SamJamsatinaschoollibraryandchallengedtheschoolcommunitytoaskhimabouttheoriginofanythingatall―andpledgedtouselibraryresourcestoanswerwithin60minutes.Childrenandadultsdeliveredclever,funny,unexpectedquestions:Whoownedthefirstpetdog?Whoinventedtoilets?Whatwasthefirstsong?Werethefirstnewspapersreallymadeofrock?Andwhowasthefirsthuman,anyway?
Seekinganswers,heandhisyoungassistantsdiscoveredremarkabletruetales:
Thetamerofwolves
Thetapemeasurethatreachedthemoon
Thefirstinstantmessage
Themanwhotookapictureofasound
Thefirstnewspaper―whichactuallyWASmadeofrock!
Anddozensmoreremarkabletruestories.
Theresultisafunstorycollectionabouttheoriginsofahugerangeofthings―whichalsointroducesyoungreaderstotheartandscienceofacademicresearch.Inthesetimesoffakenews,informationoverload,andtoomuchhomework,theabilitytoconductfast,accurateresearchisoneofthebestskillsanystudentcanhave―andyoucanlearnitinthesepages.
