Space Engineering

Black holes. DNA. The Large Hadron Collider. Ever had that sneaking feeling that you are missing out on some truly spectacular science? You do? Well fear not, for help is at hand. Ben Miller was working on his Physics PhD at Cambridge when he accidentally became a comedian. But first love runs deep, and he has returned to his roots, to share with you all his favourite bits of science. This is the stuff that you really need to know, not only because it matters, but because it will quite simply amaze and delight you.

Ambassadors from Earth relates the story of the first unmanned space probes and planetary explorers - from the Sputnik and Explorer satellites launched in the late 1950's to the thrilling interstellar Voyager missions of the '70's - that yielded some of the most celebrated successes and spectacular failures of the space age. Jay Gallentine delivers a quirky and unforgettable look at the lives and legacy of the Americans and Soviets who conceived, built, and guided those unmanned missions to the planets and beyond.

TWO BONUS SCIFI ROMANCE BOOKS INCLUDED When Rachel breaks the news to her boyfriend that she’s pregnant with his child, the last thing she expects is for him to break up with her. He doesn’t get the opportunity to leave her, though, before the invasion of earth by Vendi—large, muscular aliens bent on rounding up women and taking them to their spaceships. On board one of the ships, Rachel lies and tells the Vendi in charge of medicine, Argo, that she isn’t pregnant. Too soon, though, she realizes that the women kept on board are being forced to become breeders. She’ll do anything ...

In his phenomenal bestseller A Brief History of Time, Stephen Hawking literally transformed the way we think about physics, the universe, reality itself. In these thirteen essays and one remarkable extended interview, the man widely regarded as the most brilliant theoretical physicist since Einstein returns to reveal an amazing array of possibilities for understanding our universe.

A breakout best seller in Italy, now available for American listeners for the first time, Genesis: The Story of How Everything Began is a short, humanistic tour of the origins of the universe, earth, and life - drawing on the latest discoveries in physics to explain the seven most significant moments in the creation of the cosmos.

A compelling look inside the Space Shuttle missions that helped lay the groundwork for the Space Age, Shuttle, Houston explores the determined personalities, technological miracles, and 11th-hour saves that have given us human spaceflight. Relaying stories of missions (and their grueling training) in vivid detail, Paul Dye, NASA's longest-serving flight director, examines the split-second decisions that the directors and astronauts were forced to make in a field where mistakes are unthinkable and errors led to the loss of national resources - and more importantly one's crew.

In the sixteenth century, Nicolaus Copernicus dared to go against the establishment by proposing that Earth rotates around the Sun. Having demoted Earth from its unique position in the cosmos to one of mediocrity, Copernicus set in motion a revolution in scientific thought. This perspective has influenced our thinking for centuries. However, recent evidence challenges the Copernican Principle, hinting that we do in fact live in a special place, at a special time, as the product of a chain of unlikely events.

The queen is back.... Her hair is white, her grin is nasty, and she's a little pissed. The war is about to get a whole lot bigger. A breakthrough with the Etheric has given Bethany Anne an edge - and an opportunity to take the fight to the Ooken. What is a good Queen to do when not-so-good neighbors become royal pains in the ass? Baba Yaga comes out to play. Family drama on Devon isn’t the only thing standing in the way of Bethany Anne’s liberation of Moen.

Most of us have heard of black holes and supernovas, galaxies and the big bang. But few of us understand more than the bare facts about the universe we call home. What is really out there? How did it all begin? Jo Dunkley begins in Earth's neighborhood, explaining the nature of the solar system, the stars in our night sky, and the Milky Way. She then moves out past nearby galaxies - and back in time - to the horizon of the observable universe, which contains over a hundred billion galaxies, each with billions of stars, many orbited by planets, some of which may host life.

Is it science? Is it religion? What exactly is the Design Revolution? This book answers the toughest questions about Intelligent Design. As the Intelligent Design movement has gained momentum over recent years, questions have naturally arisen to challenge its provocative claims. With clarity and concision, William Dembski responds to the most vexing questions and objections raised by experts and non-experts.

When it comes to motley crews, the Blackout has most starships beat. But as a ruthless force swarms over the quadrant, crushing and enslaving all civilizations in its path, it falls to this unlikely band of non-heroes to turn the tide. If they don't kill each other first. Revenge, the seventh book in the Blackout series, is old-fashioned space opera at its best, perfect for fans of action-packed drama and fun! Note: The Blackout series is an homage to thrilling pulp sci-fi of yesteryear. If you're interested in hard science fiction look elsewhere. But if you're looking for action-packed ...

In the 1940s and '50s, when the newly minted Jet Propulsion Laboratory needed quick-thinking mathematicians to calculate velocities and plot trajectories, they didn't turn to male graduates. Rather, they recruited an elite group of young women who, with only pencil, paper, and mathematical prowess, transformed rocket design, helped bring about the first American satellites, and made the exploration of the solar system possible.

The invasion begins! The survey starship Yellowjacket is no pushover, but when an alien force larger than any in living memory appears out of nowhere, she is overwhelmed and left for dead on a hostile world. It's a bad start to the day for Captain Brynn Jameson — and that's before he learns the architect of the invasion has a personal vendetta against him. Now, the resourceful crew must find a way to repair their crippled ship, gather allies, and get back in the fight — before there's no fight left to join. Note: The Stars Dark series is an homage to thrilling pulp sci-fi of yesteryear....

Too often, textbooks obscure the beauty and wonder of outer space with tedious discourse that even Galileo would oppose. Astronomy 101 cuts out the boring details and lengthy explanations, and instead, gives you a lesson in astronomy that keeps you engaged as you discover what's hidden beyond our starry sky. From the Big Bang and nebulae to the Milky Way and Sir Isaac Newton, this celestial primer is packed with hundreds of entertaining astronomy facts you won't be able to get anywhere else.

There seems to be evidence to suggest that our world and everything in it are only ghostly images: projections from a level of reality so beyond our own that the real reality is literally beyond both space and time. The main architect of this astonishing idea is one of the world’s most eminent thinkers - physicist David Bohm, a protégé of Einstein’s. In this executive summary, Chuck gives a current perspective on some of the areas that define our reality.

They're like major planets, but not quite. They circle around the sun. They're round. But they haven't cleared everything out of their path. Explore these unusual objects in this book about the dwarf planets.

The planet of Kiln is where the tyrannical Mandate keeps its prison colony, and for inmates the journey there is always a one-way trip. One such prisoner is Professor Arton Daghdev, xeno-ecologist and political dissident. Soon after arrival he discovers that Kiln has a secret. Humanity is not the first intelligent life to set foot there. In the midst a ravenous, chaotic ecosystem are the ruins of a civilization, but who were the vanished builders and where did they go?

After a brazen rescue mission to the Citadel, the crew of the Trash Squid have rescued Captain Axel Finn. During their escape, a dying Admiral Jessup tells Axel he must lead the resistance, and that he must start it where his father made his last stand, on the mining world of Furia. On the planet Runi, Sergeant Jax Brito returns to her family farm to find her father on his deathbed. After dealing with the thugs that put him there, her trip is cut short when a Clipper arrives with a message—the Citadel has been attacked and forces are gathering to take it back.

Exodus From Elyria follows the inhabitants of a distant planet as they send Explorer Hybrids across the cosmos in search of a new home, escaping toxic gases. After a tragic crash, the lone survivor passes his essence to a human, sparking new life. Meanwhile, the AI Ava uncovers a deadly path gen that threatens humanity. As two million Elyrians race toward Earth, the fate of both civilizations is at stake in a thrilling tale of survival and cosmic destiny.

On September 14, 2015, after 50 years of searching, gravitational waves were detected for the first time, and astronomy changed forever. Up until then, investigation of the universe had depended on electromagnetic radiation: visible light, radio, X-rays, and the rest. But gravitational waves - ripples in the fabric of space and time - are unrelenting, passing through barriers that stop light dead.