The Handy Science Answer Book
(paperback, 523 pages) doesn't only provide answers to common
questions. It is better described as a gold mine of facts. It is
so extensive that the index alone is 48 pages.
The books contains considerable information in the form of tables,
e.g., elemental composition by percent mass of the sun, energy
equivalences (90 pounds of coal = 1 million BTU), life spans of
various animals, the names of male and female animals, the current
populations of various species of whales, etc. Some of the
tabular information may be considered science "trivia" rather than
"actual science", e.g., how fast various animals can run (the
cheetah can run 70 MPH = 112.6 km/h). Some of the non-tabular
information could also be considered trivia (narrative about the
world's largest diamond, the magnitude of the 1906 San Francisco
earthquake, the dimensions of the Eiffel Tower, and how the term
"technobabble" was coined.)
The book has a strong environmental emphasis (explanations of the
controversies surrounding radiation, radon, and asbestos, how
plastics can be made biodegradable, the hazards of burning PVC
plastic, the meaning of "nuclear winter", how to read recycling
symbols,....)
It contains a 24 page list of suggested books for further
reading.
Because this book is very difficult to locate in book
stores, it is much more convenient to buy it online.