Welcome to How It Works, the magazine that explains everything you never knew you wanted to know about the world we live in. Loaded with fully illustrated guides and expert knowledge, and with sections dedicated to science, technology, transportation, space, history and the environment, no subject is too big or small for How It Works to explain.
Mesopotamia: The creators of civilisation • Discover how society as we know it began in a small region of modern day Iraq
The world’s first cities • With its reliable source of food, people gathered in Mesopotamia and formed the very first cities
Seven ways Mesopotamia changed the world
How Vesuvius destroyed Pompeii • The catastrophic eruption that buried an entire city
The mystery of Easter Island • Who built the giant heads of Rapa Nui and why?
Ancient Egyptian cosmetics • Makeup was once an important part of everyday life in Egypt – find out why
Origins of chocolate • Why it was more than just a tasty snack…
How sundials tell the time • Discover how this ancient contraption worked before the watch existed
Horse shoeing • Why do horses wear shoes and how are they fitted?
The art of mummification • Mummies have been found in many parts of the world, but Egyptian mummies are the most well-known due to their distinctive appearance and unique embalming process
Britain’s tribal territories • Before the Roman invasion in 55 BC, Britain was characterised by a large number of ancient tribes, each with its own culture
Ancient Greek theatres • Discover how these massive amphitheatres were built and used
Greek tomb construction • Learn about the unique structures in which the elite of these Ancient Greek people were buried
Greek warriors • The hoplites of Ancient Greece were some of the most feared fighters in the world. Find out why they were so hard to defeat
Aztec warriors • Ready yourself for battle as you learn about the martial side of this Central American civilisation
Native American warrior • Check out the key kit as carried by a fighter from the Dakota Sioux tribe
Chinese junks • Highly versatile, the Chinese junk has been used since the second Century AD, granting dynamic sailing controls and high speed
The Ancient Celts • How the Iron Age revolutionised this pre-Roman civilisation
The Terracotta Army • Learn about China’s ancient warriors for the afterlife
Exploring Machu Picchu • Perched precariously between two Peruvian peaks, the ancient Incan complex of Machu Picchu is truly one of Earth’s wonders
Cardiff Castle • Why does Wales’ most famous fortress look like something from a fairy tale?
Inside a Japanese castle • We find out how Himeji Castle – a 17th-century fortification – has stood firm despite several centuries of conflict and natural disasters
The Fogong Temple Pagoda • The oldest wooden pagoda in China today is an architectural marvel by anyone’s standards
The Pantheon • Bask in the brilliance of Roman architecture
Saint Mark’s Basilica • Why does Venice’s most storied and famous church have so much treasure within its walls?
Sagrada Família • Why is Spain’s most iconic church still not finished after 130 years?
Washington National Cathedral • What makes the USA’s second-largest church its most important?
Florence Cathedral • Crowned with the largest masonry dome in the world, Florence Duomo is a Renaissance masterpiece
How was the Sistine Chapel’s ceiling painted? • Explore the tools and techniques behind Michelangelo’s lofty Renaissance masterpiece
The Gothic chapel of Sainte-Chapelle • Built for King Louis IX, this church displays the finest...