"Striking in conception and format. . . . Issues may be used by teachers for added reading, and there's enough in each one to delight any adult who wants to explore new territory." —Library Journal

Each issue of Exploratorium Magazine is devoted to a single topic, which is examined from many different points of view. The style is whimsical, the content is solid, and there are lots of illustrations and activities for the reader to enjoy. The magazine is intended for nonscientists: the reading level is easy enough for middle school students, but the content is informative enough for any curious adult. The magazine was published from 1977 until 2003. For excerpts, go to the Exploratorium Magazine Online. Back issues are available through the Exploratorium Store. Order online or by fax or e-mail. Price: $5.00 each

Exploring Paper Learn about paper's mysterious past, find out how new materials, new methods and new ideas are transforming traditional origami, learn how to make your own paper, and discover the best way to fold your own paper airplanes. Read excerpts on line. The Evolution of Language Explore where languages come from and how they evolve, with a special look at the history of English, and try some language activities. A full-color poster, Language Families of the World, is included. Read excerpts on line. Exploring Hair Learn some science that can help trim your Bad Hair Days, find out about hair loss, and discover the functions of the quills, wool and whiskers that adorn other mammals. Includes three fun activities you can do with your very own hair. Read excerpts on line.

Exploring Space Investigate the tools we've used to map the cosmos, and learn what asteroids can tell us about our solar system. There's an activity to try, too. Read excerpts on line.   Exploring Memories Investigate how our senses, brain, and culture influence what we remember, and learn how a group of seniors exercise their minds to keep their memories alive. Read excerpts on line.   Exploring Fitness Review the strange history of American fitness crazes, and find out about health concerns for mountaineers, women athletes, and hockey players. Read excerpts on line.

Antarctica Join the expedition of an Exploratorium crew as they investigate biology, astronomy, and geology at the bottom of the world. Cells Find out how cells specialize and communicate with each other, and how microscopes provide a view into a cell's world. Includes a beautiful poster that shows how muscle cells work. Coffee & Tea Learn how coffee is grown, traded, and roasted, and follow tea through Chinese history. Exploring Cats & Dogs Trace the 4,000-year relationship between humans and felines, and find out what researchers have discovered about behavior in canine social circles. Exploring Cities Learn why rats and pigeons thrive in the city, and examine the technological innovations that made skyscrapers possible. Exploring Cycles Find out what oysters, pre-Columbian Mayans, and modern times have in common. Includes a beautiful fold-out poster, Cycles Are Everywhere. Exploring Energy Consider the hidden consequences of our appetite for energy, and find out how you can avoid that mid-afternoon slump. Exploring Fire Discover the surprising benefits of forest fires, and find out the effects of the Great Fire of London on urban life today. Exploring Food Unearth the peculiar history of the potato, and serve up science experiments that you can eat. Exploring Gardening Follow the evolution of the American front yard, and learn how to enrich your garden by composting, double digging, and attracting birds and butterflies. Exploring Hands Consider the sinister side of life with a look at left-handedness, and master some simple tricks of prestidigitation. Insects Find out about insect-based medicine, how flies assist crime solvers, and how honey bees locate chemical spills. Exploring Islands Visit the world's newest island, find out why atolls may be endangered, and encounter an island of American culture abroad. Exploring In the Dark Find out how your eyes adapt to the dark and take a hike to watch the dark rise. A special pull-out poster highlights the strange world of nocturnal animals. Exploring Money Learn how to tell a counterfeit bill from the real thing, and how to fold a dollar bill into a pinkie ring. Exploring Photography Discover how a photo can make time stand still, and build your own camera obscura. Exploring Rhythm Discover the regular rhythms in the stars—and in the human body. Exploring Size Read about the complications that ensue when you try to double the size of something, and learn why giants don't stand a chance. Exploring Sleep Learn the facts behind folk remedies for insomnia, the history of beds, and how animals sleep. Plus, visit a mattress factory. Exploring Spinning Things Find out how dancers and skaters twirl, and look inside the human body with spinning subatomic particles. Exploring Transformations Delve into the secrets of modern alchemy, and consider the concept of aging. Exploring Underground Discover what's beneath your feet in a city, and learn about the life of the naked mole rat. Exploring Visual Illusions Discover what visual illusions teach us about our processes of perception, and learn how to see weird 3-D images. Plus, create your own illusions.   Visit The Exploratorium's main Publications page to learn more about the full range of our publishing activities. © Exploratorium