Showing results by author "iMinds" in All Categories

The will to win. The desire to be the best. The need to lift heavier or run faster than anybody has done before. These are all important motivators for success in sports. But they also contribute to the incredible pressure on athletes to do whatever it takes to improve their performance. The practice of ‘doping’ in sports has been around for over a century. And yet it is only quite recently that there has been widespread disapproval of it.

Learn about the life and times of John F. Kennedy with iMindsJNR audio-learning series for younger minds. John Fitzgerald Kennedy, or JFK, was president of the United States of America from 1961 to 1963. From his unlikely rise to power at the age of 43 to his dramatic death at the hand of an assassin, his presidency marked a transformative and tumultuous period in American history.

Kennedy was America's first Catholic president.

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 the story of the Sundance Kid with iMinds insightful knowledge series. The last scene of George Ray Hill’s 1969 film, ‘Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid’ depicts the two titular outlaws running out from a building surrounded by Bolivian officers, into a frenzied gun-battle in which they are drastically, and hopelessly, out-numbered. The final shot freezes on Sundance, played by Robert Redford, and Butch, played by Paul Newman, as they run, injured, but with their guns ready, into the fire.

The Empire State Building towers above the midtown district of New York City. Its solitary spire now stands out on the city skyline, no longer matched by the twin towers of the World Trade Centre. It is once again the tallest building in the city. But it is no longer the tallest in the world, a title it held for an unmatched 40 years. Its quiet elegance reflects the functionality of its form as well as the distinctive Art Deco style. It is a symbol of American commercial ambition and it is a symbol of the American Dream.

The dome of St Peter’s Basilica is one of the most iconic images of Rome. The church attached to it drips with the splendour and marvels of a religion that has asserted world dominance over its two-thousand-year history. It is the largest Christian church on the planet. But perhaps even more than a beacon of Catholicism, St Peter’s Basilica is a monument to artistry and culture.

Learn about Murphy's Law with iMinds insightful audio knowledge series. Murphy's Law is a tongue-in-cheek and rather pessimistic adage of eight simple words: Anything that can go wrong will go wrong. The translation of these words into "Murphy's Law" was in honour of US aerospace engineer Edward Aloysius Murphy Junior.

Christmas trees and Christmas cards seem to be an essential part of the holiday season. So it may surprise you to know they are both relatively recent traditions in the United States and Britain!

When Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin in 1928, it was a lucky accident. He didn't realize at the time that penicillin would dramatically change the face of medicine and the pharmaceutical industry. Fleming was a researcher studying the natural antibacterial substances produced by the body. He had been working with the bacteria that caused boils. To study the bacteria he grew colonies of it on plates.

Sydney Harbour is the heart of the city of Sydney, capital of New South Wales. The harbour and its attractions are very much a part of the city’s identity. And while it is very much a working harbour it is also a space for the people of Sydney to relax. The harbour is home to many of the city’s well known events.

Learn about the crimes of Jack the Ripper with iMinds insightful audio-knowledge series.

In late 1888, a series of brutal murders took place in the impoverished Whitechapel district of London. At least five women were attacked. The killer liked slitting the throats of the victims. The victims' abdomens were then sliced and several organs were removed. This serial killer became known as Jack the Ripper.

This collection includes the story of 6 of Paris' most famous and beautiful destinations - The Eiffel Tower, Sacre Coeur, The Latin Quarter, Notre Dame, The Champs Elysees and The Louvre. iMinds will tell you the story behind the place with its innovative travel series, transporting the armchair traveller or getting you in the mood for discover on route to your destination.

The Guantanamo Bay Detention Camp was set up by the U.S. government as a detention facility for "unlawful enemy combatants" captured in the "war on terror". Opened in 2002, it is located on the U.S. Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba.

Learn about the development of In Vitro Fertization with iMinds insightful audio knowledge series. "In Vitro Fertilisation", also known as IVF, is concerned with enabling infertile couples to have children. As a result of IVF, thousands of couples and individuals have been able to fulfil their dream of procreating. To fully appreciate the complexities of IVF it is important to know the history of experiments in reproduction.

Learn about the Twelve Days of Christmas with iMindsJNR audio-learning series for younger minds.

For many, Christmas is not just a time of year but a whole period of festivities. You may have heard someone say that there are twelve days of Christmas. But did you know that they refer to the days after Christmas and not the days leading up to it?

Learn about the history of Hierogylphs with iMindsJNR audio learning series for younger minds. Hieroglyphs form some of the oldest writing in the world. The word ‘hieroglyph’ means ‘sacred carvings’ in Greek and is the name given to written characters formed by drawings. These drawings can be of people, animals, plants, or many other objects.

Sovereign debt is the debt of a country or government. This debt is usually comprised of bonds issued by the government. Sovereign debt can be contrasted with government debt. Government debt is when bonds are issued in a nation’s own currency. Therefore, this debt is mostly created within a country’s own economic boundaries. Sovereign debt, however, is created from bonds issued in foreign currencies or through loans.

Learn about the story behind the tradition of Thanksgiving with iMinds insightful audio knowledge series. Thanksgiving is a North American festival. It commemorates the good fortune its founders encountered when they arrived in the New World. In Canada, Thanksgiving is held on the second Monday of October. In the United States of America, Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November.

Learn the philosophy of the eternal truths with iMinds insightful audio knowledge series. "Eternal truths" are ideas that are not proved or demonstrated, but are nonetheless believed due to their apparent self-evidence. Acceptance of such facts is believed to come about through reason. Those who believe in eternal truths define them as ideas or statements so undeniable that proof is unnecessary.

Learn about the sport of Parkour with iMinds insightful audio knowledge series. If there was only one way to describe parkour, it would be to call it a sport. Parkour involves the task of overcoming obstacles, both physical and mental. But not everybody is in agreement with what parkour is truly about. What we do know is that parkour originated in France where it is sometimes referred to as "l'art du déplacement" meaning "the art of displacement".