10,582 sq km 348 m 27 MAY nn es 10 2,900 km 4d ays 60 m 1995 3.7 billio n C ° 3 Q 1S kg GS 96 BA es t u to 50 60 m in 220 times £ M km 2 2, 90% mi30 llion AN ENCYCLOPEDIA OF FANTASTIC FACTS our WORLD in NUMBERS Written by CLIVE GIFFORD s itre l 39 t r i l l CM io cups n m 5m h kp 11 CONTENTS DK LONDON Project editors Kelsie Besaw, Selina Wood Art Editor Gregory McCarthy Editors Bharti Bedi, Priyanka Kharbanda, Vicky Richards Designers Jim Green, Beth Johnston, Renata Latipova, Anthony Limerick, Lynne Moulding Picture Researcher Nick Dean, Jo Walton Managing Editor Francesca Baines Managing Art Editor Philip Letsu Production Editor Jacqueline Street-Elkayam Production Controller Sian Cheung Senior Jacket Designers Suhita Dharamjit, Akiko Kato Jacket Designer Tanya Mehrotra Jackets Design Development Manager Sophia MTT Senior DTP Designer Harish Aggarwal Senior Jackets Coordinator Priyanka Sharma-Saddi Managing Jackets Editor Saloni Singh Publisher Andrew Mcintyre Art Director Karen Self Associate Publishing Director Liz Wheeler Publishing Director Jonathan Metcalf First published in Great Britain in 2022 by Dorling Kindersley Limited DK, One Embassy Gardens, Viaduct Gardens, London, SW11 7BW The authorised representative in the EEA is Dorling Kindersley Verlag GmbH Arnulfstr 124, 80636 Munich, Germany Copyright © 2022 Dorling Kindersley Limited A Penguin Random House Company 10 001–322075–Mar/2022 All rights reserved No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), without the prior written permission of the copyright owner A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library ISBN: 978-0-2414-7118-0 Printed and bound in China www.dk.com This book was made with Forest Stewardship Council® certified paper – one small step in DK’s commitment to a sustainable future For more information go to www.dk.com/our-green-pledge A world of numbers SPACE 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 The mysterious Universe Spectacular stars Earth’s Moon The planets Exploring space Top 10: Largest launchers Living in space EARTH 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40 42 44 46 The blue planet Rocks and gemstones Top 10: Tallest mountains Earthquakes and volcanoes Natural wonders Trees and forests Top 10: Longest rivers Oceans and seas Deserts At the poles Climate and weather NATURE 50 52 54 56 58 60 62 64 66 68 70 72 74 76 78 80 82 84 86 Prehistoric creatures Microscopic life Fabulous flora Spiders, bugs, and insects Fantastic fish Rays and sharks Scaly reptiles Top 10: Longest snakes Amazing amphibians The world of birds Incredible big cats The magnificent whale Brawny bears Primates Top 10: Heaviest land animals Your brilliant body Super senses The human brain Stinky poo and goo PEOPLE AND CULTURE 90 92 94 96 98 100 102 104 106 108 110 112 114 116 118 120 122 124 126 A world of people Earth’s continents The world’s countries Buzzing capitals Top 10: Most populous world cities Language Flying the flag World religions Top 10: Tallest statues Astonishing art Listen to the music On the stage At the movies Solo sports Playing as a team Top 10: Olympians The written word Tasty food All about pets HISTORY 130 132 134 136 138 140 142 144 146 148 Ancient Egypt Ancient Rome Imperial China Aztecs and Incas Fortresses and castles The world of Islam Medieval kingdoms of Africa Top 10: Longest-reigning monarchs Changing fashions Into battle SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 152 154 156 158 160 162 164 166 168 170 172 174 176 178 180 182 Essential elements Sound and light Energy and forces The energy of hot and cold Generating electricity Everyday materials Ingenious inventions Super structures Top 10: Tallest bridges Wheeled vehicles On the water Terrific trains Taking flight Top 10: Fastest aircraft Going digital Versatile robots 184 188 192 Glossary Index Acknowledgments NOTE: THE FACTS AND STATISTICS IN THIS BOOK WERE CORRECT AT THE TIME OF GOING TO PRESS A WORLD OF NUMBERS It’s impossible to imagine our lives without numbers The first counting systems were invented thousands of years ago, and today we use many different types of numbers to help us understand the world around us Throughout this book, you’ll discover hundreds of amazing number facts that answer questions like the ones below and many more LONG AGO MANY How was the Roman Empire? How stars are there? We use time to measure history, as well as to keep track of the seconds, minutes, and hours in a day, or the days and months in a year Without time, we wouldn’t be able to count our age or get to school on time Counting can add up almost anything – from people and pets to stars and sea creatures – and helps us to think about really big numbers and concepts How FAST is a cheetah? Speed is the time it takes to travel from one point to another Some things move really fast, such as cheetahs and racecars, while other things move slowly, such as glaciers and snails WIDE MUCH How is the Grand Canyon? How does a film cost to make? Measurements for short distances such as centimetres and metres tell us how wide or long something is, while long distances such as kilometres tell us how far we’d have to travel to get from one country to another Numbers used for money can show the value of things, from the price of popcorn or cinema tickets to the budgets needed to make big blockbuster films PERCENTAGE What of the world’s population speaks Chinese? When we use percentages, we’re describing a part of something out of a whole It helps us understand things like how many people out of the entire world population speak a language TALL How is the Burj Khalifa? Measuring height tells us how tall something is, from the tallest skyscrapers to the loftiest mountain peaks Height can even help mark the passage of time, as you measure how much you grow every year SPACE The mysterious 10 BILLION °C (18 billion °F) was the temperature of the Universe SECOND after THE BIG BANG 380,000 The FIRST ATOMS didn’t form until YEARS after the Big Bang STARS ARE BORN in clouds of dust and gas, called NEBULAE Collections of stars bound together by gravity form GALAXIES IC 1101, one of the largest-known galaxies, contains around 100 trillion stars 10 yf rom HT YEARS awa LIG E N E BULA is 7,000 13.8 BILLION YEARS OLD EAGL The Universe is approximately THE From the tiniest atomic particle to the largest galaxy, the Universe is everything that exists It was formed billions of years ago in a massive explosion known as the Big Bang The Universe is so big that it takes light billions of years to travel across it Eart h UNIVERSE TOP 10 FASTEST AIRCRAFT X-15A-2 • First flight 1959 • Top speed 7,274 KPH (4,520 mph) • Length 15.2 M (50 ft) This US rocket-powered plane is not only the fastest aircraft ever recorded but also the highest-flying In 1963, it reached the edge of space 107.8 km (67 miles) above Earth’s surface LOCKHEED SR-71 BLACKBIRD • First flight 1964 Top speed 3,529.6 KM/H (2,193.2 mph) • Length 32.7 M (107 ft in) Designed by the US as a spy plane to fly reconnaissance missions during the Cold War, the Blackbird was the fastest jet-powered aircraft MIKOYAN MIG-25 FOXBAT • First flight 1964 Top speed 3,395 KM/H (2,109.5 mph) • Length 23.8 M (78 ft in) BELL X-2 • First flight 1955 Top speed 3,370 KM/H (2,094 mph) • Length 11.5 M (37 ft 10 in) LOCKHEED YF-12 • First flight 1963 Top speed 3,331.5 KM/H (2070.1 mph) • Length 31 M (101 ft in) XB-70A VALKYRIE • First flight 1964 Top speed 3,308.8 KM/H (2,056 mph) • Length 56.4 M (185 ft) The Soviet Union’s Foxbat was the fastest combat jet, with two engines each capable of generating 11,200 kg (24,700 lb) of thrust Nicknamed the “Starbuster”, the Bell X-2 was a US research plane that was used to investigate the ways in which extremely high speeds impacted aircraft Long-range radar and infrared sensors were among some of the devices used by the stealthy Lockheed YF-12, an American prototype interceptor aircraft The US designed the thin, long-nosed Valkyrie to fly high speed for thousands of miles, at a height of more than 21,000 km (70,000 ft) MIKOYAN MIG-31 FOXHOUND • First flight 1975 Top speed 3,017 KM/H (1,874.7 mph) • Length 22.7 M (74 ft in) MCDONNELL DOUGLAS F-15 EAGLE • First flight 1972 Top speed 3,000 KM/H (1,864 mph) • Length 19.4 M (63 ft in) 10 Designed to fly at lower altitudes than the Foxbat, the Foxhound still operates in Russia’s Air Force today More than 500 have been produced The American all-weather Eagle fighter has never been beaten in air-to-air combat, having racked up 101 victories GENERAL DYNAMICS F-111 AARDVARK • First flight 1964 Top speed 2,655 KM/H (1,649.7 mph) • Length 22.4 M (73 ft in) Developed in the US, strong turbofan engines lifted the Aardvark’s 23,300-kg (51,000-lb) body off the ground SUKHOI SU-27 FLANKER • First flight 1977 Top speed 2,500 KM/H (1,553.4 mph) • Length 21 M (68 ft 11 in) Made of tough titanium and aluminium alloys, the Soviet Flanker could also operate autonomously (control itself) 200 Going DIGITAL Around UNITS of the first Apple computer, the Apple 1, were made in 1976 Each sold for $666.66 No one owned a home computer until the 1970s or a smartphone until the 2000s Progress has been rapid since Shrinking electronic circuits onto tiny silicon chips has resulted in a digital revolution, with billions of phones, computers, tablets, and smart objects used everyday In 1843, 28-YEAR-OLD Ada Lovelace became the WORLD’S FIRST PROGRAMMER by writing step-by-step instructions for mathematician CHARLES BABBAGE’S CALCULATING MACHINES ENIAC, an early PROGRAMMABLE digital computer, weighed 27 tonnes and filled a room measuring 15 M (50 ft) in length and M (30 ft) in width The first PERSONAL COMPUTER, the IBM 5150, had 16 KB of memory A modern 32 GB smartphone has 2,000,000 times more A MODERN VOLKSWAGEN CAR is controlled by computer programs made up of over 100 million lines of code Japanese Nintendo factory worker Gunpei Yokoi designed the GAME BOY, a portable game console, in 1989 Around 118.7 MILLION of these influential games consoles have been sold worldwide 50 million Modern computers contain tonnes of old computers 100 million and other electrical items are More than THROWN AWAY each year Only ONE-FIFTH of this E-WASTE ends up recycled The computer aboard APOLLO 11 had a KB RAM and 72 KB memory, and was less powerful than a modern PHONE CHARGER 180 $ tiny parts called transistors for each SQ MM (0.002 sq in) In 2020, Japan’s FUGAKU super computer could make more than 415 QUADRILLION calculations a second – making it 2.8 TIMES faster than any other computer There were about 96 contained km (60 miles) of wires first mobile phone, Motorola’s DynaTAC 8000X, was first sold in 1984 for $3,995 TY (V R) an d 10 hours It took to recharge its battery, which lasted for 30 MINUTES of talk time I AL E LR VIRTUA AUGM EN TED R 30 satellites to pinpoint their location on Earth 14 M ILLION es e er w w id e i n world 19 d l so EAL Many digital devices use a GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM (GPS) of around The (A R) de vi c INTERNET USERS in 2020, making up about 60% of the world population The first supercomputer, CRAY 1, built in 1976, was 2.6 M (8 ft in) wide and ITY 4.66 BILLION It took Swedish MARKUS PERSSON days just to create the FIRST VERSION of the computer game MINECRAFT By 2020, there were about 2.87 million different APPS in the Google Play app store The Apple app store had 1.96 MILLION 1,571 million About new SMARTPHONES were sold in the year 2020 181 20 years, A ROBOT-Rx dispenses MORE THAN 6,000 Over Da Vinci Surgical System robots across the world have performed MORE THAN O I D ROBOT – has paper clip 360 kg (794 lb) of strawberries a day – TIMES MORE THAN (1,100 lb) of plastic and other floating rubbish IN A DAY -M - 500 kg t-f lH al t ) iCu b, a WasteShark, an AQUATIC ROBOT, can gather (3 U M A HUMAN AN Octinion’s fruitpicking robot RUBION can harvest up to 53 m ot or 90% of a pharmacist’s time small that weigh as much as a single FIREFIGHTING ROBOT Colossus can withstand temperatures up to 900°C (1,652°F) The word ROBOT was first used 1920 in in KAREL ČAPEK’S play R.U.R (Rossum’s Universal Robots) 182 196 DAYS, Saildrone became the FIRST AUTONOMOUS ROBOT to complete a journey around ANTARCTICA MILLION OPERATIONS DOSES OF MEDICATION in a day, saving The Robobee X-Wing FLYING ROBOT is so After travelling for s Versatile In 2018, a ZEPHYR S ROBOT flew NON-STOP for a record-breaking 25 days, 23 hours, and 57 minutes without refuelling ROBOTS Robots are clever machines that can move, sense, and sometimes even think on their own They can achieve levels of strength and accuracy humans can only dream of Today, millions of robots are at work in industry, research labs, and even the home 2,020 In 2009, SCARLET KNIGHT became the first UNDERWATER ROBOT TO CROSS THE ATLANTIC OCEAN, covering A record-breaking 7,400 km (4,600 miles) in 221 days BASKETBALL SHOTS were made in a row by TOYOTA’S CUE3 robot in 2019 Flexible HUMANOID ROBOTS often have at least 30 degrees of freedom, or movable joints Honda’s ASIMO has 57 while Hanson Robotics’ Sophia has 74 More than ,300 SOFT, SEAL-LIKE ROBOTS 1called Paro are used in Japan as a form of PET THERAPY Serbot’s GEKKO robot can CLEAN up to 8,000 sq m (86,000 sq ft) of GLASS WINDOWS in a day – an area equal to almost 16 BASKETBALL COURTS FANUC M-2000iA/2300, the world’s STRONGEST ROBOTIC ARM, can lift objects weighing as much as ,300 KG (5,071 lb) ABB IRB 6640 robots perform more than 4,000 welds in just 90 SECONDS to complete a CAR BODY 183 GLOSSARY Abdicate To formally give up power and hand it over to someone else, such as when a monarch abdicates from the throne of a country Accelerate When an object speeds up and goes faster Allies A group of countries made up of Britain, France, the US, Russia and others, who fought against Germany and other countries in World War II Altitude The height of something above the ground or above sea level Artillery A part of an army made up of large guns or cannons Atmosphere The layers of gas that surround a planet, held in place by the planet’s gravity Atom The smallest particle of a chemical element that can exist on its own 184 Bacteria Microscopic single-celled life forms Bacteria are the most abundant living things Battery A store of chemicals in a case that when connected to a circuit supplies electricity Big Bang The theory of how the Universe formed out of a single point around 13.8 billion years ago Black hole The remains of a star that has collapsed in on itself Black holes have such strong gravity that they suck in objects around them Boiling point The temperature at which a liquid can turn into a vapour or gas Byzantine Empire An empire formed from the eastern half of the Roman Empire in 330 ce, which later expanded into more regions Caliphate A state under Islamic rule, governed by a caliph Carnivore A creature that gains its energy and nutrients totally or primarily through eating other creatures Cartilage A tough flexible material that makes up the skeletons of some creatures such as sharks Cell A tiny unit of living matter Cells are the building blocks of all living things Chlorophyll A green chemical in plants that traps the energy from sunlight, which they use to make their food Circuit A path around which an electric current can flow Circumference The distance around the edge of a circular object Citadel A stronghold or fortified building Climate The general weather conditions a region experiences over a long period of time Colony A country or area under the control of another nation Continent One of Earth’s seven large landmasses Currency A system of money, such as coins, used in a country or region Density The amount of matter contained in a given volume Diameter The distance across the centre of an object or shape, especially a circle DNA A set of instructions for how a living thing will work, found inside its cells Element A substance that is made up of just one type of atom Elevation The height above a certain level, usually sea level Equator The imaginary line around the middle of a planet, halfway between its north and south poles Erosion The wearing away, usually of rock, by natural forces, such as flowing water Friction The force that slows movement between two objects that rub together Evaporation When a liquid changes state to become a gas Fungi A kingdom of living things, including mushrooms, which reproduce by forming tiny cells called spores and feed on decaying matter Evolution The long-term process of change in living things, often taking place over millions of years Extinct When a species of living thing dies out Extraterrestrial Something from outside the Earth Filament The thin strand of wire found in incandescent light bulbs that glows when electricity passes through it Galaxy A grouping of millions or billions of stars all held together by gravity Galley A type of ship used by the Romans Geyser A hot spring which, at times, sends up a tall column of water and steam into the air Force A push or pull that makes an object move or stop Glands Collections of cells in animal bodies that create and release substances such as saliva and sweat Fossil The preserved remains or an impression of a prehistoric animal or plant embedded in rock for thousands or millions of years Global Positioning System (GPS) A navigation system using a series of orbiting satellites to give the accurate location of an object on Earth Gravity The attracting force found throughout the Universe that keeps planets in orbit and prevents objects on Earth from floating off into space Habitat The natural environment where an animal lives Hectare A measurement of area equal to 10,000 m2 or 2.471 acres Hibernate To spend the winter or another cold period in a resting state, a little like a deep sleep Ichthyosaur A type of prehistoric marine reptile that resembled a modern dolphin Import To bring goods or services into a country Independence The act of becoming free from the control of another person or country A country that becomes independent is ruled by its own government Indigenous people People who lived in an area before any settlers arrived Internet A global network of computers that allows them to communicate and send information Laser A device that emits a narrow, concentrated beam of singlecolour light Latitude How far north or south of the equator something is Lava Hot, molten rock from deep within the Earth that erupts onto the surface from a volcano or other vent Light year The distance travelled by light through empty space in a year, approximately 9.5 trillion km (5.9 trillion miles) Locomotive A vehicle, propelled by steam, electric, or diesel engines, usually used to pull carriages or wagons on a railway line 185 Magnitude The size or extent of something Mammal A type of animal that is warm-blooded with a backbone Mammals produce milk to feed their young Mass The amount of matter an object contains Mecca A city in Saudi Arabia considered the holiest city in Islam, where Muslims make the annual Hajj pilgrimage to Megabytes (MB) A measure of computer memory or capacity equal to one million bytes (a standard unit of memory) Melting point The temperature at which a solid can melt and become a liquid Migration A long-distance, often seasonal, trip made by a creature to find food or to reach breeding grounds 186 Milligram A unit of weight that is one thousandth of a gram Nanometre A measurement of length equal to one billionth of a metre Mineral A solid substance that occurs naturally in the Earth, such as a single element or mixture of different elements Nerve A bundle of fibres formed from nerve cells that carry signals around the body Molecule A group of elements bonded together, such as water (made of the elements hydrogen and oxygen) Mollusc An animal with a soft body and often with a shell Molluscs include groups such as snails, octopuses, and clams Monolith A single block of stone, usually shaped into a pillar or monument Mosaic A picture or decorative design made of small coloured pieces of stone or tile Mummification The process of preserving a dead body to prevent it from decaying Network A connection between two or more computers that enables them to communicate with each other Newton (N) A measure of force equal to 0.225 pounds Orbit The path of one object around another more massive object Ore A rock that contains pure metals Organ A part of a body made up of many cells and responsible for a specific body function, such as the stomach Organism A living thing, such as an animal, plant, or fungus Pharaoh A ruler of ancient Egypt Photosynthesis The process by which plants make food from water and sunlight Phytoplankton Microscopic single-celled organisms that drift near the surface of the ocean and make food from sunlight Plesiosaur A type of prehistoric marine reptile that had four paddles, a short tail, and often a long neck Pollution Waste products that reach the air, water, or land, and can damage the environment or be harmful to the health of living things Prey A creature that is hunted and killed for food by another creature Prototype The first version or an example of an object or machine, often built to test out an invention or idea Protozoa A group of single-celled organisms bigger than bacteria They usually eat other microscopic organisms Pterosaur A prehistoric flying reptile Rainforest Dense forests of trees and other plants that receive high rainfall Recycling The process of converting waste materials into useful new materials and objects Renewable Referring to a resource that cannot be used up Renewable sources of energy include wind power and solar power Shell (military) A hollow case filled with explosives that is fired from weapons such as tanks and guns Shoal A large group of fish swimming together Siege A planned attack to capture a place by surrounding it and cutting off access to essential supplies Solar panel A device that converts energy from sunlight into electricity Solar system The planets, moons, dwarf planets, asteroids, dust, and other objects that orbit around our Sun Retina A layer of lightsensitive cells found at the back of the eye Soviet Something created or owned by the Soviet Union – a group of Russian-led countries in Eastern Europe that existed until 1991 Scavenger An animal that feeds on the bodies of other animals after they have been killed Spacewalk Any activity taken outside a spacecraft by an astronaut, usually to repair or maintain equipment Species A set of living things grouped together due to their similarity and their ability to breed with each other Sultan Usually, the Islamic governor of a place Supernova The destructive and explosive ending of a large star, which scatters its matter through space Synthetic A material or substance that is made by people and does not occur in nature Tadpole A young frog or toad before it is fully developed Thrust The force that drives a powered aircraft or rocket forward, usually produced by an engine Translucent Something that lets some but not all light through Treaty A formal agreement between countries or international organizations, often to bring conflicts to an end Tsunami A huge wave caused by movements in the Earth’s crust, such as an earthquake UN Short for United Nations, this international organization is tasked with helping to keep peace and stability and to assist the most vulnerable around the world Venom A type of toxin that is secreted by creatures such as some snakes Tonne A measurement unit of weight equal to 1,000 kg (2,205 lb) Virus A package of chemicals capable of reproducing by infecting the cells of living things Toxin A poisonous substance produced by some creatures Volume The amount of space that a substance or object occupies 187 INDEX Page numbers in bold show the most information for the topic A Africa 92–93, 94 medieval kingdoms 142–143 natural features 36, 38, 42, 43 agave 55 aircraft 173, 176–177, 178–179, 183 airports 92, 177 Aldrin, Buzz 14 alphabets 101, 130 aluminium 29, 153 Amazon River 38 amphibians 66–67 Amundsen, Roald 45 anacondas 65 Andes Mountains 33 animals 78–79, 86–87 see also human body; mammals amphibians 66–67 birds 68–69, 126, 127 fish 41, 58–59, 60–61, 86, 127 insects, spiders, and bugs 52, 55, 56–57 microscopic life 52–53 pets 126–127 prehistoric 50–51 reptiles 62–63, 64–65, 127 animation films 114, 115 Antarctica 44–45, 92–93, 158, 182 ants 56, 57 apes 76 apps 181 arches 35, 167 Arctic region 44–45 Argentina 97 Argentinosaurus 50 armies 132–133, 135, 148–149 armour 146, 149 Armstrong, Neil 14 art 108–109 Asia 38, 43, 92–93, 140–141 188 asteroids 17 astronauts 14, 18–19, 22–23, 87 athletics 117 atmosphere 27, 153, 155 atoms 10, 13 augmented reality (AR) 181 auroras 155 Australasia 93 Australia 95, 103 166 culture 108, 117 natural wonders 34, 35 Austria 145 axolotl 67 aye-ayes 76 Azerbaijan 92 Aztecs 136–137 B bacteria 52, 53 badminton 117 Baháʼí Faith 104 ballet 113 bamboo 54, 74 Bancroft, Ann 44 Bangladesh 47, 98 Banksy 108 baseball 118 basketball 118 bats 37 battles 148–149 bears 74–75, 138 bees 57 beetles 57 Belize 102 Benin, kingdom of 143 Bhumibol Adulyadej, King of Thailand 145 bicycles 170, 171 Big Bang 10, 155 big cats 70–71 bikinis 147 bioluminescence 155 birds 68–69, 126, 127 Bjørgen, Marit 120 black bears 75 black holes 11 blizzards 46 blood 80, 81, 85 boats 172–173, 148 body fluids 81, 83, 86–87 Bolivia 34 bones 51, 80, 81, 83 books 122–123 brain 73, 84–85, 155 Brazil 39, 94, 114, 119 cities 96, 98 bricks 139, 167 bridges 35, 167, 168–169 Buddhism 103, 105 buffalos 78 bugs 56–57 Burundi 111 buses 170 butterflies 57 Byzantine Empire 145 C cacao beans 136 cacti 43 Caesar, Julius, Emperor of Rome 132 Cambodia 105, 167 camels 42–43, 123, 142 Canada 95, 102 natural features 34, 36, 46 Canary Islands 100 canoes 172 can opener 164–165 canyons 16, 34 capital cities 96–97 carbon 153, 163 carbon dioxide 40 cars 170, 171, 180, 183 castles 138–139, 149 caterpillars 56, 87 cats pet 126, 127, 154 wild 51, 70–71 caves 29, 35, 139 paintings 108, 109 ceremonial masks 136–137 chameleons 62 Chan, Jackie 115 chariots 131, 132, 148, 170 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory 115 cheetahs 70, 71 Chile 33, 47, 94 chimpanzees 76 China 94, 97, 98, 101 culture 109, 112, 115 history 134–135, 148 natural features 30, 35, 38, 43 space programmes 21, 23 structures 107, 166, 168 Christianity 104, 105 cinemas 114–115 cities 90, 96–97 clay 163 climate 46–47 clocks 165 coelacanth 58 Coelophysis 51 cold (energy) 158–159 colds (viruses) 53 Colosseum, Rome 132–133, 167 computers 180–181 Congo, the Democratic Republic of the 33, 97 Congo, the Republic of the, 97 constellations 12 constructions 166–167 continents 92–93, 94 cookbooks 125 copper 152 coral reefs 40–41 cougars 71 countries 94–95, 96 cows 86, 87 craters 14, 15 cricket 118 crocodiles 63 croquet 117 cruise ships 172 curling 118 cyanobacteria 52 cyclones 46 Czech Republic 139, 149 D dams 34 dance 112–113 darts 116 Da Vinci, Leonardo 109, 122 Delhi, India 98 Denmark 102, 168 deserts 42–43 diamonds 28, 29 digestion 81 digital devices 180–181 dinosaurs 42, 50–51 diseases 53, 137 DNA 81 dogs 45, 115, 126–127, 132 dragonflies 56 Drake 110 dresses 146–147 Dr Seuss 122 drums 110–111 Dubai, UAE 166 E ears 83, 154 Earth 16, 17, 26–27 earthquakes 32–33 echoes 155 E coli 53 Ecuador 94 Edison, Thomas 164, 165 eels 58 eggs 42, 58, 59, 67, 142 Egypt 98, 166–167 ancient 130–131, 145, 146 Elasmosaurus 51 electricity 156, 160–161, 175 elements 26, 152–153 elephants 78–79, 87, 149 emperors 133, 134, 135, 143, 149 encyclopedias 135, 140 energy 154, 156–157, 159, 161 English language 100, 101 equator 26 Europe 21, 91, 92–93 Everest, Mount 30–31 e-waste 180 exoplanets 11 explorers 41, 45, 173 eyes 82 Eyjafjallajökull, Iceland 33 F fabric 147, 163 falcons 68 farmers 130 fashion 146–147 feathers 68, 69, 127 fencing 116–117 ferries 172 films 114–115 Finland 120 fireworks 158 fish 41, 58–59, 60–61, 86, 127 flags 102–103 fleas 53 flies 52, 56 flowering plants 54–55 flutes 111 Flying Scotsman 175 fog 46 food 54, 124–125 football 118, 119 Forbidden City, China 135 forces 156–157 forests 26, 36–37 Formula One 116 fortresses 138–139 fossil fuels 156 fossils 50, 51 France 96, 100, 109, 166 bridges 168–169 history 144–145, 146, 148, 149 friction 157 frogs 66, 67, 159 fruit 124–125 fulgurite 28 fungi 53, 125 G Gagarin, Yuri 18 galaxies 10, 11 gallium 152 “Gangnam Style”, Psy 111 gelato 125 gemstones 28–29 Georgia 92 Germany 139, 149 culture 111, 112, 115, 120 geysers 34 Ghana 109 Ghandi (film) 114 gharials 62 Giant’s Causeway, Northern Ireland 28 gibbons 77 giraffes 78, 87 glass 162 gold 142, 143, 153 goldfish 127 gorillas 77 granite 29, 167 gravity 157 Great Barrier Reef 41, 59 Great Pyramid of Giza 131, 166–167 Great Wall of China 134–135 Greece, ancient 113 grizzly bears 74, 75 gunpowder 135 gymnastics 116, 117 H–I hailstones 47 hair 83 Haiti 103 hamsters 127 harps 111 Harry Potter series 123, 138 heart 72, 81 heat (energy) 158–159 helicopters 176 hieroglyphics 130 Himalayan Mountains 30 Hindenburg 176 Hinduism 104, 105 hippopotamuses 78 hockey 118, 119 Hokusai, Katsushika 108–109 Hong Kong 90–91, 113, 115, 168 horses 170 hot-air balloons 165, 176 hovercraft 173 human body 80–81, 153, 158 body functions 86–87 brain 84–85 senses 82–83 humanoid robots 182, 183 hurricanes 46, 47 hydrogen 13 ice 158 ice cream (gelato) 125 ice hockey 118, 119 Iceland 33, 97 Incas 136–137, 139 India 46, 95, 105, 114 cities 97, 98 history 139, 148, 149 structures 106–107, 167 Indigenous peoples 91, 108, 137 Indonesia 33, 95, 97 insects 52, 55, 56–57 International Space Station (ISS) 22 Internet 181 inventions 164–165 Iran 46, 104, 167 history 141, 147, 148 iron 17, 152, 167 Islam 104, 105, 140–141 Italy 96, 120, 146, 166 see also Rome, ancient art 108, 109 J–K jaguars 70 Jainism 104 Japan 96, 98–99, 104 culture 108–109, 119 history 139, 147 structures 107, 168 jeans 146, 147 jellyfish 59 Joan of Arc 148 Johann II, Prince 145 joules 156, 157 Judaism 104, 105 Jupiter 16, 17 K2 30 Kangchenjunga, Mount 30 Kazakhstan 92 kidneys 81 kilts 147 kimonos 147 kings 130, 142–143, 145 Korea, South 111, 115, 139, 168 Krakatoa, Indonesia 33 Kusama, Yayoi 108 L lacrosse 119 lakes 44 languages 100–101 lava 32, 33 leaves 37, 54 189 lemurs 76 leopards 70, 71 libraries 123, 143 lice 52 Liechtenstein 95, 103, 145 life expectancies 90 light bulbs 164 lightning 46, 47, 154–155, 160 limestone 28, 29 limousines 170 lionfish 58 Lion King, The 113 lions 70, 71 literature 122–123 liver 81 lizards 63 logging 36 Louis XIV, King of France 144–145 lungfish 58 lungs 80, 81 M Machu Picchu, Peru 137 Maldives 94 Mali Empire 142 Malta 94 mammals 72–73, 74–75, 78–79 see also human body big cats 70–71 primates 76–77 mammoths 50, 51, 176 marathons 22 Mars 16, 17, 26 materials 162–163 Mayan civilization 145 Mecca 105, 142, 143 Mercury 16, 17 Mexico 33, 35, 95, 98 Michelangelo 108 Mickey Mouse 114 microscopic life 52–53 migration 90, 91 milk 125 Milky Way 11, 13 Millau Viaduct, France 168–169 millipedes 57 minerals 28 minibeasts 56–57 mobile phones 180, 181 190 monarchs 142–143, 144–145 Mongolia 94, 148 monkeys 76, 77 Moon 14–15 mosques 140–141, 142 moths 57 motorcycles 171 mountains 30–31 movies 114–115 Mozart, Wolfgang 111 mummification 130 Musa I, Mansa of Mali 142 muscles 80, 81 music 110–111 Myanmar 107 N NASA 18, 19, 21, 22 natural wonders 34–35 nebulae 10, 11 neon 153 Nepal 30 Neptune 16, 17 nerves 83, 84, 85 netball 118 Netherlands 101, 109 neutron stars 13 newspapers 123 newtons 156 newts 67 New Zealand 34, 95, 97, 146 Nigeria 96, 100, 143 Nile River 38–39 nitrogen 153 non-renewable energy 156 Normans 148 North America 91, 92–93 North Pole 44–45 Norway 120 noses 77, 82, 83, 87 nuclear power 160, 161 O Oceania 92 oceans 40–41 O’Keeffe, Georgia 109 Olympic Games 103, 117, 120–121 operas 111, 112 orangutans 76, 77 orchestras 110 Oscars 114, 115 ostriches 68 Ottoman Empire 140, 141 owls 69 oxygen 40, 85, 153 P–Q Pacific Ocean 33, 41 pagodas 134 Pakistan 30, 116 pandas 74, 75 Pangaea 92 paper 122, 135 Papua New Guinea 101 Paraguay 103 Paralympic Games 117 penguins 44, 69 Periodic Table 152 Peru 139 pets 126–127 Phantom of the Opera 112 pharaohs 131 Phelps, Michael 120–121 Philippines 35 phones 180, 181 pianos 110 pirates 103 planets 16–17 Earth 16, 17, 26–27 Jupiter 16, 17 Mars 16, 17, 26 Mercury 16, 17 Neptune 16, 17 Saturn 16, 17 Uranus 16 Venus 17, 157, 158 plankton 52 plants 22, 43, 54–55 food 124–125 trees 36–37 plastic 162, 163, 182 Pluto 17 poetry 122, 123, 134 Poland 138, 139 polar bears 74, 75 Poles, North and South 44–45 pollen 54 Pompeii, Italy 32 poo 86–87 popcorn 159 populations 90–91, 92, 93 animal 53, 66 Aztecs and Incas 136, 137 China 94, 101, 135 India 97 Roman Empire 133 Portugal 96, 101 Potter, Beatrix 123 poverty 91 power stations 160, 161 prehistoric creatures 50–51, 61 primates 76–77 pulsars 13 Puyi, Emperor 134 pyramids 131, 166 pythons 64–65 Qin Shi Huang, Emperor 134, 135 queens 130, 142, 145 Quetzalcoatlus 50 Qur’an 140 R rabbits 127 railways 174–175 rain 46, 47 rainforests 36, 37 rats 42 rays 60–61 recycling 153, 162, 180 Red Arrows (Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team) 176–177 reefs 40–41 reforestation 36 refrigeration 165, 173 refugees 91 religions 104–105, 130, 133, 136 renewable energy 156 reptiles 62–63, 64–65, 127 rhinoceroses 78 rhinovirus 53 rice 124 Richter scale 32 rivers 35, 38–39 roads 132, 137 robots 182–183 rockets 20–21 rocks 28–29, 35 roller-coasters 156–157 Rome, ancient 132–133 rubber 162 rubies 29 rugby 119 Russia 36, 92, 95 space programmes 21, 23 sports 118, 120 structures 107, 168 S sabre-toothed cats 51 Safavid Empire 141 safety pins 164 salamanders 66, 67 saliva 81, 86 salt 34, 142 sand dunes 43 sandstone 34 sardines 59 satellites 19, 181 Saturn 16, 17 Saturn V rocket 20–21 Saudi Arabia 102, 105 saxophones 110 scooters 171 seahorses 58 seas 40–41 seasons 27 seaweed 41 seeds 37, 54, 55 senses 82–83 Shakespeare, William 112 Shanghai, China 98 sharks 60–61 Shelley, Mary 122 Shinto 104 ships 41, 134, 149, 172–173 shipwrecks 40 shoes 146, 147 Shonisaurus 51 Sikhism 104, 105 silent movies 114 silicon 153 silk 163 skateboarding 117 skating 117 skin 83 slow lorises 76 smartphones 180, 181 snakes 62, 63, 64–65 snooker 116 snot 86, 87 snow 158 social media 100 solar eclipses 15 solar power 161 solar system 11, 12 soldiers 132, 135, 147, 149 Songhai Kingdom 142 sound 154–155 South Africa 97, 118, 138 South America 92–93, 101 Aztecs and Incas 136–137 natural features 33, 38, 43 South Pacific 113 South Pole 14, 44–45 space exploration 18–19 space stations 22–23 spacesuits 18 spacewalks 22 Spain 105, 117 spectacled bears 74 spices 125 spiders 56–57 sports 116–117, 118–119 Spring Temple Buddha, China 107 squash 116 Sri Lanka 95 stars 10, 12–13 Star Wars 115 Statue of Unity, India 106–107 statues 106–107, 166, 167 steam engines 174, 175 steel 163 stick insects 56 stingrays 60–61 structures 166–167 submarines 45, 149, 172 Sudan, South 94 sultans 140, 141 Sun 12, 13, 26, 154, 158 sun bears 75 sunflowers 55 supercomputers 180, 181 supernova 12, 13 Sutong Bridge, China 168 Swan Lake 113 swans 69 Sweden 109 Switzerland 95, 103 Syria 97 T table tennis 116 tadpoles 67 tanks 149 Taoism 104 tardigrades 53 tarsiers 76 taste 82 tectonic plates 27, 32 teeth 95, 136, 152 animals 51, 60, 62, 76, 127 temperatures 158–159 temples 167 tennis 117 Tenochtitlan, Mexico 136 Terracotta Army 135 Thailand 96, 107, 145 theatre 112–113 thunder 47 tides 41 tigers 70, 71, 126 tin 164 Titanic 41, 173 toads 66 Tokyo, Japan 96, 98–99 tombs 130, 131, 134 tongue 82, 83 tornadoes 46 tortoises 62, 63, 126 towers 167 Toy Story 114 trains 171, 174–175 trampolines 165 trees 36–37 trenches 149 trucks 171 tsunamis 41 tuataras 62 tungsten 153 tunnels 174 Turkey 92, 105 turtles 62, 63 Tutankhamun, Pharaoh 130, 131 Tyrannosaurus rex 50, 51 U underground trains 174 uniforms 147 United Kingdom 97, 102, 167 culture 108, 112, 148, 149 history 138, 145, 147 sports 117, 118, 119 United States of America 95, 97, 139, 167 culture 104, 109, 112, 113 flags 102, 103 natural features 34, 35, 36, 38 space programmes 21, 23 sports 117, 118, 120–121 volcanoes and earthquakes 32, 33 weather 46, 47 Universe 10–11 Uranus 16 urine 81 V–Z vacuum cleaners 164 Van Gogh, Vincent 109 Vatican City 92, 94, 103 vegetables 110, 125 vehicles 170–171 aircraft 173, 176–177, 178–179, 183 boats and ships 172–173, 148 cars 170, 171, 180, 183 trains 171, 174–175 Venezuela 35 Venus 17, 158 Venus flytrap 55 Vesuvius, Mount 33 violins 110 virtual reality (VR) 181 viruses 53 volcanoes 17, 32–33, 44 volleyball 118 walruses 78 wars 148–149 water 27, 155, 159 waterfalls 34, 35 water lilies 54 water polo 119 wealth 91 weapons 116, 148, 149 weather 46–47 whales 72–73 wheels 164, 170–171 wigs 146 wind power 160, 161 Wizard of Oz 115 women 90, 95, 119 wool 163 woolly mammoths 50, 51 Yangtze River 38 Yoruba civilization 143 Zimbabwe 100, 142 191 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The publisher would like to thank the following people for their help in the making of this book: Elizabeth Wise for the index; Hazel Beynon for proofreading; Hazel Beynon, Michelle Crane, and Jenny Sich for additional editing; Sahrish Hadia for the authenticity review; Heather Wilcox for editing the US text; Steve Crozier for creative retouching; Simon Mumford for cartography and 3D design; Sarah Hopper for additional picture research; Giles Sparrow for checking the space chapter; John Farndon for checking the Earth chapter; Richard Dearden for checking the nature chapter; Philip Parker for checking the history chapter; Emily Wren and Rodger Bridgman for checking the science and technology chapter; and Flora Spens for additional fact-checking Picture Credits The publisher would like to thank the following for their kind permission to reproduce their photographs: (Key: a-above; b-below/bottom; c-centre; l-left; r-right; t-top) 123RF.com: mihtiander (c) NASA: (t) agefotostock: Morales (tl) Alamy Stock Photo: blickwinkel (cl) © The Trustees of the British Museum All rights reserved: (tr) Getty Images: Oli Scarff (cr) NASA: (astronaut); NASA, ESA and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI / AURA) (background) 10-11 NASA: NASA, ESA and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI / AURA) 12-13 Getty Images / iStock: bjdlzx 14-15 NASA: Gene Cernan 16-17 NASA: Enhanced image by Kevin M Gill (CC-BY) based on images provided courtesy of NASA / JPL-Caltech / SwRI / MSSS 18-19 NASA 20-21 NASA 22-23 NASA 25 123RF.com: mihtiander (tree) James Smart: (background) 26-27 NASA 28-29 Getty Images: Daniel Bosma 30-31 Getty Images / iStock: livetalent 32-33 Getty Images: Jim Sugar 34-35 Minden Pictures: Jeff Foott 36-37 Getty Images: Mint Images / Art Wolfe 38-39 Getty Images / iStock: alexandrumagurean 40-41 Dreamstime com: Frhojdysz 42-43 Getty Images: 192 Anna Serdyuk 44-45 Dreamstime.com: Darryn Schneider 46-47 James Smart 49 agefotostock: Morales (monkey) Getty Images: Manoj Shah (background) 50-51 Dorling Kindersley: Gary Ombler / Senckenberg Gesellschaft Fuer Naturforschung Museum 52-53 Science Photo Library: Steve Gschmeissner 54-55 Dreamstime.com: Marcouliana 56-57 Dreamstime.com: Neal Cooper 58-59, 60-61 Getty Images: by wildestanimal 62-63 Getty Images: kuritafsheen 64-65 Getty Images: Joe McDonald 66-67 iStock: Adrian Coleman 68-69 Minden Pictures: Thomas Marent 70-71 iStock: Ondrej Prosicky 72-73 Alamy Stock Photo: Maria Hoffman 74-75 Getty Images: Sergei gladyshev 76-77 agefotostock: Morales 78-79 Getty Images: Manoj Shah 80-81 iStock: master1305 82-83 Getty Images: Penelope Grasshoff / EyeEm; Wera Rodsawang (background) 86-87 Alamy Stock Photo: Papilio 89 Alamy Stock Photo: blickwinkel (dancer) Getty Images: Dhwee (background) 90-91 Alamy Stock Photo: Gavin Hellier 96-97 Getty Images: Dhwee 98-99 iStock: TommL 100-101 Getty Images: TorriPhoto (background) David Svensson: Home of the World / Världens hem, 2016 / © David Svensson / © DACS 2021 102-103 iStock: wind-moon 104-105 iStock: Nick-Ferreira 106-107 Shutterstock.com: Kunal Mahto 108-109 Getty Images: Heritage Art / Heritage Images 110-111 Alamy Stock Photo: blickwinkel 112-113 Alamy Stock Photo: Xinhua 114-115 iStock: danr13 116-117 iStock: Ryan McVay 120-121 Getty Images: Francois-Xavier Marit / AFP 122-123 Alamy Stock Photo: Per Grunditz 124-125 Shutterstock.com: Photoongraphy 126-127 Alamy Stock Photo: ZUMA Press 129 © The Trustees of the British Museum All rights reserved: (mask) Getty Images: Mint Images (background) 130-131 Getty Images: Mint Images (background) 131 Getty Images: Universal History Archive / Universal Images Group 132-133 Getty Images: Andi Fink / 500px 134-135 Dreamstime.com: Sofiaworld 136-137 © The Trustees of the British Museum All rights reserved 138-139 Dreamstime.com: Sean Pavone 140-141 AWL Images: Jane Sweeney 144-145 Getty Images: Universal History Archive / Universal Images Group 147 Bridgeman Images: Norwich Castle Museum & Art Gallery 148-149 Alamy Stock Photo: funkyfood London - Paul Williams 151 iStock: Aleksandra Malysheva (background) Getty Images: Oli Scarff (robotic arm) 152-153 Dorling Kindersley: Ruth Jenkinson / RGB Research Limited iStock: natthanim (background) 154-155 AWL Images: ClickAlps 156-157 iStock: travelview 158-159 Alamy Stock Photo: robertharding 160-161 Getty Images: Beau Van Der Graaf / EyeEm 162-163 iStock: hakinci 164-165 Alamy Stock Photo: ACORN 166-167 Dreamstime.com: Sergii Kolesnyk 168-169 Alamy Stock Photo: imageBROKER 170-171 iStock: maiakphotography 172-173 Getty Images: Philippe Petit / Paris Match 174-175 Getty Images: Scott T Smith 176-177 Alamy Stock Photo: Sean Bolton 178-179 NASA 180-181 iStock: Aleksandra Malysheva (background) Shutterstock.com: UfaBizPhoto 182-183 Getty Images: Oli Scarff Cover images: Front: 123RF.com: bolina tr; © The Trustees of the British Museum All rights reserved: br; Dreamstime.com: Chernetskiy tl; Shutterstock.com: Dirk Ercken bl; Back: 123RF.com: leonello calvetti tc; Alamy Stock Photo: ZUMA Press bl; Dreamstime.com: Valentyn75 br; Spine: Shutterstock.com: Dirk Ercken All other images © Dorling Kindersley For further information see: www.dkimages.com ... TORNADOES in the US 77 of them occurred on A record MM (12 in) of rain fell in 60 MINUTES 27 MAY in Missouri, US, in 1947 times by LIGHTNING between 1942 and 1977 So fm 11,871 MM (467 in) of RAIN falls... more than 120 unique fish species, including the predatory kaluga Oceans and SEAS Oceans absorb around 30% Containing a staggering 97 per cent of all the world? ??s water, the oceans form an interconnected... GOING TO PRESS A WORLD OF NUMBERS It’s impossible to imagine our lives without numbers The first counting systems were invented thousands of years ago, and today we use many different types of