What is Life? Where did it come from? Why does it end?

"The publication of the present work on The Wonders of Life has been occasioned by the success of The Riddle of the Universe, which was written five years prior to this volume. Within a few months of the issue of this study of the monistic philosophy, in the autumn of 1899, ten thousand copies were sold. The clear opposition of the author's monistic philosophy, based as it was on the most advanced and sound scientific knowledge, to the conventional ideas and to an outworn "revelation," led to the publication of a vast number of criticisms and attacks. The present work on the wonders of life is, as the title indicates, a supplementary volume to The Riddle of the Universe. While the latter undertook to make a comprehensive survey of the general questions of science--as cosmological problems--in the light of the monistic philosophy, the present volume is confined to the realm of organic science, or the science of life. It seeks to deal connectedly with the general problems of biology, in strict accord with the monistic and mechanical principles which had been laid down by the author in 1866 in his work titled, General Morphology. In the latter publication, special stress was placed on the universality of the law of substance and the substantial unity of nature, which had been further treated in the second and fourteenth chapters of The Riddle of the Universe. The arrangement of the vast material for this study of the wonders of life was modeled on that of the Riddle. Retained in the present volume is the division into larger and smaller sections and the synopses of the various chapters. Thus the whole biological content falls into four sections and twenty chapters"--Preface. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved).

The idea of choosing the Wonders of the World can be traced all the way back to the 5th century, B.C., when the Greek historian Herodotus of the Halicarnassus listed seven must-sees, the Great Pyramid of Khufu in Egypt and six other constructions that long ago vanished from the earth. In this deluxe new LIFE book, Wonders of the World, the editors return to the sites of the original Seven Wonders and then keep right on traveling around the globe--eventually visiting in words and pictures seven-times-seven Wonders, plus one more. There are old Wonders here and a new list offered by the New7Wonders Foundation, a Switzerland-based organization that conducted an online poll that saw more than a million votes cast for the world's greatest Wonders. There are man-made Wonders and natural Wonders. There are obscure Wonders and famous Wonders. The amazing stories behind your favorites are recounted as LIFE goes to the Colosseum, to Stonehenge, to the Great Wall, to Machu Picchu, to the Taj Mahal, to Easter Island, to The Acropolis and the Vatican and back to the Great Pyramid. We travel into outer space for a close-up look at the International Space Station, and into the sea for a sensational vantage on Australia's Great Barrier Reef. We go to the summit of Mount Everest and down into the mile-deep Grand Canyon in Arizona. We could not choose between the world's tallest waterfall, 3,212-foot-high Angel Falls in Venezuela, or that which is arguably the world's most awesome, Victoria Falls on the Zimbabwe-Zambia border--so we went with both. Fifty Wonders in all, each more wondrous than the last. A reader cannot help being amazed and inspired by what man's industry has built through time, and what sublime Wonders nature has graced us with. This a book Herodotus would have loved! And then comes the big bonus: The 7 LIFE Wonders. We were sure that some of these fabulous sites were suitable for framing, and so we went to the vast LIFE archives and picked pictures of some of the most wonderful Wonders taken by famous LIFE photographers. Using a technique we developed in our 2009 book The Classic Collection, we inserted prints of these places in the last section of our book. Better yet: When you remove the prints to frame them, the image stays on the page, sp your lovely coffee-table book remains intact. For these wonders, a wondrous book.

Uncover awe-inspiring stories behind the natural world with this nature book for curious kids aged 6-8. The world is filled with curious objects such as amazing rocks and minerals, microscopic life, plants, animals and more. The wonders of wildlife are so much bigger than young minds can fathom and there is always more to learn! The Wonders of Nature is a stunning nature encyclopedia for young readers to explore, with reference pages packed with fascinating information, little learners will be captivated as they dive into this collection of 100 remarkable items from the natural world, from orchids to opals and lichens to lizards and so much more! Each plant, animal, and rock is shown both photographically and illustrated, and children will love poring over the detailed close-up images. The storybook descriptions let you discover the myths and legends surrounding both organisms and gemstones, as well as key facts about their natural history. Find out how the prowling jaguar uses spots to avoid being spotted, why a sticky sundew means big trouble for insects, and what on Earth a radiolarian is. This beautiful treasury lets you find the things that interest you and uncover new favourites along the way. With reference pages packed with information you’ll go away knowing something you didn’t before, and you’ll return time and again. The Wonders of Nature takes you on a tour of our planet through commonplace-but-incredible objects made by nature itself. The engaging storybook-style descriptions and simple text shed a light on the wonders of nature and wildlife, making this book ideal for inquisitive children aged 6-8 who loves to spot things when exploring outside and wants to know more about the wonderful and mysterious natural world. Celebrate your child’s curiosity as they: - Explore 100 minerals, plants, and animals each with a stunning photographs and illustrations - Reveal fun facts in visual index guides that provide key reference information - Uncover captivating information on the natural history and mythology of a variety of nature’s wonders This nature encyclopedia for children is the perfect blend of storybook style text with out of this world illustrations which makes it a fantastic nature book for children who are obsessed with wildlife and the natural world. Encourage young readers to go on a journey to explore a world of information, making this the ideal first reference book for kids aged 6-8 to enjoy for hours on end, whether reading with the family or reading alone, this fun fact book also doubles up as the perfect gift for curious kids who love to learn. Explore the vastness of space by uncovering: -Stunning Jacket Detail: gold foil, holographic foil & metallic gold edges -Striking photography & illustrations inside -A beautiful book for the whole family to treasure -A quality gift to be passed down through the generations More in the Series The Wonder’s of Nature is part of the beautiful and informative Anthology series. Complete the series and nurture your child's curiosity as they explore the natural world with Nature’s Treasures or let them walk with the dinosaurs who ruled the earth before them in Dinosaurs and other Prehistoric Life.

Recommended for viewing on a colour tablet. Professor Brian Cox is back with another insightful and mind-blowing exploration of space. This time he shows us our universe as we've never seen it before.

STONEWALL HONOR BOOK • For fans of Patrick Ness and Tom McNeal comes a moving and page-turning novel that’s part ghost story, part love story. The lines between past and present, tales and truth, friends and lovers begin to blur when a boy's childhood friend returns to town. Aidan Lockwood lives in a sleepy farming community known for its cattle ranches and not much else. That is, until Jarrod, a friend he hasn’t seen in years, moves back to town. It’s Jarrod who opens Aidan’s eyes to events he’s long since forgotten, and who awakes in him feelings that go beyond mere friendship. But as Aidan’s memories return, so do some unsettling truths about his family. As Aidan begins to probe into long-buried secrets, he may not be able to control what else is uncovered. Aidan will need to confront a family curse before he can lay claim to his life once more. “Brilliant storytelling that unearths new intersections of love and magic.” —New York Times bestselling author Scott Westerfeld

Discover the spectacular power of light with this stunning celebration of the ways in which light-based technology has shaped society.

Attractive illustrations invite coloring book fans of all ages to visit 27 man-made wonders. Included are India's Taj Mahal, the hanging gardens in ancient Babylon, the Mayan temples of Tikal in Guatemala, the Abu Simbel in Egypt, England's Stonehenge, the colossus of Rhodes, the pyramids, the great wall of China, the leaning tower of Pisa, and more.

Biological science is explored by leading scientists and apologists through awe-inspiring illustrations

“A poet celebrates the wonders of nature in a collection of essays that could almost serve as a coming-of-age memoir.” —Kirkus Reviews As a child, Nezhukumatathil called many places home: the grounds of a Kansas mental institution, where her Filipina mother was a doctor; the open skies and tall mountains of Arizona, where she hiked with her Indian father; and the chillier climes of western New York and Ohio. But no matter where she was transplanted—no matter how awkward the fit or forbidding the landscape—she was able to turn to our world’s fierce and funny creatures for guidance. “What the peacock can do,” she tells us, “is remind you of a home you will run away from and run back to all your life.” The axolotl teaches us to smile, even in the face of unkindness; the touch-me-not plant shows us how to shake off unwanted advances; the narwhal demonstrates how to survive in hostile environments. Even in the strange and the unlovely, Nezhukumatathil finds beauty and kinship. For it is this way with wonder: it requires that we are curious enough to look past the distractions in order to fully appreciate the world’s gifts. Warm, lyrical, and gorgeously illustrated by Fumi Nakamura, World of Wonders is a book of sustenance and joy. Praise for World of Wonders Barnes & Noble 2020 Book of the Year An NPR Best Book of 2020 An Esquire Best Book of 2020 A Publishers Weekly “Big Indie Book of Fall 2020” A BuzzFeed Best Book of Fall 2020 “Hands-down one of the most beautiful books of the year.” —NPR “A timely story about love, identity and belonging.” —New York Times Book Review “A truly wonderous essay collection.” —Roxane Gay, The Audacity