What happens when you duct-tape a few tubes together, add a source of energy, a tennis ball and a match? Not much, unless you know how to build the fabled tennis ball mortar!

Written by William Gurstelle, Backyard Ballistics, Second Edition, features step-by-step instructions—backed with helpful photos and diagrams—for building 16 awesome homemade ballistic devices. Extensively updated with new projects (don’t miss the piezo-electric spud gun!), this bestseller features troubleshooting tips and an emphasis on safety as it explains the physics behind the projects and profiles notable figures like Robert Goddard and Isaac Newton. It’s the perfect book for scientists with an interest in projectile physics—and a taste for mayhem.