For over 150 years, the Smithsonian Institution has offered the world a picture of America, and America a picture of the world. And now the Smithsonian has joined forces with acclaimed science writer Seymour Simon to repackage twelve of his most popular science titles.

These beloved books have been updated to include the most recent scientific research with the cooperation of curators from the Smithsonian's Air & Space and Natural History museums. And with brand-new folios, reference materials, glossaries, and indices for the paperbacks, these books are even better resources for budding young scientists!

The Brain: Our Nervous System

Vital information about our nervous system and the versatile organ that controls everything we do: the brain!

Destination: Space

Journey to the far corners of the cosmos and learn about the marvels photographed by the Hubble Space Telescope.

Earthquakes

Read about the forces powerful enough to move the earth. Most Earthquakes are too small to feel, but when a big one hits it can topple freeways and cause massive tsunamis.

The Heart: Our Circulatory System

Learn all about how the hardworking muscle no bigger than your fist that keeps your circulatory system running.

Lightning

Explore one of the most beautiful, yet dangerous atmospheric phenomenon.

Oceans

Discover the causes of waves and tides, and explore the wonders of the deep.

Sharks

Sharks have been feared for centuries. Find out the true story of these misunderstood animals.

Stars

Stars have fascinated people from the beginning of time, and they become more fascinating the more we learn about them.

The Universe

Learn how scientists can gaze into the past through a telescope to uncover the mysteries of the universe.

Volcanoes

Read how volcanoes can lie dormant for decades and then one day awaken to shower ash and molten rocks over hundreds of miles.

Weather

Lean about the fascinating changes in our atmosphere that bring sun one day and rain the next.

Whales

Dive into the depths of the ocean with Earth's biggest living animals and learn how they live.