Cowboys' spirited companions, solid fieldworkers, the elegant mounts of riding clubs... all horses have a common ancestor: the Hippopotamus Horses are gregarious animals. They need their own ilk to feel safe and play. They don't have "paws" or "maws" or "snouts", but "mouths" and "noses" and "feet". They whinny, and speak, a lot with their ears as it happens: pointed front they're concentrating; folded back watch out they're mad...

In hibernation marmots have a very particular type of sleep. Their heart beats slowly and their body temperature drops to 8 degrees. The hedgehog can survive more than an hour without breathing ... During summer, animals prepare by eating a lot to make their reserves and in building their refuge. Do bears hibernate as well? Not at all! They often wake up, go out from time to time and give birth to her cubs. They are winter animals.

Droppings come in all shapes and sizes and tell us a lot about how animals live. Only through observing a cowpat we know what it has eaten, whether it is in good health, etc. This excellent science book shows us that there is nothing disgusting about droppings!

Did you know that mushrooms are not plants ? no more than animals! They belong to a world called "Fungi". Microscopic or as big as a soccer ball, whith many colors and various shapes, mushrooms are everywhere! But do we really know them?  For example, did you know that the foot and the hat are the genital parts of the mushroom? Most of their body, the mycelium, is underground and can extend for miles! To feed and grow, they must go for their food (fruits, wood, dead leaves ...) like animals! Discover the amazing rule of the fungi !

Near the surface, there are large nurseries. Hidden under the sand, there are crustaceans, shells and at shes...
In the open sea, there are schools of sardine ready to face predators ! Strange creatures live in deeper waters...

Frames, cloches! Seeds need protection... After winter, a good downpour of rain and some sunshine, little shoots break through the soil... This is the beginning of the life cycle of flowering plants. A note for the layman at the end of the book provides further scientific detail.

Dinosaurs were long thought to be clumsy, lumbering monsters. We thought their tails dragged on the ground and they were covered with scales... We now know that they came in all sizes, were very alert, highly active, and that their tails were raised for balance when they ran. What's more, they had feathers!
An indispensable work to bring our knowledge of dinosaurs up to date!

With six legs and antennae like flies and ants... But above all: two beautiful pairs of wings. Butterflies are insects. Their first life, in the form of a caterpillar, lasts a few weeks. Some sting, some are hairy and some look scary. They are constantly snacking since they have to change their skin 4 or 5 times, before metamorphosing into butterflies...

Humans have been on the move for a long time. Over ages, people have discovered new territories, and have striven to go further and further, faster and faster. The invention of the wheel was a real revolution! Now, distances shrink, heavy loads are carried more easily, trade become easier…

Earth is the only planet that has earthquakes! There's a simple reason: it is the only planet with a fragmented crust that slowly travels on a layer of more-viscous material. When the tectonic plates rub against each other, they create pressures that get released little by little. This can result in minor shocks that no-one feels, or major earthquakes as if Godzilla were stomping through. So what can we do? Learn the simple things to do, put together an "earthquake kit" and keep an eye out for the next "big one".

Knowing the weather is of utmost important, that's why meteorologists track atmospheric air movements, the altitude and shape of clouds, winds, and violent phenomena (tornadoes, typhoons, hurricanes...).