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Horrible Science

اختراعات شیطانی

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"Horrible Science" is getting a make-over! Readers will discover why someone invented the bottom-stabbing bike saddle and why you would need a toilet snorkel. With a fantastic new cover look and extra horrible bits at the back of the book, this best-selling title is sure to be a huge hit with a new generation of "Horrible Science" readers.

172 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

49 people are currently reading
278 people want to read

About the author

Nick Arnold

278 books143 followers
Nick Arnold is the author of the award winning series, Horrible Science and Wild Lives. Arnold's first published works appeared as a result of a project he was working on at the University of North London, when he was trying to teach young children. A positive review was written about him, and he started to write the "Horrible Science" books. His books are illustrated by Tony De Saulles.

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5 stars
179 (48%)
4 stars
107 (29%)
3 stars
62 (16%)
2 stars
14 (3%)
1 star
4 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
Profile Image for Jennifer (JC-S).
3,539 reviews285 followers
May 17, 2008
I really enjoyed this little book. It is primarily aimed at 7 to 12 year olds and, I am sure, would appeal immensely to many of them. And not just to children. There is a wonderful blend of the serendipity of scientific discovery, the shock value of some inventions, and some intriguing facts.

Consider, for example, the following narrative about the use of gears: ’What they do: Gears come in many sizes but they all pass on movement energy using their teeth. Where else found: Inventions such as car gears, clocks, corkscrews and tin openers – anywhere where a force needs to move a wheel. Oddly enough, modern tin openers weren’t invented until 1920 – that’s over one hundred years after tinned food. Before then people had to open tins with a hammer, and US Civil War soldiers shot them open with guns.’

My son, at the relevant age, would have loved this book. The cartoon drawings that accompany the text are both fun and informative.
36 reviews1 follower
December 11, 2014
Horrible Science books are always fun and full of humour! However, you learn a lot about Evil Inventions in this world! You will not regret reading this book!
1,698 reviews54 followers
January 16, 2016
3.5*

I quite liked it as a child as I was already interested in science. Not as well-written as Horrible Histories.
Profile Image for Petra | LooneyCZ.
413 reviews21 followers
April 27, 2023
Knihy z edice Děsivé dějiny jsem jako dítě měla moc ráda. Rozhodla jsem se tedy přenést tuto zkušenost i na Juniora a půjčila mu tyhle děsivé, praštěné vynálezy. V necelých osmi letech je ale na tuhle knihu asi ještě brzy, tak jsem si ji přečetla sama. A pořád je to dobré, vtipné a poučné (nenásilnou formou). Akorát já už holt nejsem cílovka, a tak byly pro mě některé pasáže takové příliš jednoduché a zjednodušené. Pro děti je to ovšem ideální. Jediné, co bych této konkrétní knížce vytkla, je široký rozsah, který bere velké množství vynálezů "letem světem", což působí trochu neuspořádaně. Až Junior povyroste, zkusím mu něco z Děsivých edic doporučit.
8 reviews
June 13, 2017
Evil Inventions

A truly shocking book explaining all the inventions of the past.

In my opinion the best bets are when they show you the stupid (but sometimes gory) inventions of the past! My least favourite parts are when they focus on a particular machine (and make really, really, really bad jokes!)

The main characters are:
Professor Z: an unreal inventor
Nasty Nora: an unreal inventor
Narrator: a very funny narrator (hence the name)

I would recommend this book to people who like history, inventions and humour (a lot of humour come to it!)
Profile Image for Calder Declan.
4 reviews
September 24, 2020
This is just a really funny book about the most peculiar, evil and overall gut wrenching inventions of the world. I was fascinated to learn that the first submarine was invented in the medieval era and it was propelled by oars and made of wood only god knows and wants to know what they used to breathe 🤢. But this book is very funny and quite enjoyable I highly recommend it.

Also at the bottom ignore the date started and date finished, I actually don’t know when I started or when I finished, sorry for the disappointment.
Profile Image for Nihal.
198 reviews
February 12, 2021
I had always wanted to be an inventor. I never knew that Nick Arnold had written a book on inventions also.
This book is fun to read. There are many new inventions and inventors in this book which I never knew about. It is also an easy-to-understand book. Suitable for all ages due to Tommy de Saulles' hilarious illustration, I highly recommend this book.
Profile Image for Mohammad Hosein.
134 reviews20 followers
December 29, 2018
هو الحبیب
یادش بخیر...
یک دوره نوجونیم رو با سری علوم ترسناک گذروندم... آزمایش هاش و سوال های ترسنا‌ک از معلم(؟) ها رو چقدر پیگیر بودم :)
این جلدش خیلی جالب و خوب بود... اگه میخواید به ی نوجون کتاب بدید و جذبش کنه، قطعا یکی از بهترین گزینه هاست
Profile Image for George Foord.
412 reviews4 followers
November 25, 2021
I liked the other horrible science books but not this one. Was to much like horrible histories but worse.
Profile Image for Diana.
309 reviews80 followers
December 29, 2011
Макар да е писана за деца, тази книжка е една чудесна малка техническа енциклопедия за всички възрасти, на достъпен език и със забавни илюстрации. С много хумор (и чести предупреждения "Не правете това у дома си!") Ник Арнолд разказва за успешни и забравени, полезни и безполезни, странни, смешни и зловещи открития и изобретения; за причините, упоритата работа или случайността, довели до тях и за хората, посветили им времето и живота си. Някои факти и подробности, интересни или забавни, срещах за първи път. Учуди ме и потресаващото количество глупости, измислени в последните две-три десетилетия.
Profile Image for Rainier.
152 reviews
September 20, 2013
This book is evilly full of inventions. From the dumb earth blaster ray, or a stupendously funny so you can have your chickens see farther with chicken spectacles invention. Or the porta-pet pooch potty so you can have your dog pee in your house, in a little rubber bowl. My favorite invention was, well, the one from the last period (dog one).

I would recommend this book to inventors...anybody.
20 reviews
March 24, 2011
This book doesn't only show the inventions that succeded but also shows the ones that failed. It shows who some people died trying to make the inventions. It's a gory story, but pretty intresting
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews

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