Additional information
by Dylan Thuras (Author), Jennifer Swanson (Author), Ruby Fresson (Illustrator)
The team behind the bestselling Atlas Obscura presents a kids' illustrated STEM-oriented exploration of the world's most interesting technologies, inventions, and scientific discoveries.
Following up on the New York Times bestselling Atlas Obscura Explorer's Guide for the World's Most Adventurous Kid, with more than 200,000 copies in print, here is a globe-spanning history of invention like no other. This illustrated and STEM-oriented exploration of the planet's 50 most interesting inventions and scientific discoveries sends middle-grade readers on an unforgettable trip around the planet and across time. Each spread focuses on a world-changing technology and how it led to or influenced the tech or discovery on the next page. Starting with the very first invention, fire, readers will spelunk the Wonderwerk Cave in South Africa for evidence of humankind's earliest control of flames, then learn how fire is necessary to create another essential tech: glass, including the modern-day glass bridge in Zhangjiajie, China, that offers a crystal-clear (and terrifying!) view of the chasm 1,300 feet below. As you gaze at comets through telescopes, create unbreakable codes, zap space garbage with lasers, and break supersonic records in the world's fastest car, gorgeously illustrated scenes will transport readers across continents and centuries into a world of wonder and discovery.Author Biography
Atlas Obscura is widely celebrated for building the definitive community driven platform for discovering the world's wonders. Atlasobscura.com is the premier destination for the curious, offering fascinating storytelling, award winning podcasts, a database of unique places, foods and species, and once-in-a-lifetime trips and experiences.
Dylan Thuras is the cofounder and creative director of Atlas Obscura. He lives in Rosendale, NY.This author is represented by the Hachette Speakers Bureau. Jennifer Swanson is an award-winning children's author of more than forty-five nonfiction and fiction books, including National Geographic Kids Brain Games and Outdoor School: Rocks, Fossils, and Shells. She is also the creator and co-host of the award-winning podcast Solve It for Kids. Visit her online at jenniferswansonbooks.com and @jenswanbooks.
Number of Pages: 112
Dimensions: 0.7 x 12 x 9.3 IN
Illustrated: Yes
Publication Date: August 12, 2025
