Fun Fact File: Inventions That Changed the World

For more than 200 years, locomotives have fascinated people of all ages. This STEM-inspired book introduces readers to locomotives from different times and places, from the first steam-powered locomotives to the high-speed trains of today. Information is shared through a series of 20 fun-size facts. Readers will learn how steam, diesel, and electric locomotives work, as well as how locomotives impacted the American Civil War and led to the establishment of time zones. Graphic organizers and vivid images are paired with the motivating facts to create an appealing and accessible reading experience.

Life without a phone is so hard to imagine! Without the ability to call our friends, family, or even emergency services, life would certainly be much more difficult. Through accessible, fun-size facts, readers of this STEM-supporting book will learn how the invention of the telephone came about, how it transformed rapidly over the years, and how it can truly be said to have changed the world. Carefully selected images complement the well-researched information and valuable graphic organizers reinforce the most essential facts for budding inventors and historians.

Using the internet, we can retrieve information in mere seconds, share messages and videos just as quickly, and accomplish so much more. It has become difficult to remember a time before the internet existed! This beneficial book introduces readers to the beginnings of the internet and its evolution over time. Through interesting and at-level bite-size facts, accompanying images, and summarizing graphic organizers, readers will gain a new appreciation for this essential technology and the computer scientists who made it possible. The motivating design and accessible fun facts make this volume a valuable addition to any STEM collection.

Before people had cars, planes, and trains to take them places, they had steamboats. This important advance in transportation technology once astounded travelers and made the shipping of goods faster and easier than ever before. Readers of this engaging volume will discover just how significant the steamboat was, the technology that made it work, and why this mode of transportation could be dangerous and even deadly! The appealing format-which includes accessible bits of information and historical images-will motivate both budding historians and up-and-coming inventors.

The printing press is one of the single most important inventions in human history. It allowed information to spread more quickly and widely than ever before. Many people credit German Johannes Gutenberg with inventing the printing press, but the earliest known printed text is actually Chinese! Historic, full-color photographs and enlightening graphic organizers will attract and educate budding historians. Through 20 truly fun facts, they'll learn how the technology of the printing press changed over time and how it's used today.

Did you know that the first electric car was invented before 1900? Readers find this and other facts about electricity in this educational and enjoyable guide to the energy that powers so much of our world. As readers explore 20 fun facts presented in clear and concise text, they chart the development of electricity-from its discovery through Thomas Edison's electric lights all the way to the electric vehicles of today. These shocking facts are presented alongside helpful graphic organizers and vibrant photographs. This learning experience is sure to spark the interest of even the most reluctant readers.