Exploring Scientific Ideas

The Chemical Elements

The exciting story of their discovery and of the great scientists who found them.
1 899618 11 2 Nechaev & Jenkins
That all the tens of millions of different substances and materials on earth were made up of only 92 elements is a magical story that is too easily taken for granted. This is an updated reprint of a charming book published more than fifty years ago. It vividly brings to life the excitement of the discoveries and sets each into the thinking of its time. The final chapter brings the story right up to date and includes the man-made elements of the nuclear age and the latest insights into the periodic table and the nature of matter.
£6.95

The Puzzle of Symmetry Dice Exploring the significance of symmetry and chirality in chemistry and biology 1 899618 11 2 Gordon Woods

This book includes 34 coloured card dice to cut out and make. All are legal dice but they differ from each other in rather subtle ways. The primary puzzle is to identify which dice are identical and which are not. It is the logical thinking required to solve these puzzles which draws attention to the nature of the symmetries of three dimensional objects. Also included is an extensive minibook which deals with the fascinating consequences of differing symmetries in biological molecules. £3.50 (inc VAT)

Leonardo's Machines Insights into the works of this genius of the Renaissance with four paper models to cut out and glue together 1 899618 37 6 Bernard Ambrose

Bernard Ambrose has made an extensive study of the drawings of Leonardo da Vinci. By examining those original drawings with the eye of an engineer, he has been able to make a fine collection of models which explore some of Leonardo's mechanical ideas. Four of them are now adapted into beautiful paper models and they are supported in this book by an interesting commentary into Leonardo's thoughts, understandings and misunderstandings. £5.95

Paper Flying Machines

Elastic powered models to cut out and glue together
0 906212 93 6 John Andrews
In this book there are three different kinds of flying machine to make. A 'monoplane' which has its propeller at the front, a 'flying wing' with a propeller at the back and a 'helicopter' with propellers top and bottom. Although the models are mostly made from the paper cut from the book, they do require a few other items as well: elastic bands, matchsticks, press-studs and paperclips. It is fascinating to use paper and such simple items to make machines that really do fly. Included is an extensive minibook where John Andrews explains about flight in general and these models in particular, a most interesting combination.
£3.50

DNA - the Marvellous Molecule

Its place in the story of life and evolution explained by means of models to cut out and glue together
0 906212 75 8 Borin Van Loon
Just as it is hard to describe a spiral staircase without using your hands, so it is difficult to understand the double helix without a three-dimensional model. This one is easy to glue together and makes a fine mobile. There are also other models which shed light on nucleotides, viruses and protein synthesis. Included also is a minibook which links together the models with lots of interesting information about the role that DNA plays in genetics and in the evolution of life on our planet into all the marvellous diversity we can see today.
£3.50

The Curious Quantum

Fundamental chemistry explained with cut-out models
0 906212 91 X Lee Bulbrook
Who would have thought that paper models could illustrate some fundamental truths about the universe! Yet Lee Bulbrook has succeeded in using a certain geometrical shape which represents the fundamental structure of real atoms rather well. Because of this, they glue together logically to make model molecules which closely represent the shapes and properties of real molecules. This combination of words, pictures and models opens the door to a better understanding of this fascinating subject.
£3.50

The Chemical Helix

Make a three-dimensional model of the periodic table
0 906212 97 9 Jenkins & Bear
Start with the enjoyable task of making this ingenious and colourful tower model which shows all the elements which have so far been discovered. They spiral downwards according to their electronic structures, hence, the name chemical helix. The tower has eight sides and so, those elements which come above and below each other on the tower share chemical properties, just as they do in the conventional periodic table. Included is an extensive minibook packed with ideas and explanations about the elements.
£3.50