Curious Minds
is a science discovery shop specialising in books, toys & games for pre-teens to adults.
Our varied product categories include
Animals,
Binoculars,
Biology,
Books,
Bugs,
Chemistry,
Chemistry sets,
Construction sets,
Crystal growing,
Dorling Kindersley,
Desktop,
Detective,
Dinosaurs,
Dragons,
Earth,
Electricity,
Electronics,
Flight,
Games,
Gifts,
Human body models,
Illusion,
Instruments,
Kits,
Light,
Machines,
Maths,
Measurement,
Microscopes,
Models,
Nature,
Penguin,
Physics,
Planets,
Plants,
Programming,
Puzzles,
Intelliquest,
Radio,
Reference,
Replicas,
Rockets,
GCSE/A level,
Software,
Solar system,
Space,
Stars,
Technology,
Telescopes,
Universe,
etc.
Our products are primarily based on science and technology themes. Our main focus is educational, i.e. we prefer products that are based on scientific principles, and that can be used to learn about science. But, some can also be used as executive toys, or as promotional items, or as stage props, or as gifts for curious minds. If you need a product for a particular purpose, or as a gift, please feel free to call us for advice, we're only too happy to guide you to the best choice. Rest assured that we do not hype our products and we'll tell you of a product's shortcomings for any particular purpose.
Following is an overview of our major categories, featuring a couple of the best products in each. Each category starts with a brief definition with a link (followed by a ^) to further information in Kosmoi.com^. This link should open in a new window.
The science of life and living organisms,
biology
studies the form, structure, function, growth and development,
behavior and interaction of all living things.
Ant farms, sea monkeys & triops, worm world, human anatomy model,
bird feeder, books, ...
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Ant Farm:
Ants are fascinating! Watch the world's tinest engineers dig tunnels, build roads,
and erect bridges. See them plan and construct highways and subways - moving mountains
right before your eyes. It's a fascinating peek into the secret world of ants.
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Triop World:
Grow a real living pet from the age of the dinosaurs! Watch them come to life when added
to water and see how they double in size each day! Triops hatch in 24 hours, can grow up
to 4 cm long and have an incredible life cycle.
Another very popular product with all age groups.
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Chemistry
is the branch of science concerned with the properties, structure, and
composition of substances and their reactions with one another.
Fun with crystals and oozy stuff, kitchen experiments for kids.
Chemistry sets, crystal growing kits, slime & ooze labs, books, ...
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University of Cambridge Chemistry Set:
A complete chemistry laboratory to enable children to practise over 100 experiments.
Contains a comprehensive guide/workbook, providing a step-by-step guide.
Features 'toddler proof' test tube stoppers.
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The Chemistry Lab 200
contains a real scientific laboratory to introduce you to chemistry.
Work through 200 experiments with guidance and practical explanations from the interactive
CD-Rom (Mac & Win).
The set includes test tubes, litmus paper and other scientific apparatus.
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Astronomy
is the science dealing with all the celestial objects in the universe,
including the planets and their satellites (e.g. our Earth and the moon),
comets and meteors, the stars (including our sun), and interstellar matter,
the star systems known as galaxies, and clusters of galaxies.
Telescopes, home planetarium, & orreries for young astronomers.
Orrery (solar system model), home planetarium (star theatre), telescopes, books, ...
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Motorised Solar System and Planetarium:
A lit yellow sun shines on all the orbiting planets and the black central tower
and support rods disappear in a darkened room.
It can also project constellations in a darkened room.
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Star Theater 2 Home Planetarium:
Watch as hundreds of stars and constellations are projected on your ceiling and walls.
The Star Theater doesn't have the orrery function, but is better for star projection,
and comes with an audio CD tour of the night sky.
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Electronics^
is the study and use of electrical devices that operate by controlling the flow
of electrons or other electrically charged particles in devices such as thermionic
valves and semiconductors.
Buy Hot Wires electronic sets, spy kit, logiblocs, & crystal radios,
radio kits, FM Radio kits, books, ...
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Hot Wires Electronics Set:
Simply snap together the component blocks.
Includes over 100 experiments involving light, sound and movement;
build a real flying disk, a working FM radio with automatic station selection,
a lie detector, a burglar alarm, a voice recorder, and lots more.
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Crystal Radio Kit:
Make your own and listen to the AM waveband.
The kit includes everything you need to tune in -
it even includes a screwdriver.
Simple to make, it requires no electricity or batteries.
The booklet includes a simplified explanation of how Radios work.
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All through human history, people have played
games
They've done so mostly to entertain themselves and others.
Games are a form of self-expression, and also a means of training young people,
and of reminding adults of the preferred values of the society in which they live.
Science, history, & thinking games for teachers, students, parents etc.
Anagram, Chess, Mancala, Math Spin, Tantrix, Blokus, Cirondo, games compendia, ...
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Anagram
is a superb word game, exciting and challenging to play.
Players compete to collect as many words as possible,
either by using new letters as they are revealed or by spotting
anagrams and poaching their opponents' words.
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Mancala:
Mancala is a family of board games played around the world, sometimes called sowing games or count and capture games, which comes from the general gameplay. The best known games of this family are Oware, Kalah, Omweso, and Bao.
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Machine^
is any mechanical or electrical device that transmits or modifies energy to perform
or assist in the performance of tasks. It normally requires an input as a trigger,
transmits the modified energy to an output, which performs the desired task.
Vehicles & engines in model kits, air, electric, jet, & solar powered.
Robo-Bugs, LogiRobot, air engines, jet and internal combustion engine models, books, ...
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Air Engine Racer:
No batteries required! Simply pump up the air engine. start the propeller and then stand back. An easy to assemble kit that is both unique and entertaining to use.
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Internal Combustion Engine model:
Construct a working mechanical engine,
insert a cylinder head gasket and assemble moving pistons.
Complete with a battery-powered motor, spark plug, lights and fully illustrated instruction manual.
Made from 100+ clear plastic pieces, run by electric motor with "spark plugs"
lighting in their correct sequence.
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Magnetism
is a phenomenon by which materials exert an attractive or repulsive force on other
materials. Some well known materials that exhibit easily detectable magnetic properties
are iron, some steels, and the mineral lodestone. Magnetism is intimately connected with
Electricity^.
Study electromagnetism & magnetics with magnet & electrical kits.
Magnet kits, floating globe, floating pen, electricity lab, books, ...
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Levitron - The Amazing Anti-Gravity Top:
floats freely above it's base, operating in the same manner as the original.
It is amazing to see as it floats freely in space with no strings attached.
Challenging to operate, but suitable for ages 8 and up.
OMEGA LEVITRON® makes a memorable gift.
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Floating Earth Globe:
The IFO 3000 takes levitation to new heights.
From the impressive floating gap to the aesthetically pleasing frame design the IFO3000
will grace any home or office.
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A microscope^
is an instrument for viewing objects that are too small to be seen by the naked
or unaided eye.
The optical microscope is an instrument containing one or more lenses that produce
an enlarged image of an object placed in the focal plane of the lens(es).
Pinhole camera & kids microscopes. Telescopes & photography kits.
Camera obscura, tachyscope, books, ...
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100x - 900x Zoom Microscope Set:
This set contains all the necessary tools, slides and equipment and also prepared examples
of locust, grasshopper and mineral slides to spark the imagination and set you on your way
to a whole new world. 2xAA batteries required (not included). Ages 7 - 16.
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30x 40x 60x 80x Science Screen Set:
Now you can really see nature close up with this science screen set.
Place any object under the viewer, and watch in amazement as the screen projects an
image of the object 30 times its normal size, includes accessories.
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Physics
is the science of Nature in the broadest sense.
Physicists study the behaviour and interactions of matter and energy,
which are referred to as physical phenomena.
Physics is the study of matter, energy, motion, and forces.
Buy gyroscope, radiometer, clock kit, Newton's cradle, water rocket, clocks, books, ...
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Original Newton's Cradle:
This demonstrates Newton's principle that 'action and reaction are equal and opposite'.
If one of the steel balls is lifted and allowed to fall back at one end,
then one will swing out almost the same distance at the other end.
This causes the beginning of almost perpetual motion which dies down slowly...
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Original Gyroscope
Produced since 1917, the gyroscope has been a classic educational toy for generations.
It continues to fascinate young and old alike with its mysterious force that seems to
defy gravity. Each gyroscope is packed in a clear styrene box with starting string,
pedestal and instructions for several amazing tricks.
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Puzzles
encompass a wide variety of mental challenges, from crosswords to conundrums to jigsaws. They can be trivially easy, frustratingly hard, or anywhere in between. The greatest pleasure comes from those where the solution involves some novel way of thinking, or looking at the problem from an unexpected viewpoint.
Brain teasers & puzzle books, quiz questions & visual illusions.
Interlocking puzzles, Quizmo books, magic tricks set, Tantrix, ...
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Intelliquest Quizmo:
An ingenious and stylish electronic hand-held computer that contains all the answers to all the questions in every Intelliquest Book.
We do mean EVERY Intelliquest book including any future titles.
We offer a collection of books to use with your Quizmo in our Puzzles & Quizzes section.
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Genius Lateral Thinking Puzzles
Can you think outside the box or are you too logical by half? Delve into this quiz and find out whether you're genius material.
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Archaeology^
is the science of unearthing sites containing remains of ancient habitation, with the goal of learning about culture, society, ecology, intellectual life and beliefs; modern archaeology employs the tools of history, anthropology, geology, and biology to recover the hidden past.
Buy archaeology & dinosaur kits & books on fossils, paleontology.
Ancient Egypt, Vikings, dinosaurs, history games, metal detector, books, ...
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Horrid and Hideous History:
History is horrible - fact! See how much you know about atrocious ancestors with this gruesome quiz. For example:
What did the Romans sometimes eat as a light snack?
1. Bats
2. Lice
3. Mice
4. Worms
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Treasure of the Pyramids
Use real tools to unearth Egyptian Treasures and real chemicals to clean them. Recreate your own mystical Egyptian amulets. Learn about the amazing lives of the Pharoahs. Discover the scary secrets of your very own prized Egyptian minerals and use the clues you find to solve an ancient mystery.
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