The Handy Boston Answer Book

Whether it's called Beantown, The Olde Towne, Titletown, The Cradle of Liberty, The Athens of America, The Puritan City, The City on a Hill, or any of its other obscure or oft-repeated nicknames, Boston has a long and varied history. Its universities and hospitals lead the nation, and its sports teams, politicians, and colloquialisms continue to captivate. Exploring this city’s fascinating history, people, myths, culture, and trivia, The Handy Boston Answer Book takes an in-depth look at one of America's oldest major cities. Learn about the city’s founding by Puritan settlers, the Boston Massacre, the Great Fire, the opening of the T, the busing desegregation strife, the Big Dig, the local sports fanatics, ethnic enclaves, and the surrounding suburbs, notable sons and daughters, and more are all packed into this comprehensive guide to the city of Boston. Through facts, stats, and history, as well as the unusual and quirky, it answers 1,200 fascinating questions, including What cities and towns comprise the “Greater Boston” region? What do Samuel Adams, James Taylor, Benjamin Franklin, and Taylor Schilling have in common? Are “Tonics” and “Whoopie Pies” available at most “Spas”? What do the colored lights on top of the old Hancock signal?

California is the country's most populous state. The home of the entertainment industry and silicon valley. It's known for its beaches, its redwood forests, and as the “land of fruit and nuts.” Its people, industries, politicians, climate, and allure captivates the world and draws millions of visitors each year. Exploring the state’s fascinating history, people, myths, culture, and trivia, The Handy California Answer Book takes an in-depth look look at this fascinating, quirky, and diverse state. Learn about the original Indigenous peoples, the Spanish explorers, the independence from Spain, the secession from Mexico, the Gold Rush, the building of the Los Angeles Aqueducts, the earthquakes, the water shortages, and much, much more. Tour landmarks, learn about famous sons and daughters, the sports teams, and the unique character of the state through a combination of facts, stats, and history, as well as the unusual and quirky. This comprehensive guide to California answers more than 1,100 intriguing questions, including How did “Eureka!” become the state motto? Why is a grizzly bear on the state flag when no grizzlies exist in California? Was the coast of California ever attacked by pirates? How did Silicon Valley become a center for the high tech industry?

Bridging the gap between the entertainment-focused “pop psychology” on television and the dry academic research that is published in journals, The Handy Psychology Answer Book helps answer why humans do what we do through accurate scientific data presented in a lively, accessible, and engaging way. It covers the fundamentals and explains the psychology behind how people deal with money, sex, morality, family, children, aging, addiction, work, and other everyday issues. Fully revised to reflect the latest scientific research—such as the current DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, published by the American Psychiatric Association); the latest neurobiological theories; and the changing face of marriage—this timely reference has expanded to include information sections on the biology and evolution of emotions; technology and adolescence; bisexuality; optimism; autism; as well as a full section on the law, eyewitness testimony and police shootings. Featuring more than 1,500 answers to questions concerning how the human mind and the science of psychology really work such as: How have other cultures addressed psychological issues? Why was Freud so focused on sex? How can I maintain a healthy brain? Is it normal to argue during marriage? Does religion make people happier? How do we reduce social prejudice?

The hustle. The bustle. The Big Apple, its people, history and culture! New York is the largest city in the United States. This self-proclaimed capital of the world is known as a melting pot of immigrants, Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, Central Park, Wall Street, Broadway, bridges, bodegas, restaurants, and museums. The “city that never sleeps” is bustling with people, cultural and sporting events, world-class shopping and high fashion, and other tourist attractions that draw in millions visitors from all over the world. The Handy New York City Answer Book explores the fascinating history, people, myths, culture, and trivia, taking an in-depth look at the city so nice, they named it twice. Learn about the original Indigenous peoples, early Dutch settlers, the importance of the port, the population growth through immigration, the consolidation of the boroughs, the building of the subway system and modern skyline, and much, much more. Tour landmarks from the Brooklyn Bridge to the Rockefeller Center to the Stonewall Inn, and Central Park to the 9/11 Memorial. Learn about famous sons and daughters, including Woody Allen, Jay-Z, J.D. Salinger, and Donald Trump. The government, parks, and cultural institutions are all packed into this comprehensive guide to New York City. Find answers to more than 850 questions, including: Who were the first New Yorkers? When did the British invade New York? Why are Manhattan’s streets laid out in a grid? Why is there a windmill on the New York seal? How did New York help elect Abraham Lincoln president? What were “sweatshops”? Did the Nazis plant spies in New York? How did the Brooklyn Dodgers get their name? Who started the gossip column? What soured many New Yorkers on Giuliani? What is “stop and frisk”? How many trees are there in New York? Illustrating the unique character of the city through a combination of facts, stats, and history, as well as the unusual and quirky, The Handy New York City Answer Book answers intriguing questions about people, events, government, and places of interest. This informative book also includes a helpful bibliography, an appendix of the city’s mayors, and an extensive index, adding to its usefulness.

Technology pervades our daily lives and modern society, and not just when it comes to computers and smart phones. Before there was the computer, there was the abacus. Before the smart phone, there was the telegraph and ball point pen. Electricity, penicillin, and the compass have all led to revolutionary changes in how we live. The Handy Technology Answer Book explains how technology has revolutionized the way people live, work, and play. It covers a broad range of fields, including medicine, mining, buildings, transportation, the military, and agriculture, and how they have been changed by technology. From the relationship between science and technology to nanotechnology, robots, and predictions for future technology, The Handy Technology Answer Book presents the latest and historical in an engaging and informative format. It brings well-researched answers to more than 1,100 common questions on technology, such as What are the major time periods of technology? Who is considered to be the first engineer? Which individual was granted the most U.S. patents? What is a Uniform Resource Locator, or URL? What products are made from recycled plastic? Can human beings be cloned? What is the future of wearable technology in health care?

Geography is more than just maps and finding your destination. It is about the land, the people on that land, the delicate balance of nature, and our very interdependence upon it, despite the miracles of technology and grocery stores. It’s about the effects of nature on places and people, as well as how politics, borders, cities, and towns affect our lives. The Handy Geography Answer Book traces the history of geography from Eratosthenes and Alexander von Humboldt to latitude and longitude, and the latest advances in the Global Positioning System (GPS). It provides insights into economic, social, historic, culture, religious, political, and climate geography, plus oceanography, demographics, and more. Completely revised and updated, it tours the world, its natural features, and the ever-changing mark humans make on our planet, answering 1,200 questions from the trivia (longest, hottest, tallest) to how geography has influenced history, religion, architecture, and the location of cities, including Who first had the idea that there is a magnetic North Pole? What is interesting about Google’s “Streetview”? How many people are projected to live on the planet in 2050? Which state has the highest annual divorce rate? What are the largest and smallest counties in the U.S.?

A handy resource on the fundamental facts about engineering for both engineers and non-engineers alike, whether you are exploring engineering for the first time, already have a strong background, or fall anywhere in between. Engineering impacts every aspect of our lives. Bridges, buildings, buses, electrical grids, computers, televisions, refrigerators, vacuum cleaners, and virtually any everyday household item needs to be engineered to function properly. Fundamentally, engineering is about identifying a need and developing solutions that meet that need. Throughout history, engineering ideas and innovative feats have provided solutions to many challenges faced by civilizations. From the Great Wall of China to NASA's space program, The Handy Engineering Answer Book covers the history of the field, details the lives of key figures, introduces the tools engineers use to solve problems, and provides fun facts and answers to a thousand important and interesting questions, such as … What is the difference between science and engineering? What do engineers do? What are some famous engineering mistakes or failures? What is reverse engineering? What is a prototype? What types of jobs do electrical engineers do? How does a car battery work? What are the major job responsibilities of a HVAC engineer? What is a Powertrain? What is Bernoulli’s principle? What are the Laws of Thermodynamics? What’s the difference between 2-stroke and 4-stroke engines? What is stress and strain? What is the difference between torque and power? What is automation? What is quality assurance? What is meant by outsourcing? What are the responsibilities of a construction manager? What are the types of road construction that are both durable and cost-effective? Which materials are used to build a cruise ship? What are some design elements that help structures withstand earthquakes? How does a civil engineer design water slides for theme parks? Who was W. Edwards Deming? What is ergonomics? What is biomedical engineering? Who is Grace Hopper? What is debugging? What is the difference between a web developer and a website designer? Was Leonardo da Vinci an aerospace engineer? Where do chemical engineers work? How much energy does the world use? What are the major challenges addressed by environmental engineers? What is humanitarian engineering? What is acoustical engineering? What are the required skills for fire engineers? What are the advantages and disadvantages of nanotechnology? With more than 140 photos and graphics, this fascinating tome is richly illustrated. Its helpful bibliography and extensive index add to its usefulness. Whether using science and math or building prototypes for testing or the development of various subdisciplines, The Handy Engineering Answer Book looks at how fundamental engineering is to modern life and society!

Informative, easy-to-use guide to everyday science questions, concepts and fundamentals celebrates its twenty-fifth year and over one million copies sold! Science is everywhere, and it affects everything! DNA and CRISPR. Artificial sweeteners. Sea level changes caused by melting glaciers. Gravitational waves. Bees in a colony. The human body. Microplastics. The largest active volcano. Designer dog breeds. Molecules. The length of the Grand Canyon. Viruses and retroviruses. The weight of a cloud. Forces, motion, energy, and inertia. It can often seem complex and complicated, but it need not be so difficult to understand. The thoroughly updated and completely revised fifth edition of The Handy Science Answer Book makes science and its impact on the world fun and easy to understand. Clear, concise, and straightforward, this informative primer covers hundreds of intriguing topics, from the basics of math, physics, and chemistry to the discoveries being made about the human body, stars, outer space, rivers, mountains, and our entire planet. It covers plants, animals, computers, planes, trains, and cars. This friendly resource answers more than 1,600 of the most frequently asked, most interesting, and most unusual science questions, including ... When was a symbol for the concept of zero first used? How large is a google? Why do golf balls have dimples? What is a chemical bond? What is a light-year? What was the grand finale of the Cassini mission? How many exoplanets have been discovered? Where is the deepest cave in the United States? How long is the Grand Canyon? What is the difference between weather and climate? What causes a red tide? What is cell cloning and how is it used in scientific research? How did humans evolve? Do pine trees keep their needles forever? What is the most abundant group of organisms? How do insects survive the winter in cold climates? Which animals drink seawater? Why do geese fly in formation? What is FrogWatch? Why do cats’ eyes shine in the dark? Which industries release the most toxic chemicals? What causes most wildfires in the United States? Which woman received the Nobel Prize in two different fields (two different years)? What is the difference between science and technology? For anyone wanting to know how the universe, Earth, plants, animals, and human beings work and fit into our world, this informative book also includes a helpful bibliography, and an extensive index, adding to its usefulness. It will help anyone’s science questions!