NCW Libraries

"From a renowned historian comes a groundbreaking narrative of humanity's creation and evolution -- a #1 international bestseller -- that explores the ways in which biology and history have defined us and enhanced our understanding of what it means to be "human." One hundred thousand years ago, at least six different species of humans inhabited Earth. Yet today there is only one -- homo sapiens. What happened to the others? And what may happen to...

In this title, readers will examine the technology used by military forces during Revolutionary War. Engaging text introduces readers to flintlock and smoothbore muskets, rifles, cannons, mortars, howitzers, frigates, brigs, sloops, schooners, invisible ink, and the roles they played in military campaigns. A short history of the war is also included. Aligned to Common Core standards and correlated to state standards. Checkerboard Library is an imprint...

A provocative look at the new, digital landscape of childhood and how to navigate it. In The New Childhood, Jordan Shapiro provides a hopeful counterpoint to the fearful hand-wringing that has come to define our narrative around children and technology. Drawing on groundbreaking research in economics, psychology, philosophy, and education, The New Childhood shows how technology is guiding humanity toward a bright future in which our children will...

Discover the history and science behind the tools and technologies that aided US troops on land, at sea, and in the air.

"Really "high" tech to inspire us for sustainable solutions on Earth. Who could imagine an idea born on a space station would help sustain our planet? Astronauts, living on the International Space Station, have to protect their resources because their lives depend on it. They learn to conserve water, air, food, energy, and waste. These efforts have in turn lead to amazing and innovative ideas for air quality, food production, and water purification...

"The Candy House opens with the staggeringly brilliant Bix Bouton, whose company, Mandala, is so successful that he is "one of those tech demi-gods with whom we're all on a first name basis." Bix is 40, with four kids, restless, desperate for a new idea, when he stumbles into a conversation group, mostly Columbia professors, one of whom is experimenting with downloading or "externalizing" memory. It's 2010. Within a decade, Bix's new technology, "Own...

Technology rules us as much as laws do. It shapes the legal, social, and ethical environments in which we act. Every time we cross a street, drive a car, or go to the doctor, we submit to the silent power of technology. Yet, much of the time, the influence of technology on our lives goes unchallenged by citizens and our elected representatives. Our embrace of novel technological pathways, Sheila Jasanoff shows, leads to a complex interplay among technology,...

What is the nature of unidentified aerial phenomena?
Forty years ago a small cadre of dedicated researchers began actively investigating cases, interviewing witnesses, and exchanging data through a small, informal network of international contacts. Today this low-profile network, or "invisible college," has grown into a larger, multi-nation volunteer research effort joined by many individuals. But the questions first raised forty years ago remain...