By David Macaulay

Did you ever know that the principle behind the zipper also governed the building of the pyramids? Did you know that the dentist's drill is a direct descendant of the first windmill? Did you realize that for a computer to carry out complex tasks it first has to convert information into simple numerical codes?

These are some of the fascinating connections made by David Macaulay in this brilliant, original, yet highly accessible guide to the workings of machines. Employing all the skills of imagination and draftsmanship that have brought him a prize-winning international reputation, David Macaulay has created, and now updated, an outstanding book for anyone who wants to understand how things work and would like to be stimulated and entertained in the process.

David Macaulay not only demonstrates how machines do what they do - from the simplest lever to the far-reaching capabilities of the Internet - he also shows how the concept behind one invention is linked to the concept behind another. Using the humorous analogy of a wooly mammoth to illustrate principles, he offers even the least technically-minded reader a window of understanding into the complexities of today's technology.