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Sean Michael Ragan

This comprehensive guide from the editors of Popular Science covers everything a new inventor needs to know from starting out to running a start-up.
 
 Contrary to popular opinion, you don’t have to be an ace electrician or a coding prodigy to develop your own game-changing invention. All you need is curiosity, a desire to fix a common problem, and the determination to see your ideas become reality. And it won’t hurt to have this book handy—a volume full of vital tips, skills, and strategies that will take you from zero to inventor.
 
 Everyone knows about Bill Gates or Steve Jobs, but in TheTotal Inventor’s Manual, you’ll also learn from the examples of those intrepid inventors who gave us the first home pregnancy test, the Super Soaker, the Roomba, the digital camera, and many other products that have changed the world.
 
 Here you will learn to turn your vision into a reality with a crash course in ideation, prototyping, and testing—including lessons in 3D-printing, coding, robotics, and more. You’ll discover funding strategies that range from running a Kickstarter campaign to making a venture capital pitch, plus tips on manufacturing, supply chains, marketing, and running—or selling—your new company!

Weldon Owen

Popular Science

The Total Inventor's Manual: Transform Your Idea into a Top-Selling Product

The Editors of Popular Science

Even experts get duped from time to time! The stories behind scientific fakes and mistakes, from crop circles to miracle cures and beyond.
 
 Science is an ongoing quest for knowledge filled with discoveries and experiments, trial and error. And occasionally, the errors can be whoppers—especially when hoaxers are involved. Some hoaxes are intended merely as well-intended humorous tricks, while others are serious frauds devised for personal gain of glory and riches. This book reveals the greatest science hoaxes and mistakes of all time.
 
 Discover the truth behind 100 of the most scandalous scientific errors and outright lies in this fascinating read brought to you by Popular Science—from the experiment that suggested time travel was possible, to the pursuit of alchemy, to rumors about red mercury and its mythical powers, it’s an entertaining journey through the history of science.

100 Hoaxes & Mistakes That Fooled Science

From safety pins to steam engines to cell phones, the stories behind innovations that have transformed everyday lives.
 
 We take thousands of inventions for granted, using them daily and enjoying their benefits. But how much do we really know about their origins and development? This absorbing new book tells the stories behind the inventions that have changed the world, with details about:
 
Convenience items, such as safety pins, toothbrushes, and bifocals
 
Weapons of war, including explosives, gunpowder, and shrapnel shells
 
Industrial advances, such as the steam engine and the power loom for weaving
 
Transportation advances, including the airplane, the diesel engine, the automobile, and the air-inflated rubber tire
 
Electronic marvels, including color television, the microprocessor, the personal computer, the compact disc, and the cell phone
 
Medical advances, from antiseptic surgery to the electron microscope...and much more
 
 You’ll also learn more about many inventors and pioneers of science and technology—including Eli Whitney, James Watt, Benjamin Franklin, Henry Bessemer, Thomas Edison, J.B. Dunlop, the Wright Brothers, Werner von Braun, Jonas Salk, J. Robert Oppenheimer, and others.

100 Inventions That Changed the World

Answers on subjects from dark matter to disappearing bees, from the magazine that’s been enlightening and entertaining Americans for nearly 150 years.
 
 What happened to the Neanderthals? When is the next Ice Age due? Why do we hiccup? From end-of-the-world scenarios to what goes on within our own brains and bodies, the experts at Popular Science magazine uncover the secrets of the universe and answer 100 of science’s most mysterious questions.
 
 With sections on Physical Matter and Forces, Space, Human Body, Earth, Other Life-Forms, and Human Triumphs and Troubles, 100 Mysteries of Science Explained takes you into the fascinating world of black holes, time travel, DNA, earthquakes, and much more.

100 Mysteries of Science Explained

Ingenious (and hilarious) projects that aspiring makers will love, brought to you by the tinkerers at Popular Science magazine.
 
 From useful, doable gadgets to outlandish contraptions that you’d likely be wise to avoid, this showcase of ingenuity is an entertaining tribute to the inventive spirit. In this book from the science and technology magazine that’s been inspiring everyday people for nearly 150 years, you’ll discover:
 
Geek Toys: Be the life of any party with rad gaming hacks, amazing pyrotechnics, quirky DIY robots, wow-inducing projectiles, and lots of ways to make beer even better.
 
Home Improvements: Pimp out your pad with a laser-security system, an improvised sous-vide cooker, and a life-sized cardboard display of anyone you want.
 
Gadget Upgrades: Want to stash a flash drive in an old cassette? Use a DIY stylus on a touchscreen? Improvise a fisheye lens for your camera? With this book, you can.
 
Things That Go: Give your motorbike a Tron vibe, deck out your car with an action-figure hood ornament, and keep gadgets charged on the go with a solar-powered backpack.

 …and much more!