The Scorpion S Sting

Explores the Civil War and the anti-slavery movement, specifically highlighting the plan to help abolish slavery by surrounding the slave states with territories of freedom and discusses the possibility of what could have been a more peaceful alternative to the war.

Deep in the jungles of Thailand, Gareth Pike awoke one sunny morning in 2007. As he was getting dressed, he reached down to grab a pair of shorts off his floor. Suddenly, Gareth felt a horrible stinging pain in his thumb. Then he spotted a deadly black scorpion scurrying away. “I was in dreadful pain,” said Gareth. Would he survive his encounter with a venomous scorpion? Learn all about venomous scorpions in this engrossing new narrative nonfiction book for young readers. It’s packed with exciting wildlife encounters, cutting-edge science, and loads of info about venom and its deadly effects.

'I was lost in the desert. Without transport. Without water. Without a hope.' Sam Fox is on a caving expedition in the desert when the roof collapses, trapping his brother Nathan beneath tonnes of rubble. Nathan is in a bad way, and Sam's his only hope. But when he reaches the cave exit, Sam discovers a sea of huge, angry scorpions! And that's just the first deadly obstacle he will have to face if he's to get his brother out alive . . . An action-packed rollercoaster ride, Scorpion Sting is the fourth book in a thrilling new series! Visit puffin.com.au/extreme for more.

Learn about animals with stinging defenses.

In recent years, the field of Toxinology has expanded substantially. On the one hand it studies venomous animals, plants and micro organisms in detail to understand their mode of action on targets. While on the other, it explores the biochemical composition, genomics and proteomics of toxins and venoms to understand their three interaction with life forms (especially humans), development of antidotes and exploring their pharmacological potential. Therefore, Toxinology has deep linkages with biochemistry, molecular biology, anatomy and pharmacology. In addition, there is a fast developing applied subfield, clinical toxinology, which deals with understanding and managing medical effects of toxins on human body. Given the huge impact of toxin-based deaths globally, and the potential of venom in generation of drugs for so-far incurable diseases (for example, Diabetes, Chronic Pain), the continued research and growth of the field is imminent. This has led to the growth of research in the area and the consequent scholarly output by way of publications in journals and books. Despite this ever growing body of literature within biomedical sciences, there is still no all-inclusive reference work available that collects all of the important biochemical, biomedical and clinical insights relating to Toxinology. The Handbook of Toxinology aims to address this gap and cover the field of Toxinology comprehensively.

“If Thoreau drank more whiskey and lived in the desert, he’d write like this.”—High Country News Welcome to the land of wildfire, hypothermia, desiccation, and rattlers. The stark and inhospitable high-elevation landscape of Nevada’s Great Basin Desert may not be an obvious (or easy) place to settle down, but for self-professed desert rat Michael Branch, it’s home. Of course, living in such an unforgiving landscape gives one many things to rant about. Fortunately for us, Branch—humorist, environmentalist, and author of Raising Wild—is a prodigious ranter. From bees hiving in the walls of his house to owls trying to eat his daughters’ cat—not to mention his eccentric neighbors—adventure, humor, and irreverence abound on Branch’s small slice of the world, which he lovingly calls Ranting Hill.

During Mr. Hardy’s investigation of a ruthless gang of terrorists, Frank and Joe witness an explosion in the sky near an airborne dirigible owned by Quinn Air Fleet. The young detectives look into a clue that takes them into a new animal park outside Bayport, where they are lured into a trap by an unknown enemy. Problems arise for the park owner as he receives pressure from a competitor and a real-estate firm to sell out. Strange occurrences at the park also frighten the visitors and animals. Frank and Joe take up the case despite fore warnings.