Over its 2,700-year history, the Maya became one of the most complex and dominant indigenous civilizations in pre-Columbian America. They became masters in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics or STEM, as evident through the archaeological remains that still excite and intrigue people today. The Maya built massive civilizations with temples, palaces, extensive highway networks, and some of the largest pyramids in the world. This splendid book explores all these innovations and more, explaining how, why, and when the Mayan empire's greatest minds came up with unique STEM solutions to everyday problems.

Mostly known today for its complex pantheon and religious rituals, the Aztec empire was also highly advanced in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math or STEM. With the capital city of the empire built in the middle of a lake, the geographical, political, and economic needs of the Aztecs drove innovation for centuries. Massive construction projects, including ziggurats, causeways, and aqueducts demonstrated that the Aztecs had ambitious goals as well as the STEM knowledge to achieve them. Though much of its history was destroyed, the accomplishments of the Aztecs are an impressive reminder of history's ingenuity.

At the dawn of Europe's Scientific Revolution, China was a major world power. With million-person cities, vast navies, and a robust trade in luxury goods, China was a country of marvels. The "Central Kingdom" was also a country of invention. This fascinating resource explores the science and technology behind China's rise to power: the incredible scope, the unique traditions that supported it, and the reasons for the eventual decline of the dynastic era. Readers will learn of agricultural innovations, massive building projects, elaborate machines, and countless inventions that changed the way the world ate, drank, read, waged war, and traveled.

Britannica Concise Encyclopedia is the perfect resource for information on the people, places, and events of yesterday and today. Students, teachers, and librarians can find fast facts combined with the quality and accuracy that have made Britannica the brand to trust. A tool for both the classroom and the library, no other desk reference can compare.

Develop deeper cultural intelligence to thrive in a globalized world. Cultural DNA is a thought provoking book for successful engagement with cultures around the world. Written by Gurnek Bains, founder and chairman of a global business psychology consultancy, this book guides leaders through the essential soft skills required to get under the skin and engage an increasingly connected world. Presenting ground breaking original research and the latest evidence from neuroscience, behavioral genetics, and psychology, the deepest instincts of eight key global cultures are dissected. Readers will understand the psychological themes at play in regions such as the U.S., Latin America, Europe, China, India, the Middle East, Sub-Saharan Africa and Australia. Additionally, an extensive database of 30,000 leaders provides insights to inform the reader. The book addresses questions such as: What are the challenges for leaders from different regions as they move into onto the global stage? Why are Americans so positive? Why is China a world leader in manufacturing and India in IT? Why do overseas firms struggle in the U.S. market place? What are the emotional forces driving current events in the Middle East? Each culture has attributes that developed over thousands of years to address unique environmental challenges. This DNA drumbeat from the past reverberates through each society affecting everything. As globalization marches on we can also learn important lessons from the world’s distinct societies. Globalization demands that cultures learn to work within each other's needs and expectations, and the right mix of people skills, business acumen, and cultural awareness is key. Business and Political leaders will understand how each regions’ cultural DNA influences: Its economic and political institutions. People’s underlying consumer psychology. The soft skills needed to lead in that environment. How to best release people’s potential. The issues that need to be managed to anticipate and solve problems before they arise Every now and again a new book comes along, that is a must read: Malcolm Gladwell’s Tipping Point or a Seth Godin’s Tribes. Cultural DNA by Gurnek Bains, by virtue of its depth, originality and ambition, is that very book for all global leaders.

A chronological survey of Mayan literature, covering two thousand years, from the earliest hieroglyphic inscriptions to later works using the Roman alphabet.

Responding to the surging interest among students for information on topics relating to magic, witchcraft, the supernatural and other mysterious phenomena, Gale presents this in-depth, comprehensive 3-vol. set. Information is arranged in an objective manner, presenting varying viewpoints when appropriate, and is written at a level that younger students and researchers can understand. Chapters offer a thorough look at the history of each topic and cover the people and practices, as well as popular literature, television programs and movies, related to the subject. Other features include: Approximately 300 photos and illustrations "Making the Connection," a detailed glossary "Delving Deeper," a helpful further readings section Cumulative index Sidebars highlighting unusual facts, features, and people, as well as related books, films, Web sites, and other sources of relevant information

The brothers who invented the first successful aircraft were not Orville and Wilbur. They were preceded by the Montgolfier brothers 120 years earlier in a type of aircraft still in wide use today. 150 years before them, the Celebi brothers made the first survivable rocket and intercontinental flights. With the goal of providing an interesting learning experience, the book’s focus is not just on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math). Also included is analysis of Cause & Effect and a lot of surprising history. So it is not just about HOW things work, it is also about WHY they happened that way, and the consequences. Roughly every 500 years new technology completely disrupts society, changing borders, laws, and the way people live and work. It happened again with the emergence of the Digital Age. Because aviation involves many fields of science, it is a particularly interesting way to show how STEM is a continuum of mutually supporting elements. Applications of chemistry, physics, astronomy, navigation, programming, and paradigm paralysis are presented in a hands-on understandable way.

A wide-ranging study that draws on local and regional research findings to provide a popular portrait of the biodiverse and resilient Chiquibul. Belize’s Chiquibul Forest is one of the largest remaining expanses of tropical moist forest in Central America. It forms part of what is popularly known as the Maya Forest. Battered by hurricanes over millions of years, occupied by the Maya for thousands of years, and logged for hundreds of years, this ecosystem has demonstrated its remarkable ecological resilience through its continued existence into the twenty-first century. Despite its history of disturbance, or maybe in part because of it, the Maya Forest is ranked as an important regional biodiversity hot spot and provides some of the last regional habitats for endangered species such as the jaguar, the scarlet macaw, Baird’s tapir, and Morelet’s crocodile. A Natural History of Belize presents for the first time a detailed portrait of the habitats, biodiversity, and ecology of the Maya Forest, and Belize more broadly, in a format accessible to a popular audience. It is based in part on the research findings of scientists studying at Las Cuevas Research Station in the Chiquibul Forest. The book is unique in demystifying many of the big scientific debates related to rainforests. These include “Why are tropical forests so diverse?”; “How do flora and fauna evolve?”; and “How do species interact?” By focusing on the ecotourism paradise of Belize, this book illustrates how science has solved some of the riddles that once perplexed the likes of Charles Darwin, and also shows how it can assist us in managing our planet and forest resources wisely in the future.