The bestselling 30-Second... series takes a revolutionary approach to learning about those subjects you feel you should really understand. Each title selects a popular topic and dissects it into the 50 most significant ideas at its heart. Every idea, no matter how complex, is explained in 300 words and one picture, all digestible in 30 seconds. 30-Second Leonardo da Vinci uses this unique approach to grapple with the truly diverse thoughts of the ultimate Renaissance Man. Artist, anatomist, sculptor, inventor, architect, cartographer, mathematician, musician, botanist, geologist the word polymath does not quite do Leonardo justice. The painter of the Mona Lisa and conceptualizer of the helicopter seems like a Renaissance superhero. Here, the worlds leading Leonardo scholars present an instant and expert guide to the breadth and brilliance of his greatest innovations.

The bestselling 30-Second... series takes a revolutionary approach to learning about those subjects you feel you should really understand. Each title selects a popular topic and dissects it into the 50 most significant ideas at its heart. Every idea, no matter how complex, is explained in 300 words and one picture, all digestible in 30 seconds. 30-Second Leonardo da Vinci uses this unique approach to grapple with the truly diverse thoughts of the ultimate Renaissance Man. Artist, anatomist, sculptor, inventor, architect, cartographer, mathematician, musician, botanist, geologist the word polymath does not quite do Leonardo justice. The painter of the Mona Lisa and conceptualizer of the helicopter seems like a Renaissance superhero. Here, the worlds leading Leonardo scholars present an instant and expert guide to the breadth and brilliance of his greatest innovations.

In Da Vinci's Ghost, critically acclaimed historian Toby Lester tells the story of the world’s most iconic image, the Vitruvian Man, and sheds surprising new light on the artistry and scholarship of Leonardo da Vinci, one of history’s most fascinating figures. Deftly weaving together art, architecture, history, theology, and much else, Da Vinci's Ghost is a first-rate intellectual enchantment.”—Charles Mann, author of 1493 Da Vinci didn’t summon Vitruvian Man out of thin air. He was inspired by the idea originally formulated by the Roman architect Vitruvius, who suggested that the human body could be made to fit inside a circle, long associated with the divine, and a square, related to the earthly and secular. To place a man inside those shapes was to imply that the human body could indeed be a blueprint for the workings of the universe. Da Vinci elevated Vitruvius’ idea to exhilarating heights when he set out to do something unprecedented, if the human body truly reflected the cosmos, he reasoned, then studying its anatomy more thoroughly than had ever been attempted before—peering deep into body and soul—might grant him an almost godlike perspective on the makeup of the world. Written with the same narrative flair and intellectual sweep as Lester’s award-winning first book, the “almost unbearably thrilling” (Simon Winchester) Fourth Part of the World, and beautifully illustrated with Da Vinci's drawings, Da Vinci’s Ghost follows Da Vinci on his journey to understanding the secrets of the Vitruvian man. It captures a pivotal time in Western history when the Middle Ages were giving way to the Renaissance, when art, science, and philosophy were rapidly converging, and when it seemed possible that a single human being might embody—and even understand—the nature of the universe.

The 50 most significant principles and styles in architecture, each explained in half a minute. The bestselling 30-Second series offers a new approach to learning about those subjects you feel you should really understand. Every title takes a popular topic and dissects it into the 50 most significant ideas at its heart. Each idea, no matter how complex, is explained using a mere two pages, 300 words, and one picture: all easily digested in only half a minute. 30-Second Architecture presents you with the foundations of architectural knowledge. Expert authors are challenged to define and describe both the principles upon which architects depend, and the styles with which they put those principles into practice. So, if you want to know your arch from your elevation, and your Baroque from your Brutalism, or you wish to top off your next dinner party with a stirring speech on how form follows function, this is the quickest way to build your argument.

Many people think of Leonardo da Vinci primarily as an artist, but he was also an influential scientist. Readers of this high-interest biography will learn all about da Vinci and his contributions to society as an architect, engineer, and inventor. A true Renaissance man, da Vinci also studied many other branches of science. This story of his life and work is told with the use of accessible text, colorful photographs, and stimulating sidebars. An educational science project also reinforces readers' understanding of da Vinci's work and gives them a hands-on feel for what he did.

30-Second Engineering surveys the tasks and challenges that engineers face in every field, from civil to electrical, and explores their methods, inventions, and achievements. This introduction to engineering is split into 7 chapters that cover: Engineering Methods--from problem solving to applying mathematics Civil & Environmental Engineering--building bridges, taming rivers and industry ethics Mechanical, Materials & Mechatronic Engineering--from thrust bearings to robotics Chemical Engineering & Energy Production--energy supplies and industry hazards Electrical & Electronic Engineering--from computers to internet storage and biomedical body parts Aerospace & Transport Engineering--driverless cars, floating factories and lessons from space Engineering the future--how engineers endeavour to save the planet Plus profiles of notable engineers, such as Ernst Dickmanns, William Rankine, Liang Jianying and Fazlur Khan. Each topic is summarised in 300 words with one image, helping you understand the subject at great speed. Written by industry experts from around the world, this book gives incredible insight to an underrated but integral occupation. Without it, skyscrapers, driverless cars, energy supply systems, AI, factories, the internet, and aircraft would not exist. Engineering enabled our evolution and this book will arm you with the conversational prowess to discuss it.

The bestselling 30-Second... series takes a revolutionary approach to learning about those subjects you feel you should really understand. Each title selects a popular topic and dissects it into the 50 most significant ideas at its heart. Every idea, no matter how complex, is explained in 300 words and one picture, all digestible in 30 seconds. 30-Second Leonardo da Vinci uses this unique approach to grapple with the truly diverse thoughts of the ultimate Renaissance Man. Artist, anatomist, sculptor, inventor, architect, cartographer, mathematician, musician, botanist, geologist the word polymath does not quite do Leonardo justice. The painter of the Mona Lisa and conceptualizer of the helicopter seems like a Renaissance superhero. Here, the world's leading Leonardo scholars present an instant and expert guide to the breadth and brilliance of his greatest innovations.

Weve all heard of pyramids, hieroglyphs and Cleopatra, but how much do you really know about ancient Egypt? Why was the Nile integral to the unification of Egypt? What is the mystery surrounding Queen Hetepheres tomb? What did the Amarna Letters reveal? What did the ancient Egyptians eat and drink? 30-Second Ancient Egypt presents a unique insight into one of the most brilliant and beguiling civilizations, where technological innovations and architectural wonders emerge among mysterious gods and burial rites. Each entry is summarized in just 30 seconds using nothing more than two pages, 300 words and a single picture. From royal dynasties and Tutankhamuns tomb, to hieroglyphs and mummification, interspersed with biographies of Egypts most intriguing rulers, this is the quickest path to understanding the 50 key ideas and innovations that developed and defined one of the worlds great civilizations.

Discover the inspiring story of Leonardo da Vinci, the artist, inventor, and engineer of the Italian Renaissance... Leonardo was a creative genius who wanted to understand how things worked. This book traces his life, from his birth in a hilltop village near Florence, Italy, through to his work as a painter, sculptor, and engineer. Leonardo made hundreds of drawings and paintings, including the Mona Lisa - probably the most famous painting in the world. Learn how Leonardo made detailed sketches of the human body and designs of parachutes, helicopters, and armored tanks - many years before the technology existed to build them. This new kids' biography series from DK goes beyond the basic facts to tell the true life stories of history's most interesting and inspiring people. Full-color photographs and hand-drawn illustrations complement age-appropriate narrative text to create an engaging book children will enjoy reading. Definition boxes, information sidebars, inspiring quotes, and other nonfiction text features add depth, and a handy reference section at the back makes DK Life Stories the one biography series everyone will want to collect.

"The year 2019 sees the 500th anniversary of the death of Leonardo da Vinci.... In the Spring of 2019, selections of the finest of Leonardo's drawings will be shown simultaneously at twelve museums and galleries across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The Queen's Gallery at Buckingham Palace will show 200 drawings during the Summer--the largest exhibition of Leonardo's work in almost 70 years--and many of those drawings will be displayed at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh the following Winter"--Foreword.