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Big Ideas That Changed the World

This series delves into pivotal moments in human history that fundamentally reshaped our world. Each volume explores a specific invention, discovery, or event, tracing its origins and charting its far-reaching consequences. It offers a fascinating look at how innovation and human ingenuity have molded our civilization. This is a journey through history that celebrates the power of ideas and their ability to transform reality.

Machines That Think!
Big Ideas That Changed the World - 1: Rocket to the Moon!

Recommended Reading Order

  1. 1

    On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong took “one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind” when the Apollo 11 landed on the moon. But it wasn’t just one man who got us to the moon. The Moon Landing explores the people and technology that made the moon landing possible. Instead of examining one person’s life, it focuses on the moon landing itself, showing the events leading up to it and how it changed the world. The book takes readers through the history of rocket building: from ancient Chinese rockets, to “bombs bursting in air” during the War of 1812, to Russia’s Sputnik program, to the moon landing.

    Big Ideas That Changed the World - 1: Rocket to the Moon!
  2. 2

    Award-winning author Don Brown explores computers and technology in book two of the Big Ideas series Machines That Think explores machines from ancient history to today that perform a multitude of tasks, from making mind-numbing calculations to working on assembly lines. Included are fascinating looks at the world's earliest calculators, the birth of computer programming, and the arrival of smartphones. Contributors discussed include Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi, Ada Lovelace, and Bill Gates. From the abacus to artificial intelligence, machines through the ages have pushed the boundaries of human capability and creativity. Back matter includes a timeline, endnotes, a bibliography, an author's note, and an index.

    Machines That Think!