Throughout history, people have sought to understand the world around them and to find ways of making their lives and their work easier and more comfortable. This book brings together four key areas of human knowledge and traces the history and development of each one in turn. World Religions looks at how different spiritual beliefs have evolved from the Stone Age, through the mythology of ancient Greece, to major religions of the 21st century. Science and Technology investigates the principal trends, inventors and discoveries that have shaped the modern world. In The Story of Medicine, you can learn about the people who revolutionized medical science and how growing knowledge of the human body, disease and hygiene led to ever more effective treatments. Weapons and Warfare shows hwo different types of weapon and other aspects of warfare, such as transport and communication, have developed since the 1800s, from muzzle-loading cannons to the SCUD missiles launched in the Gulf War. Illustrated reference panels on every page focus on interesting extra details, such as medicinal plants or a mini-biography of the world's first mathematician, and include maps, quick-reference lists to key dates, cross-section artworks, fact boxes, artefacts and icons which offer detailed information on each subject area.