Editors of Time Magazine Books

This book is crafted to inspire, challenge, and engage readers, from armchair travelers to those ready to explore. The editors of Time have curated exciting discoveries in geography, paleontology, astronomy, and archaeology, blending them with classic exploration tales. It features updates on remarkable fossilized dinosaur-birds from China, recent archaeological digs in Egypt, and new findings from missions exploring Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn's moons. The journey spans locations like Siberia's Yamal Peninsula, where a 40,000-year-old baby mammoth carcass named Lyuba was found, to a cave in Indonesia's Flores Island, home to a unique species of miniature early humans known as "the hobbits." Notable figures include Chinese paleontologist Xing Xu, Egypt's renowned Zahi Hawass, and NASA's Martian rovers, Opportunity and Spirit. Readers will discover surprising new information about familiar topics, such as the Titanic wreck and the Pueblo cliff-dwellers of the American Southwest. Alongside its insightful narratives, the book is filled with striking photographs, offering a visual panorama of Earth's most powerful forces and exotic regions. Welcome aboard—and bon voyage!

Recounts scientific breakthroughs around the world covering such topics as dinosaurs, stone age art, the Apollo missions, Polar exploration, and ancient creatures.

COMPLETE, COMPREHENSIVE, AUTHORITATIVE This updated one-volume almanac is an essential tool for understanding the world, packed with vital information from 2009. It serves as an indispensable resource for students, academics, journalists, and professionals alike, useful for work, school, reference, and even leisure. The PEOPLE section features brief biographies of influential figures, including the TIME 100 for 2009, the complete Person of the Year list, obituaries, and winners of major awards like the Oscars, Nobels, and Pulitzers, along with Olympic champions. In the PLACES section, discover extensive international coverage, including a complete World Atlas, flags of nations in full color, and insights into global geography. The EVENTS section presents the year in 16 pages of vibrant photos, month-by-month news headlines, and comprehensive sports records for 2009. The CONTEXT section includes articles from TIME and Encyclopedia Britannica that delve into significant trends, such as the new US military commitment in Afghanistan, recession impacts on consumers, and the rise of Twitter. The BACKGROUND section covers foundational documents of US governance, major civilizations, and history's most significant natural disasters. Finally, the FACTS section provides a 2010 calendar, key holidays, zip-code maps, nutritional information, and insights into the world's major religions.