Books in the Big Questions series

Why are helium balloons lighter than air? What are the secrets of the Philosopher's Stone? This book answers these questions.

Featuring discoveries of ancient Greece to Einstein via Galileo and Newton, this book takes you on a journey through time, space and beyond and find out about the physical forces that make our world.

Popular television presenter Johnny Ball shares his love of maths and the essential part numbers play in our lives, from measuring, counting, and predicting to solving all sorts of problems.But maths isn't just about counting and calculations. In All about Numbers, you'll explore a fantastic world that is full of surprises. Learn how to crack codes and unravel mazes, and discover why finding a prime number can make you a millionaire. Impress your friends with magic tricks and mind-reading techniques, and find out about the simple puzzles that have stumped the world's brainiest mathematicians for centuries.With a colourful and quirky design, All about Numbers also includes fun and humorous facts that many math books leave out, such as why a flea can jump higher than an elephant and why zero doesn't always mean "nothing". You'll also discover how maths evolved throughout history, from the first counting system in ancient Iraq to the complex maths the Egyptians used to build the pyramids.Let Johnny Ball show you how maths can take you anywhere - to infinity and beyond.