The piano is a very popular musical instrument and one of the most played instruments throughout the world. The term piano is actually a shortened form of the Italian name for the instrument, pianoforte. In Italian, piano means “soft” while forte means “loud”, a reference to the ability of a pianist to play control the loudness of the instrument by the hardness with which they hit the keys. So let’s find out more about the history of the piano and discover who invented the piano.
Christopher Nolan is a British director, producer and writer who began making movies as a child with a Super-8 camera. He honed his craft at university where he made movies at the University College London. His first feature length film, “Following” came in 1998 and was made on a budget of just $6,000. This movie was successful at many film festivals and this success led to funding for further projects. His next project was the film “Memento”, which was based on a story written by his brother. It was this film that led to his was nomination for an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. This early success boosted his career and before long he was directing some of the biggest films in Hollywood. He was nominated for two more Academy Awards in 2011. His future looks very bright and he could very well become the hottest director in the industry. The following is a list of films that Christopher Nolan has been involved in during his career so far.
The Azores are an archipelago consisting of 9 volcanic islands. The Azores are one of the two autonomous regions of Portugal (the other is Madeira, which is also an archipelago). The nine major Azores islands are clustered into three main groups. Flores and Corvo are to the west, Graciosa, Terceira, São Jorge, Pico and Faial in the center and São Miguel, Santa Maria and the Formigas Reef to the east. The population of these islands is about 247,000 and São Miguel has the largest population at 137,000. The islands stretch for more than 600km (370mi) and have about 2,333 km2 (901 sq mi) total land area. Let’s find out where these islands are located.
Reindeer, commonly called caribou in North America, is a species of deer best known as the animals that pull Santa’s sleigh. They are similar in appearance to other deer, although they are are one of the only species of deer where both the male and female grow antlers. Reindeer have been an important animal throughout their range where they have been hunted or domesticated for their; meat, milk, hides, antlers and as a method of transportation. Let’s take a look at the range and distribution of this animal
North America is the third largest continent by area and fourth largest by population. There are 23 countries found on the continent, but the majority of the continent is made up of Canada and the United States. The continent is bordered by the Arctic Ocean, Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and is found to the north-west of South America. North America has many mountain ranges where many rivers begin their journey to lower ground. The longest river on the continent begins in the famous Rocky Mountains.
The Lascaux Caves are a series of complex caves located near the village of Montignac in the south-west of France. The caves are famous for a series of late Stone Age paintings and engravings that are estimated at an age of 17,000 years. The cave contains almost 2000 figures in total and most of these are depictions of animals known from the time. The site was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979, but unfortunately visitors are not allowed to enter the caves. This is due to the fact that the carbon dioxide produced from people breathing in the caves was destroying the paintings. Lascaux II, a reproduction of two main caves, is open to the public and is a popular attraction. Let’s find out who discovered these important caves and their paintings.
Dietary fiber is the substance that is found in plants and is the indigestible portion that cannot be broken down by the body. Sometimes called roughage or bulk, dietary fiber can be either soluble or insoluble and includes substances such as; cellulose, dextrin, inulin, lignin, waxes, chitins, pectin and beta-glucans. Some common sources of dietary fiber are foods such as legumes, wholegrain cereals (such as barley, wheat and oats), plums, berries, bananas, broccoli, carrots, sweet potato, onions, flaxseeds, almonds, seeds and many more.
Beer is the most widely consumed alcoholic beverage around the world. It is thought to be the oldest alcoholic beverage and is the third most widely consumed liquid behind water and tea. Beer is now brewed globally both corporately and privately. It is an integral part of many cultures and has many associated traditions and festivals.
Neptune is the furthest planet from the Sun in our Solar System. It was named after the Roman god of the sea. Neptune has been visited by only one spacecraft, Voyager 2, which flew by the planet on 25 August 1989. Let’s find out some more interesting facts about the planet Neptune.
Dragonflies are insects best known for their long slender bodies and two pairs of translucent wings. There are more than 5600 species of dragonflies known today and it is thought that many more remain undiscovered. As with all insects, dragonflies have six legs but they are used more for catching their food than for walking. Dragonflies are one of the fastest insects in the world with one researcher claiming that a certain species is capable of almost 100 km/h (60 mph). Dragonflies are an important food source for many larger animals such as; birds, spiders, lizards, fish, frogs and larger dragonflies. The diet of the dragonfly also plays a very important part in the food chain.