprise you with its fun and funky revelations:

-Why is New York called "the Big Apple"?

-How do people count cards at casinos?

-What keeps the head on a glass of beer?

-Why don't you ever see baby pigeons?

-Why is getting married called tying the knot?

Do you want the real facts to counter and correct the steaming piles of myth and misinformation you hear all the time? This fascinating collection tells exactly what you need to know so the next time you hear someone repeat one of these common falsehoods, you'll be ready to call bullshit on:

-Mary Magdalene was a prostitute.
-Your heart stops when you sneeze.
-Crime increases during a full moon.
-A goldfish's memory lasts only a few seconds.
-It was illegal to drink alcohol...

The Pig Who Survived an Atomic Bomb

The Psychologist Who Hid Beneath Beds

The Founding Father Who Delivered Mouth-to-Mouth . . . to a Chicken

Welcome to some of the most weird and wonderful experiments ever conducted in the name of science. Alex Boese's Electrified Sheep is packed with eccentric characters, irrational obsessions, and extreme experiments. Watch as scientists attempt to nuke the moon, wince at the doctor who performs a self-appendectomy, and catch the faint whiff of singed wool from an electrified sheep.