Horrible Science is a spin-off series of books of Horrible Histories written by Nick Arnold (with the exception of Evolve or Die, which is written by Phil Gates), illustrated by Tony de Saulles and published in the UK and India by Scholastic. They are designed to get children interested in science by concentrating on the trivial, unusual, gory, or unpleasant. Amazon.com reviews of books in the series sometimes attribute their children's interested in science to the series. The books are in circulation in 24 countries, and over 4 million books have been sold in the UK alone.
Nick Arnold released a paper entitled "Teaching Science the Horrible Way" in which he demonstrates the reasons why the Horrible Science series has a positive contribution to learning. According to Arnold, Horrible Science books are based on everyday topics and key areas of the curriculum. The range of approaches used in Horrible Science books are intended to emphasise the drama and excitement and wonder of science. Science words and concepts are introduced gradually often using humour or fact files. Although mathematics is not needed at the level of science covered in the books, some activities require calculators. The books contain experiments under the heading Dare you discover… The experiments do not require expensive or elaborate equipment. Several of the books end with thoughts on how science will shape our future. On his website, Nick Arnold also has downloadable experiments for teachers to use in the classroom as an aid to his books (e.g. the Horrible Hydrogen experiment at ).
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Famous quotes containing the words horrible and/or science:
“Let me look at the foulness and ugliness of my body. Let me see myself as an ulcerous sore running with every horrible and disgusting poison.”
—St. Ignatius Of Loyola (1491–1556)
“The knowledge of an unlearned man is living and luxuriant like a forest, but covered with mosses and lichens and for the most part inaccessible and going to waste; the knowledge of the man of science is like timber collected in yards for public works, which still supports a green sprout here and there, but even this is liable to dry rot.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)