Books in the Big Ideas series

Explore the laws and theories of physics in this accessible introduction to the forces that shape our Universe, our planet, and our everyday lives. Using a bold, graphic-led approach The Physics Book sets out more than 80 key concepts and discoveries that have defined the subject... and influenced our technology since the beginning of time. With the focus firmly on unpicking the thought behind each theory - as well as exploring when and how each idea and breakthrough came about - seven themed chapters examine the history and developments in areas such as Energy and Matter, and Electricity and Magnetism, as well as quantum, nuclear, and particle physics. Eureka moments abound: from Pythagoras's observations of the pleasing harmonies created by vibrating strings, and Galileo's experiments with spheres, to Isaac Newton's apple and his conclusions about gravity and the laws of motion. You'll also learn about Albert Einstein's revelations about relativity; how the accidental discovery of cosmic microwave background radiation confirmed the Big Bang theory; the search for the Higgs boson particle; and why most of our Universe is missing. If you've ever wondered exactly how physicists formulated - and proved - their abstract concepts, The Physics Book is the book for you.
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Learning about the vast concept of politics can be daunting, this book makes it easier than ever by giving you all the big ideas, simply explained. It includes more than 100 ideas in the history of politics that are helpfully broken down so that abstract topics, such as theoretic...al foundations and practical applications become real.
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Exploring more than 100 of the most important ideas, organizations, and events to have defined the feminist movement, this guide is an essential introduction to feminism. The latest entry in DK's bestselling Big Ideas series, The Feminism Book is a complete study of feminism. Tra...ce the subject from its origins, through the suffrage campaigns of the late 19th century, to recent developments such as the Everyday Sexism Project and the #MeToo movement. Examine the ideas that underpin feminist thought through crucial figures, from Simone de Beauvoir to Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, and discover the wider social, cultural, and historical context of their impact. Find out who campaigned for birth control, when the term intersectionality was coined, and what post-feminism really means in this comprehensive book. Using the Big Ideas series' trademark combination of authoritative, accessible text and bold graphics, the most significant concepts and theories have never been easier to understand. Packed with inspirational quotations, eye-catching infographics, and clear flowcharts, The Feminism Book is a must-have for anyone with an interest in the subject.
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From Jack the Ripper to the modern day drug cartels, The Crime Book documents the most notorious crimes and criminals in history. With over 100 crimes to explore, The Crime Book examines the science, psychology and sociology of criminal behaviour. See the gory details of each cri...me and how it was solved, with renowned quotes and detailed criminal profiles letting you delve into the criminal mind. The Crime Book looks at the big ideas and concepts in criminology spanning from pirates, kidnapping and political plots to modern con artists, serial killers and rogue traders, including the Black Dahlia investigation, the Mississippi Scheme, and the notorious Jeffrey Dahmer. The Crime Book is the perfect introduction to law enforcement and criminology across history's most infamous crimes.
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Explore ecology in this accessible introduction to how the natural world works and how we have started to understand the environment, ecosystems, and climate change. Using a bold, graphic-led approach, The Ecology Book explores and explains over 85 of the key ideas, movements, an...d acts that have defined ecology and ecological thought. The book has a simple chronological structure, with early chapters ranging from the ideas of classical thinkers through to attempts by Enlightenment thinkers to systematically order the natural world. Later chapters trace the evolution of modern thinking, from the ideas of Thomas Malthus, Henry Thoreau, and others, right the way through to the political and scientific developments of the modern era, including the birth of the environmental movement and the Paris Agreement. The ideal introduction to one of the most important subjects of our time.
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