State Oddities

State Oddities takes a different kind of look at the American nation, spotlighting the fun foibles, peculiarities, and twists in each of the 50 states that are (mostly) united under the Stars and Stripes. State Oddities is a fascinating trip through the 50 states for students studying America, teachers planning classroom activities, and general readers who will enjoy an eye-opening journey through the nation's fun side. It offers a compelling look at the character of America through the individuality of 50 very distinct states that together form the USA. This book paints a picture of the broad sweep of the American story, offering a gateway to the country as it developed into one nation filled with individual states that can be remarkably different from each other, yet unified under such national symbols as the American flag and "The Star-Spangled Banner." The author of State Oddities has become known as a master of "painless history," telling America's story in a sparkling style along with the historian's eye for fascinating detail. On the book's cross-country journey, the reader will find that it differs from other works by taking a fresh look at stories we think we know.

Distinctly Maine: Active Shakers, ice harvesting, a museum on wheels, and more! The first book devoted solely to the diverse and often unexpected museums in the Pine Tree State, Maine’s Museums: Art, Oddities & Artifacts showcases a broad range of art, history, maritime, children’s, and unusual museums. With world-class collections of fine art by past and contemporary masters as well as the true stories of people and industries that helped shape the state and the nation, Maine’s museums invite visitors to indulge their curiosities and passions to learn about lighthouses, whales, antique cars, seashore trolleys, sardine canning, and folk art. They open our eyes to how Native Americans, shipbuilders, fishermen, lumbermen, Civil War soldiers, artists, and immigrants all had a hand in developing the state. They inspire children to discover the world and they reopen more than one Victorian-era cabinet of curiosities. Whether you want to see great works of art or truly unique collections—from umbrella covers to strange creatures—you’ll find it in Maine and you’ll find it in Maine’s Museums.

Ready for a wild ride through the wonderfully weird Midwest? The Midwest is known for its lakes, beer, cheese curds, state fairs, and four seasons... but did you know we also have plenty of awesomely WACKY places for you to explore? Fun weirdos, unite! 101 Bizarre, Quirky, and Totally Fun Adventures in the Midwest is your ultimate guide to the region's most extraordinary and unforgettable attractions. From gravity-defying vortexes and mythical creatures to human hair art and automotive Stonehenges, this book unveils the hidden gems that will leave you amazed, amused, and eager to explore. Perfect for families seeking laughter-filled expeditions, this is your passport to the peculiar treasures that make the Midwest a must-visit destination for the bold and curious. Get ready to experience the 12 states in the heart of America like never before!

An Enlightening Way to Navigate through Mind-Boggling Physics Concepts Physics Curiosities, Oddities, and Novelties highlights unusual aspects of physics and gives a new twist to some fundamental concepts. The book covers both classical and modern physics in an engaging, straightforward style. The author presents perplexing questions that often lack satisfying answers. He also delves into the stories of famous and eccentric past scientists. Many examples reveal interesting ideas, including how: Newton had trouble determining the mass of the moon An electric motor is an electric generator run in reverse Time travel that violates causality is not possible Schrödinger’s cat may be both dead and alive, and there may be two of each one of us to observe the two possibilities Particle physics and the basic laws of thermodynamics can appear simple yet are very complicated Accessible to nonspecialists and beginning students, this book provides insight into physics using minimal mathematics and jargon. It summarizes many fascinating aspects of physics employing only essential formulas. Some familiar formulas are written in standard form while other equations are written in words for greater clarity.

A fun, accessible read for travelers and non travelers alike Vermont Curiosities is part zany Vermont guidebook and part Who's Who of unusual and unsung heroes, this compendium of the state's quirks and characters will amuse Vermont residents and visitors alike.

Your round-trip ticket to the wildest, wackiest, most outrageous people, places, and things the Tar Heel State has to offer! Whether you’re a born-and-raised North Carolinian, a recent transplant, or just passing through, North Carolina Curiosities will have you laughing out loud as Jon Elliston, Kent Priestley, and Constance E. Richards take you on a rollicking tour of the strangest sides of the Tar Heel State. Visit DINO-Kinetics, a fascinating collection of life-size welded-steel pterodactyls and other dinosaurs that belch smoke, roar, and rattle. Learn how dozens of dachshunds dominate a town on Weiner Dog Day; how Christmas in July is a hot holiday to celebrate; and how locals make melodic mouth music at the International Whistlers Convention. Meet an out-of-this-world “ufologist”; a quirky exotic-animal-collecting rancher; and a real-life pirate and his homemade ship—definitely a treasure to behold!

Quantum mechanics is a physical theory for objects of the microcosm, e.g. for atoms or electrons. It has proven itself so far, but leads to the fact that we have to grant properties and relations to these objects, which are neither compatible with our common sense nor with the concepts of classical physics. These peculiarities are presented and their meaning for our cognitive faculty and for a world view is discussed. This Springer essential is a translation of the original German 1st edition essentials, Über die Merkwürdigkeiten der Quantenmechanik by Josef Honerkamp, published by Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden GmbH, part of Springer Nature in 2020. The translation was done with the help of artificial intelligence (machine translation by the service DeepL.com). A subsequent human revision was done primarily in terms of content, so that the book will read stylistically differently from a conventional translation. Springer Nature works continuously to further the development of tools for the production of books and on the related technologies to support the authors.

The Buckeye State has no shortage of strange, silly, goofy, quirky, eccentric, and just plain weird places, people, and things--if you know where to look. Discover the World's Largest Cuckoo Clock, the nation's only vacuum cleaner museum, Balto the Wonder Dog, the "bottomless" Blue Hole of Casalia, and lots more hard-to-believe stuff!