Book excerpt: How much would you weigh on Mars? What can exploding balloons tell us about weather? Why do heavy ships stay afloat on water? How can you lift an elephant with one finger? You'll discover the answers to these and many other fascinatingquestions when you journey through science history with JaniceVanCleave as your guide. Packed with fun facts, activities, andexperiments, Janice VanCleave's Science Through the Ages introducesyou to the amazing stories behind some of the greatest scientificdiscoveries of our time. Each chapter provides easy-to-followinstructions for hands-on experiments, as well as clearexplanations that reveal the many ways science has helpedpeople--from ancient times right up through today! You'll find out how to use Stone Age tools to make art, build asimple telescope, look at your own blood vessels (did you know youhave thousands of miles of them?), construct a stethoscope, createa model of Galileo's gas thermometer, and much more. As with all ofJanice VanCleave's books, the materials are safe, inexpensive, andeasily found around the house. So take a time-traveling tour ofdiscovery and get ready for hours and hours of fascinating sciencefun--at home or in the classroom.