Develop new skills (card tricks!), make fun things (a water balloon launcher!) and learn crazy-cool facts with this hands-on activity book for ages 8 to 12 Do you want to find out weird-but-true facts like how to safely enter a black hole or what to do if you meet a mythological monster? Interested in hitting a dizzying ping-pong trick shot or performing mind-blowing magic that’ll amaze your friends? Think it’d be fun to make the ultimate paper airplane or an insane water balloon launcher? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you’ve come to the right book! The editors of Popular Mechanics put together this incredible, super-cool collection of did-you-know facts, super-fun projects and astounding skills for curious kids who like to discover stuff, build things, goof around a lot — and sometimes make a big mess in the process. (Don’t tell your parents that last part!) On these totally non-boring pages you’ll discover: Weird facts about pets…like the wild thing that happens when a dog shakes itself dry! The most incredible things ever built…like a 50-foot tall robot! Hilarious tricks and pranks to pull on your friends…if you dare! How to have a million-dollar idea and how to get on Jeopardy! Pro secrets for throwing a curveball and shooting a 3-pointer! How to contact aliens! Plus, even more awesome stuff! (More awesome than talking to aliens? Really? Yes, really!) Are you ready? Pick up this book and let the adventures begin!

The fastest, funniest page-turner on the planet! This is the ultimate book for kids who love slick supercars, powerful monster trucks, and record-smashing speed machines. Buckle up — the only thing more exciting than reading this book about big and fast cars is sitting behind the wheel of one crossing the finish line at the Indy 500! Inside you’ll find amazing color photos, mind-blowing facts, and answers to some very urgent questions, like: Do you know why the van was embarrassed around its friends? Because it had a little gas! Since the invention of the wheel, people have been building machines that go faster and faster and look cooler and cooler. The first cars went about 10 mph, now they easily break 200 mph — and some even drive themselves! Speaking of which, ever wonder whose fault it is if two self-driving cars get in an accident? Pick up this book and find out! Under the hood you’ll discover: Incredible auto-related facts like record setting rides (check out the 763 mph ThrustSSC rocket car!) and answers to seriously silly questions (How do race car drivers pee during a race?) Many S.T.E.A.M. learning opportunities such as the science of how cars work and the history of cars from the Model T to electric cars to a Tesla in space! Behind-the-scenes stories of people with great car-related jobs such as a Hot Wheels designer, the guy who created the Batmobile, a scientist who controls rovers on Mars, and of course, record-setting drivers like Danica Patrick, Alexander Rossi, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and teen sensation Chloe Chambers. Fun activities such as drawing lessons (create your own car cartoon character!) matching games, quizzes, plus tons of jokes. Sneak peeks inside the garages of your favorite famous car-collection celebs like The Rock, Lady Gaga, Guy Fieri and other car-obsessives! The only thing readers need to drive Road & Track Crew Big & Fast Cars is a license for fun. So turn the key, step on the gas and let’s go!

A step-by-step guide to home repairs large and small from Popular Mechanics—the name that’s “synonymous with the ultimate in DIY knowledge” (Booklist, starred review). Got a squeaky floor or a rattling door? Is your grout a color you don’t recognize anymore? From quick fixes like linking broken chains and patching drywall to more involved projects like replacing a fuel line and bleeding your brakes, Popular Mechanics How to Fix Anything is the handy and reliable go-to guide for the most common household problems—offering a primer on plumbing; unexpected hacks like using a golf tee to fill a stripped screw hole; instructions for tuning up the garage door; and so much more. Throughout the book Roy Berendsohn, Popular Mechanics’ senior home editor, answers questions about the trickiest fix-its, including how to deal with recurring ceiling cracks or get rid of that stench from the kitchen sink. And because it’s organized room by room, from basement to bathroom to bedroom, it’s simple to find the solution you need—so you won’t have to hire someone else to do the job.

Awesome S.T.E.A.M.-based science experiments you can do right at home with easy-to-find materials designed for maximum enjoyment, learning, and discovery for kids ages 8 to 12 Join the experts at the Good Housekeeping Institute Labs and explore the science you interact with every day. Using the scientific method, you’ll tap into your own super-powers of logic and deduction to go on a science adventure. The engaging experiments exemplify core concepts and range from quick and simple to the more complex. Each one includes clear step-by-step instructions and color photos that demonstrate the process and end result. Plus, secondary experiments encourage young readers to build on what they’ve discovered. A “Mystery Solved!” explanation of the science at work helps your budding scientist understand the outcomes of each experiment. These super-fun, hands-on experiments include: Building a solar oven and making s’mores Creating an active rain cloud in a jar Using static electricity created with a balloon to power a light bulb Growing your own vegetables—from scraps! Investigating the forces that make an object sink or float And so much more! Bursting with more than 200 color photos and incredible facts, this sturdy hard cover is the perfect classroom resource or gift for any aspiring biologist, chemist, physicist, engineer, and mathematician!

Ingenious (and hilarious) projects that aspiring makers will love, brought to you by the tinkerers at Popular Science magazine. From useful, doable gadgets to outlandish contraptions that you’d likely be wise to avoid, this showcase of ingenuity is an entertaining tribute to the inventive spirit. In this book from the science and technology magazine that’s been inspiring everyday people for nearly 150 years, you’ll discover: Geek Toys: Be the life of any party with rad gaming hacks, amazing pyrotechnics, quirky DIY robots, wow-inducing projectiles, and lots of ways to make beer even better. Home Improvements: Pimp out your pad with a laser-security system, an improvised sous-vide cooker, and a life-sized cardboard display of anyone you want. Gadget Upgrades: Want to stash a flash drive in an old cassette? Use a DIY stylus on a touchscreen? Improvise a fisheye lens for your camera? With this book, you can. Things That Go: Give your motorbike a Tron vibe, deck out your car with an action-figure hood ornament, and keep gadgets charged on the go with a solar-powered backpack. …and much more!

Drawn from the best of Popular Mechanics magazines from the 1910s and 20s, these vintage projects feature a tremendous range of possibilities -- model airplanes, greeting cards, a motion-picture camera, a radiophone, motor-driven sleds, and more. Step-by-step instructions include charming drawings and photos. Girls and boys will love these antique projects, and adults will appreciate their nostalgic charm.

Exciting Activities for Young Artists, Scientists and Engineers Spark your curiosity with these fun games and creative projects to learn early concepts in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math. These incredible activities from Andrea Scalzo Yi, creator of Raising Dragons, make learning such a blast, you’ll forget you’re doing it! Feeling bored on a rainy day? Now you can pick a project, gather your supplies and let the magic happen. Try far-out science experiments like making Shaving Cream Rain Clouds or Lava Lamps. Make math-time snack-time with delicious Cream-Filled Cookie Fractions. Unlock boundless creativity with art projects like Marbled Paper or Monster Bugs. With seasonal activities like the Pool Noodle Obstacle Course and Erupting Pumpkins, there are games to love year-round. Have fun learning early ideas in chemistry, physics, computing, color-mixing and so much more, all while problem-solving and working together with friends. With projects that use common household items and require little adult supervision, 100 Easy STEAM Activities is the ultimate resource for an amazing, creative day of learning.

By the early 1960s, the Ford Motor Company, built to bring automobile transportation to the masses, was falling behind. Young Henry Ford II, who had taken the reins of his grandfather's company with little business experience to speak of, knew he had to do something to shake things up. Baby boomers were taking to the road in droves, looking for speed not safety, style not comfort. Meanwhile, Enzo Ferrari, whose cars epitomized style, lorded it over the European racing scene. He crafted beautiful sports cars, "science fiction on wheels," but was also called "the Assassin" because so many drivers perished while racing them.Go Like Helltells the remarkable story of how Henry Ford II, with the help of a young visionary named Lee Iacocca and a former racing champion turned engineer, Carroll Shelby, concocted a scheme to reinvent the Ford company. They would enter the high-stakes world of European car racing, where an adventurous few threw safety and sanity to the wind. They would design, build, and race a car that could beat Ferrari at his own game at the most prestigious and brutal race in the world, something no American car had ever done.Go Like Helltransports readers to a risk-filled, glorious time in this brilliant portrait of a rivalry between two industrialists, the cars they built, and the "pilots" who would drive them to victory, or doom.

This nostalgic flashback to a simpler time is filled with illustrated projects that range from the everyday (birdhouse, bean shooter) to the unusual (ice glider, magnetic theater).