Showing results by author "iMinds" in All Categories

Learn about the history of the Irish Republican Army with iMinds insightful knowledge series. Much like the history of its homeland, the Irish Republican Army, or IRA, is complex and contested. Formed as a resistance movement during World War One, the IRA has since undergone several splits and reinventions. There are no fewer than five groups who identify themselves as the IRA, all of which can trace their beginnings to the original resistance movement.

Learn about the science and history of dinosaurs with iMindsJNR audio-learning series for younger minds. Huge and sometimes ferocious, dinosaurs ruled the earth for more than 175 million years. To us, dinosaurs might be scary-looking. But humans never had to fear dinosaurs because they died out 65 million years ago, a long time before the first people were around!Dinosaurs lived in a period called the Mesozoic era, which began about 240 million years ago.

Learn about Whales with iMindsJNR audio learning series for younger minds. Whales may seem like the biggest fish in the ocean, but they're actually not fish at all. Whales and dolphins are actually mammals, just like us! In fact, we're more similar than you might think. Scientists believe that millions of years ago, whales lived on land and spent most of their time fishing in shallow water.

Learn about the Renaissance period with iMindsJNR audio learning series for younger minds. The word "Renaissance" means "rebirth" in French. It was first used by French historian Jules Michelet in 1858 to refer to a "movement" that took place between about the 13th and 16th centuries . This movement describes the transition from medieval to modern Europe.

Learn about the workings of the Human Body with iMindsJNR audio learning series for younger minds. The human body is more sophisticated than even the best computer. But while scientists know more about the human body than perhaps anything else, there are still mysteries that baffle us. When it comes to the human body, it seems that the more we know, the more we realise we don't know!

The Protocols of the Elders of Zion is one of the world's most famous conspiracy theories. It is a statement of prejudice and paranoia, a fake historical record and a grand hoax all rolled into one.

Hidden for centuries in the vast Peruvian jungle lies the ancient city of Machu Picchu. It is one of the finest examples of Incan architecture on the continent, preserved and unplundered by the Spanish when they invaded in the sixteenth century. It eluded the Spanish and although it has long been rediscovered, its essence is still shrouded in mystery.

Learn about the story of Merlin the Magician with iMindsJNR audio-learning series for younger minds. As the advisor who helps King Arthur through the early years of his reign, Merlin has become the most famous wizard of all time.The stories of Merlin may have been based on a real person. But the character we know as Merlin today has come down to us through the “History of the Kings of Britain”, a book by the 12th-century English writer Geoffrey of Monmouth.

Learn about the great rivers of the World with the iMindsJNR audio-learning series for younger minds. Can you guess which is the world's longest river? According to most scientists, it is the Nile, which passes through several African countries, and is 6,695 kilometers long. Some scientists have recently argued that the Amazon in South America is in fact longer. It all depends on where you start your measurements!

Learn about the discovery of Atoms with iMindsJNR audio learning series for younger minds. How is your body similar to the chair you are sitting in? Both things are made up of atoms! In fact, almost everything in the entire universe is made up of atoms. They are the building blocks of matter.

Learn about the story of Dante’s Inferno with iMinds insightful knowledge series. “Midway upon the journey of our life, I found myself in a forest dark, For the straightforward pathway had been lost.” So begins the classic text of the Inferno, a medieval poem written in 14th century Italy. Along with its sequels, Purgatorio and Paradiso, it makes up the classic Divine Comedy. But what is the poem about? In the Inferno, the narrator of the tale travels through hell.

Learn about the history of the Roman Empire with iMindsJNR audio-learning series for younger minds. A powerful army, a developed system of government and great road building - this is how Rome achieved an empire! For the early part of its history Rome was ruled by kings, like most other places in the ancient world. But in 510 BC, the Romans decided they were sick of obeying powerful monarchs.

Rome is a city of fountains. As you wind your way down narrow lanes and through busy streets, you are sure to pass many a piazza graced with a fountain spread out before you. These unique works of architecture couple grandiose designs with the refreshing presence of cascading water. For those who have visited Rome, it may not surprise you to learn that there are in fact an impressive 280 fountains in the Eternal City. And the most famous of all is the Trevi Fountain.

Learn about Gold Trading with iMinds Money's insightful fast knowledge series. Gold trading is the investment in and trading of gold as a commodity. It is similar to trading in other commodities such as oil or wood, though there are factors that differentiate it. Gold has represented money and wealth for millennia in different forms. In the present day, we are able to freely own and trade gold in various forms, from gold bars to shares in gold mining companies.

Two thousand years ago the mighty Roman Empire spanned most of Europe, Asia Minor and North Africa. At its heart was the capital city of Rome, the city to which ‘all roads led’. Inside this city, the great ruins of the Colosseum are a lasting reminder of the majesty of this great empire. But the gigantic sports arena that is the Colosseum also reveals a dark side of ancient Rome. For the arena’s purpose was as a ground for gladiatorial combat. And in its wildly popular four-hundred-year history, the Colosseum would witness the deaths of thousands of humans and animals.

Learn about the science and history of volcanoes with iMindsJNR audio-learning series for younger minds. A volcano is an opening in the earth's surface through which molten rock, gases and debris can escape. The mound commonly associated with volcanoes is what remains after eruptions have collected and hardened around this opening.Volcanoes exist in the mythology of numerous countries, such as Iceland and Japan. Many past cultures, such as the Greeks and the Romans, also had volcano mythology.

Easter Island lies 3,700 km, or 2,299 from the nearest continent and is one of the most isolated places on the planet. Though it is so far removed from the rest of the world, Easter Island has more than its fair share of local history. Also commonly known as Rapa Nui, the island is probably most famous for the giant statues called Moai that populate the island, mainly near the shores. Mystery surrounds these enormous monoliths and they continue to baffle archaeologists trying to piece together the story of the Island.

Learn about the Great Fire of London with iMinds insightful audio knowledge series. Before the Great Fire, the City of London was filled with crowded, timber-framed buildings with thin, plaster walls. Candles, rushlights, coals and fireplaces were omnipresent, and the risk of fire was paramount.The Great Fire of London is believed to have been started by the baker Thomas Farrynger shortly after midnight on Sunday, 2 September 1666, in his shop on Pudding Lane, just East of London Bridge.

Learn about the development of photography with iMindsJNR audio-learning series for younger minds. Before the photograph was invented, the best way to capture an image was by painting it. You can imagine how long that would take! In 1990, Kodak unveiled the first widely available digital camera. These days, through many advances in technology, we can store hundreds of images on a single camera, ready to print or upload onto a computer whenever we like. But how did we get from paintings to digital photography?

All good business ideas need some form of money in order to grow. Whether a business is brand new or still emerging, it is critical it has money to move forward. When a business starts out, money is generally invested by entrepreneurs themselves. Also, an entrepreneur’s family and friends often invest in the business. But what happens when more than the available money is needed to take a business to the next level? Who can the entrepreneur look to, to realise their dreams?