Inventions That Changed the World

With billions of users worldwide, Facebook has become the most successful social media website on the internet. It has also been the subject of praise, criticism, and controversy. Using key facts, sidebars, and photographs related to the topic, this book informs students about what the world was like before Facebook, including a look at previous forms of online communication, and examines what made Facebook successful and what led to its displacement of MySpace at the top of social media. This book explores how Facebook has changed the world and societies since its creation, for better and worse, and explains Mark Zuckerberg's role as leader of this successful business. Facebook's hand in contemporary social issues, such as domestic violence and bullying, is also discussed, as well as the site's connection to controversial events like Russia's interference in the 2016 presidential election, illuminating the extent of Facebook's reach and influence today.

Electricity was not the invention of one individual, but the work of many over generations, from civilizations around the world. This book comprehensively covers the invention of electricity, from the cultures that tried to harness the power of lightning over centuries to Benjamin Franklin's tests with a kite and a key, the industrialization of the lightbulb by Thomas Edison, and the use of electric power today. Through sidebars, fact boxes, and colorful photographs, this book highlights the key moments, positive and negatives impacts, and technological innovations relating to one of the most revolutionary technologies today.

Upon its invention in the mid-1400s, the printing press instantly became a revolutionary device. It introduced literacy to the masses and led Europe out of the Middle Ages. This book explores the press' exciting history, the social and political conditions in place at the time Johannes Gutenberg invented it, and the changes the invention wrought afterward. It traces the evolution of moveable type and information dissemination up to modern electronic communications technology, examining the positive and negative effects of these developments, both in the past and on democracy and humankind today. This book will give readers a new appreciation for the written word, whether it is printed on paper or displayed on a screen.

Believed by some to be one of the most important inventions of all time, the telephone has helped connect people all over the world. This title welcomes readers with a narrative that showcases the telephone today. From there, readers dial into the history and development of the telephone. The text also discusses how the telephone impacts life today and how it may work in the future. Features compliment the text through a profile, a diagram, a timeline and more!

In today's fast-paced society, it seems like information moves at the speed of light. More than just a social networking tool, Twitter has been a transformational platform in the worlds of communication, news, and socializing. From activists in Iran to presidents of the United States, Twitter is now an invaluable medium for sharing information. In this book, readers will be transported into a world that may be hard to imagine, one before Twitter. Colorful photographs, real-world examples, and engaging text come together to give readers the full backstory on one of today's most popular and impactful communications technologies, its applications and importance in today's society, and how it has come to change the world, for worse or for better.

Vaccines have been used for more than 1,000-years! The first vaccine was made to protect people against smallpox. Today, vaccines help protect people from many diseases and illnesses. This title walks readers through the history of vaccines, how they work and impact our lives, and what we may expect in the future. Features highlight an inventor and a specific vaccine, show how many vaccines work, and more. Readers will have a new appreciation for this life-saving invention!

For more than 100 years, the television has sparked wonder and excitement in people around the world! A device that displayed fuzzy pictures on small screens has become an entertainment machine. In this title, readers will discover the history of the television and how it has advanced over time. Leveled text also covers how television impacts life today and what we may expect in the future. Features include profiles, a timeline, fun facts, and more!

The Internet has changed the way more than half the world's population communicates and accesses information. The invention dates to the Cold War, when its purpose was to provide security. Today, the Internet does so much more! Readers will learn about the development of the Internet, how it impacts life today, and what it may look like in the future. A profile introduces an Internet pioneer, a diagram shows how the Internet works, and fun facts offer interesting trivia. Open the cover to a world of information!

It may be difficult to imagine a world before the internet, especially in our increasingly connected and data-driven society. This book takes readers on a trip back in time, into the earliest days of computer technology, when the internet wasn't much more than a curious idea that evolved from ARPANET. This book explores challenges faced in the internet's early years, the invention of the World Wide Web by computer scientist Tim Berners-Lee, impacts both positive and negative on society, and the internet's effect on humanity today. Through colorful pictures, graphs, and real-world examples and stories, this book traces the timeline of the internet from its first conception to the present, where it pervades our everyday lives.

Read all about it! The history of the printing press started centuries ago. Through the years, it has been used to share news, make books more affordable, and make information more accessible. And it still helps people communicate today! This title explores the history of the printing press, from its first use in the 1300s to uses tomorrow and beyond. Readers will use fun facts, profiles, and a timeline to learn all about how this life-changing invention got its start.

The 20th century approaches, and life is about to change forever! Inventors across the world race to invent and innovate automobile designs. Which ones will end up on top? Anyone who has ever ridden in a car will appreciate this fascinating title about how the automobile got its start. Fun facts, a timeline, and inventor and automobile profiles show the importance of this amazing invention!

The Wright Brothers took to the sky over a hundred years ago to prove that people could fly. Readers will enjoy reading about the Wright brothers as they developed the airplane. The book follows the brothers as their idea developed into a design, and as that design was constructed, tested, and improved. Readers will learn about how the Wright brothers' invention of airplanes affected the world and how it still impacts us today. Authentic photographs bring the story of the Wright brothers alive, as engaging text packs information and fun into the narrative. This book is a great addition to STEM and history curricula, and promises to be a whirlwind read.

Not even a century ago, a computer took up an entire room. Today, a computer can fit inside your pocket! Over decades of technological advancement, the personal computer has shaped the world in ways that are still being determined. This powerful invention has changed everything from the way people communicate to how we entertain ourselves. With a series of fun facts, profiles, and a timeline, this title will fascinate anyone who has ever booted up.

Smartphones put a camera in just about everyone's pocket, but it hasn't always been so easy to take a snapshot. The 18th century brought a new innovation that allowed people to easily preserve a moment in time. That innovation carries on today! Through informative text, fun facts, and special features, this fascinating title explores how the camera was invented and how it continues to develop!

This is the story of one of human history's most iconic inventions: the steam engine. It follows a long and exciting history from the coal mines of England to the Industrial Revolution and the transcontinental railroad in the United States. With colorful images and surprising facts, readers will follow the evolution of the steam engine from a simple pump to the advanced electrical generators of today, while learning about the famous minds and inventions that made it all possible.

Many consider Thomas Edison the inventor of the light bulb, but this world-changing invention has a long history. Since the 19th century, many have worked to create and improve the light bulb. Starting from the light bulb's early development all the way up to its modern uses, this informative title will fascinate anyone who wants to know about the invention that lights up the world!

The Wright Brothers famously made the first flight in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. But the history of human flight goes back much further! This title details the experimentation and innovation that went into the creation of the airplane. Special features highlight important airplanes as well as pioneers who had a lasting influence on the world of air travel. Buckle up and prepare for takeoff! This exciting title is sure to interest anyone with a love of planes.