An illustrated science encyclopedia arranged in such categories as "Planet Earth," "Living Things," "Chemistry and the Elements," "Materials and Technology," "Space and Time," and "Conservation and the Environment."

First published: New York : Kingfisher, 2000. Includes index.

Planet earth: Earth and the solar system -- Earth's rotation -- Fossils and geological time -- Human origins, human change -- Earth's structure -- Earth's atmosphere -- Oceans -- Ocean floor -- Continental drift -- Volcanoes -- Earthquakes -- Building mountains -- Building rocks -- Ores and gems -- Igneous rock -- Metamorphic rock -- Sedimentary rock -- Erosion and weathering -- Glaciers and ice sheets -- Climate -- Rain and snow -- Clouds and fog -- Weather forecasting -- Winds, storms, and floods -- Maps and mapping -- Facts and figures -- Living things: Life: Origins and development -- Classification of living things -- Single-celled organisms -- Fungi and lichens -- Plant anatomy -- Nonflowering plants -- Flowering plants -- Fruits and seeds -- Trees -- Plants and people -- Biomes and habitats -- Marine invertebrates -- Mollusks -- Worms -- Crustaceans -- Spiders, centipedes, and scorpions -- Insects -- Fish -- Amphibians -- Reptiles -- Birds -- Mammals -- Animal reproduction -- Animal behavior -- Movement -- Migration -- Animal partnerships -- Adaptation and defense -- Facts and figures -- Human biology: Body organization -- Skin, hair, and nails -- Skeleton -- Bones and joints -- Muscles and movement -- Brain and nervous system -- Sleep and dreams -- Communication -- Touch -- Taste and smell -- Eyes and seeing -- Ears, hearing, and balance -- Hormones -- Heart and circulation -- Blood -- Lymphatic system -- Lungs and breathing -- Food and nutrition -- Teeth -- Digestion -- Metabolism -- Waste disposal -- Reproduction -- Growth and development -- Genes and chromosomes -- Bacteria and viruses -- Immune system -- Disease -- Exercise and fitness -- Medicine -- Medical technology -- Facts and figures -- Chemistry and the elements: Origins of chemistry -- Elements -- Atoms -- Periodic table -- Chemical analysis -- States of matter -- Solutions -- Separation and purification -- Chemical reactions -- Chemical compounds -- Bonding and valency -- Solid structures -- Carbon -- Nitrogen and oxygen -- Air -- Water -- Organic chemistry -- Catalysts -- Enzymes -- Oxidation and reduction -- Hydrogen -- Noble gases -- Sulfur -- Halogens -- Metals -- Acids -- Bases and alkalis -- Indicators and pH -- Soaps and detergents -- Chemistry of food -- Petrochemicals -- Facts and figures -- Materials and Technology: Properties of solids -- Properties of metals -- Iron -- Copper -- Aluminum -- Precious metals -- Alloys -- Shaping materials -- Wood and paper -- Fibers -- Glass -- Ceramics -- Oil and refining -- Natural gas -- Coal -- Rubber -- Polymers -- Plastics -- New materials -- Adhesives -- Pigments and dyes -- Brick, stone, and concrete -- Construction -- Gasoline and diesel engines -- Jet engines and gas turbines -- Steam engines -- Hydraulics and pneumatics -- Food production -- Food processing -- Automation -- Robotics -- Technology timeline -- Facts and figures -- Light and energy: Heat and light from the sun -- Radiation -- Electromagnetic spectrum -- Terrestrial energy sources -- Heat transfer -- Heating and cooling systems -- Combustion -- Expansion and contraction -- Kinetic theory -- Changes of state -- Thermodynamics -- Light -- Reflection and absorption -- Refraction -- Lenses and curved mirrors -- Microscopes -- Telescopes -- Color -- Color mixing -- Vision -- Optical illusions -- Photography and film -- Sources of light -- Light energy -- Speed of light -- Polarization -- Lasers and holograms -- Facts and figures -- Forces and movement: Force -- Potential and kinetic energy -- Work and energy -- Momentum -- Relativity and gravity -- Ramps and wedges -- Levers and pulleys -- Wheels and axles -- Gears -- Complex machines -- Second law of thermodynamics -- Friction -- Fluids -- Pressure -- Sound as changes of pressure -- Wave motion -- Vibrations -- Resonance -- Vibrations of strings -- Vibrations in tubes -- Balance and turning forces -- Circular motion -- Floating and sinking -- Harnessing wave power -- Harnessing wind power -- Principles of flight -- Supersonic flight -- Facts and figures -- Electricity and electronics: Electricity -- Electrical circuits -- Magnets and magnetism -- Electromagnetism -- Generators and motors -- Power plants -- Renewable energy sources -- Electrical power distribution -- Storage of electricity -- Electrochemistry -- Power cells -- Electricity through gases -- Conductors -- Insulators -- Resistance -- Electrical communication -- Telecommunications -- Sound recording -- Television -- Analog and digital systems -- Microprocessors -- Comptuers -- Computer software programs -- Information technology -- Smart technology -- Facts and figures -- Space and time: Universe -- Universe: Origins and future -- Galaxies -- Stars -- Sun -- Constellations -- Solar system -- Earth and the moon -- Eclipses -- Mercury -- Venus -- Mars -- Jupiter -- Saturn -- Uranus -- Neptune -- The solar system's minor members -- Comets -- Meteors and Meteorites -- Studying the universe -- Astronomical telescopes -- Exploring space -- Rockets and the space shuttle -- Humans in space -- Artificial satellites -- Time -- Measuring time -- Space, time, and relativity -- Timeline of space exploration -- Facts and figures -- Conservation and the environment: Natural balance -- Action zones -- Saving the rain forests -- Ocean life -- Why species die out -- Endangered species -- Population explosion -- Food and farming -- City living -- Water pollution -- Air pollution -- Waste and recycling -- Resources -- Renewable energy -- Climate change -- Tourism and heritage -- Conservation action -- Facts and figures -- Ready reference: Numbers and units of measurement -- Conversion tables -- Geometric shapes -- Famous scientists -- Inventions and discoveries -- Glossary -- Index -- Acknowledgments.