Quizologist

Five for Twenty-five—Answers

The answers to my earlier post are shown below.

One

Who was the actor born on 25 August 1930 who played James Bond in a 1980s film directed by Irvin Kershner?
Sean Connery
George Lazenby
Roger Moors

Answer: Sean Connery

Irvin Kershner directed the 1983 non-Eon Productions Never Say Never Again, the seventh and final Bond film starring Sean Connery. The film‘s title referenced Connery’s 1971 declaration that he would never play the role again. The storyline follows Bond as he investigates the theft of nuclear weapons by SPECTRE. It is based on Ian Fleming’s 1961 novel Thunderball, which was originally written by Kevin McClory, Jack Whittingham, and Fleming. The novel had previously been adapted into the 1965 film Thunderball.

Two

On 25 August 1916, US President Woodrow Wilson signed the … Act, which established the National Park Service. What word completes the name of the act?
Operational
Organic
Oversight

Answer: Organic Act

Stephen Mather, worried about the condition of national parks, was instrumental in founding the National Park Service (NPS) with his assistant Horace Albright through the Organic Act of 1916. They consolidated NPS properties, marketed the parks, and facilitated the establishment of many new parks and monuments. The act sought to preserve and enhance the enjoyment of national parks, monuments, and reservations.

Three

On 25 August 1530, Ivan IV Vasilyevich, commonly known as Ivan the Terrible, was born. He became the Tsar and Grand Prince of all Russia. Was he the… person to hold this position. What word completes the previous sentence?
First
Fifth
Fourteenth

Answer: First

Ivan the Terrible, first Tsar of Russia, transformed Russia into an empire but at a great cost. His later years were marked by paranoia, violence and the massacre of Novgorod, leading to the end of the Rurik dynasty.

Four

On this date in 1825, the Thirty-three Orientals, a revolutionary group, began an insurrection against…
Benin
Bhutan
Brazil

Answer: Brazil

The Treinta y Tres Orientales, led by Lavalleja and Oribe, fought for the independence of Oriental Province from Brazil in 1825, leading to the foundation of modern Uruguay.

Neptune image taken by Voyager 2, August 1989.
Image NASA via Wikipedia

Five

On 25 August 1989, the first human-made object to fly by Neptune made its closest approach to the planet. Which spacecraft was it?
Viking 1 Voyager 2 Vulcan 3

Answer: Voyager 2

Voyager 2 is the only spacecraft to visit Uranus and Neptune. The probe is now in interstellar space, the region outside the heliopause, or the bubble of energetic particles and magnetic fields from the Sun.
— NASA

Five for Twenty-five

All these questions are related to today, August 25th.

Yellowstone Lake showing geyser, Yellowstone National Park.
Image Wikipedia

One

Who was the actor born on 25 August 1930 who played James Bond in a 1980s film directed by Irvin Kershner?
Sean Connery
George Lazenby
Roger Moore

Two

On 25 August 1916, US President Woodrow Wilson signed the … Act, which established the National Park Service. What word completes the name of the act?
Operational
Organic
Oversight

Three

Four

On this date in 1825, the Thirty-three Orientals, a revolutionary group, began an insurrection against…
Benin
Bhutan
Brazil

Five

On 25 August 1989, the first human-made object to fly by Neptune made its closest approach to the planet. Which spacecraft was it?
Viking 1 Voyager 2 Vulcan 3

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

Fire from the Earth—Answers

The answers to my earlier post are shown below.

Krakatoa, ~~East~~ of Java.
Image The Movie DB

One

In 1883, a significant volcanic eruption took place in the Sunda Strait. However, a 1968 Hollywood film title incorrectly located the volcano. Which volcano was it, and what was the film’s title?

Answer: Krakatoa and Krakatoa, East of Java

Krakatoa is west of Java not east! Apparently the film’s producers thought ‘West’ was more atmospheric than ‘East’. The eruption in 1883 destroyed over 70% of the island and its surrounding archipelago, collapsing into a caldera. The eruption, heard 3,000 miles (4,800 kilometres) away, caused at least 36,417 deaths and had significant global effects.

Eruption of Kilauea, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii, 1983.
Image Encyclopædia Britannica

Two

Which archipelago contains two active volcanoes, one of which, Kīlauea, is considered one of the most active in the world?

Answer: Hawaiian Islands

Kilauea, an active shield volcano on Hawaii’s Big Island, is known for its frequent eruptions, notably the Pu’u ‘Ō’ō eruption, which created new land. Located on the island’s southeastern shore, it is between 210,000 and 280,000 years old and emerged above sea level about 100,000 years ago. Kilauea is the most active of the five volcanoes forming the island and among the most active globally. The most recent eruption began in December 2024, continuing into 2025. Historically, it was thought to be a satellite of Mauna Loa. From 2008 to 2018, Halemaʻumaʻu hosted an active lava lake. Eruptions from 1983 to 2018 caused significant property damage, including the destruction of Kalapana and Kaimū in 1990. Since 2020, eruptions have occurred within the enlarged Halemaʻumaʻu crater and along the southwest and east rift zones. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, established in 1961, houses two active volcanoes, Mauna Loa and Kilauea.

Mount Fuji from the International Space Station.
Image NASA/Wikipedia

Three

In what century was the last eruption of Japan’s Mount Fuji?

Answer: 18th century (December 16, 1707)

Mount Fuji, Japan’s highest mountain and a cultural icon, is an active stratovolcano with a symmetrical cone. Situated in central Honshu, it is a UNESCO World Heritage site and a prominent feature of Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park.

Four

Geologists agree that a geological feature featured in a 1977 Steven Spielberg film began as magma, or molten rock, buried beneath the Earth’s surface. Please name the Spielberg film and identify the geological feature?

Answer: Close Encounters of the Third Kind and Devils Tower (National Monument, Wyoming)

Close Encounters of the Third Kind is a 1977 science fiction film by Steven Spielberg about a man whose life changes after a UFO encounter and a single mother whose son is abducted. The film’s climax is at Devil’s Tower. The film was a critical and financial success, grossing over $300 million worldwide and receiving numerous awards and nominations. It was preserved in the National Film Registry and has been released in multiple editions, including a Director’s Cut.

Hekla and an Icelandic horse.
Image Wikipedia

Five

Known to medieval Europeans as the ‘Gateway to Hell’, Hekla has erupted more than 20 times. In what country is Hekla?

Answer: Iceland

Hekla, Iceland’s most active volcano, is characterised by a 3.4-mile-long fissure and has erupted over 20 times since 1104. Its eruptions, including a major one in 1766, have caused significant damage and loss of life.

Fire from the Earth

Mount Vesuvius rising above the ruins of Pompeii.
Image Encyclopædia Britannica

August 24th is traditionally believed to be the date of the catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 CE, which destroyed Pompeii and Herculaneum. Pliny the Younger witnessed and wrote about the eruption, while his uncle, Pliny the Elder, tragically died while on a seaborne rescue effort. Today’s questions are all connected to volcanic activity,

One

In 1883, a significant volcanic eruption took place in the Sunda Strait. However, a 1968 Hollywood film title incorrectly located the volcano. Which volcano was it, and what was the film’s title?

Two

Which archipelago contains two active volcanoes, one of which, Kīlauea, is considered one of the most active in the world?

Three

In what century was the last eruption of Japan’s Mount Fuji?

Four

Five

Known to medieval Europeans as the ‘Gateway to Hell’, Hekla has erupted more than 20 times. In what country is Hekla?

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

Animal Magic—Answers

The answers to my earlier post are shown below.

Hippopotimus cow and calf.
Image Wikipedia

One

Is it true or false that in 1910, the US Congress debated importing hippopotami as a solution to a national meat crisis?

Answer: True

In 1910, the US Congress considered importing hippopotamuses from Africa to address a national meat crisis caused by corporate beef monopolies and rising prices. The proposal, which involved free-ranging hippos in Louisiana, was ultimately rejected.

Asian palm civet, which is the source of *Kopi luwak*.
Image Wikipedia

Two

Kopi luwak, the most expensive coffee in the world, is made by feeding coffee beans to small mammals called lemurs. These lemurs then excrete the undigested beans, which are collected and processed to make the coffee. Is this true or false?

Answer: False

Kopi luwak, or civet coffee, is made from coffee cherries eaten and defecated by Asian palm civets in Southeast Asia, particularly Indonesia. However, lemurs are endemic to Madagascar.
Civets have been subjected to intensive farming, where cages and battery farming methods, including force feeding, have been used.

*Camels in Texas*, by Thomas Lovell, courtesy of the Abell-Hanger Foundation and the Permian Basin Petroleum Museum, Library and Hall of Fame of Midland, Texas.
Image The Army Historical Foundation

Three

Is it true or false that the US Army used camels in the American West during the mid-19th century?

Answer: True

In the 1830s, the US Army struggled with westward expansion due to challenging terrain. In 1855, Secretary of War Jefferson Davis funded an experiment to import camels for military use, led by Major Henry C. Wayne. The expedition brought 33 camels from the Mediterranean to Texas, where they demonstrated superior carrying capacity, speed, and endurance over horses and mules. Despite initial skepticism about their temperament and odour, camels adapted well to the Southwest’s harsh conditions. Although successful, Congress denied further funding, and the Civil War ended the experiment. The camels were sold at auction, eventually being released into the wild.

Dung beetle rolls the ball of dung with its hind legs.
Image Wikipedia

Four

African dung beetles can navigate and orient themselves using only the stars in the Milky Way. Is this true or false?

Answer: True

African dung beetles can orient themselves to the bright stripe of light generated by our galaxy, and move in a line relative to it. This was witnessed during experiments in South Africa.

A raft of sea otters.
*Chillin’* by Ray Bulson.
Image Pinterest

Five

Is it true or false that sea otters gather and socialise in groups called rafts?

Answer: True

Sea otters, once hunted extensively for their fur, saw their population drop to 1,000–2,000 individuals. Conservation efforts, including an international hunting ban and reintroduction programs, have helped their numbers rebound, allowing them to occupy about two-thirds of their former range. Despite these successes, sea otters remain endangered due to recent regional declines. They often gather in large groups called rafts while resting on their backs.

Animal Magic

All about animals today but are the following statements true or false?

One

Is it true or false that in 1910, the US Congress debated importing hippopotami as a solution to a national meat crisis?

Two

Three

Is it true or false that the US Army used camels in the American West during the mid-19th century?

Four

African dung beetles can navigate and orient themselves using only the stars in the Milky Way. Is this true or false?

Five

Is it true or false that sea otters gather and socialise in groups called rafts?

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

J’Accuse—Answers

The answers to my earlier post are shown below.

One

On 22 August 1953, the maximum-security penal colony on Devil’s Island, which had operated for 100 years, was permanently closed. The subject of the front page article from L’Aurore (13 January 1898) was imprisoned on Devil’s Island. Who was the subject of Émile Zola’s J’Accuse and in which country is Devil’s Island located?

Answer: Captain Alfred Dreyfus and French Guiana

The Dreyfus affair was a political scandal in France from 1894 to 1906, centred around the wrongful conviction of Captain Alfred Dreyfus for treason. Despite evidence of his innocence, Dreyfus was convicted and imprisoned, sparking a national debate between Dreyfusards, who supported him, and anti-Dreyfusards, who condemned him. The affair highlighted issues of injustice and antisemitism in France.

Two

Edvard Munch, 1893, *The Scream*, oil, tempera and pastel on cardboard, 91 x 73 cm, National Gallery of Norway.
Image Wikipedia

On this date in 2004, a painting was stolen from the Munch Museum in Oslo, Norway. What painting?

Answer: The Scream

Edvard Munch’s 1893 painting The Scream depicts an agonised face and is considered an iconic representation of existential dread. Munch created multiple versions, including two paintings and two pastels, with one pastel version selling for a record price in 2012. The Scream has been stolen twice, in 1994 and 2004. In both cases, the perpetrators were eventually apprehended. The painting was recovered after a few months in 1994 and two years after the 2004 theft.

Henry Kissinger, 1982.
Image Encyclopædia Britannica

Three

On 22 August, a U.S. President named Henry A. Kissinger as Secretary of State. Which president?

Answer: Richard Nixon

Henry Kissinger, national security adviser and secretary of state (from 1973) under Nixon and Ford, significantly shaped US foreign policy from 1969-1976. He advanced détente with the Soviet Union, initiated SALT (Strategic Arms Limitation Talks), opened relations with China, and played a crucial role in Vietnam War peace negotiations.

The *America*, schooner yacht.
Image Wikipedia

Four

In 1851, the yacht America (US) won what is considered the first America’s Cup. Around which island did the race take place?

Answer: Isle of Wight

The America’s Cup, originally the R.Y.S. £100 Cup, was donated to the New York Yacht Club (NYYC) in 1857 and renamed after the winning yacht, America. The NYYC held the trophy for 132 years until 1983. The class of yachts used in the competition has evolved over time, from large yachts to smaller, more affordable classes, and currently features high-tech foiling catamarans.

Richard III, Battle of Bosworth Field.
From *A Chronicle of England, B.C. 55-A.D. 1485* by James E. Doyle, 1864.
Image Encyclopædia Britannica

Five

A battle on 22 August 1485 was the last significant battle of England’s Wars of the Roses. What was the battle, and what king died during it?

Answer: Battle of Bosworth Field and King Richard III

The Battle of Bosworth, fought on 22 August 1485, was the decisive battle of the Wars of the Roses. Henry Tudor’s victory over Richard III marked the end of the Plantagenet dynasty and the beginning of the Tudor dynasty. The exact location of the battle is disputed, with memorials erected at different sites.

J’Accuse

All of these questions are related to today, August 22nd.

One

Two

On this date in 2004, a painting was stolen from the Munch Museum in Oslo, Norway. What painting?

Three

On 22 August, a U.S. President named Henry A. Kissinger as Secretary of State. Which president?

Four

In 1851, the yacht America (US) won what is considered the first America’s Cup. Around which island did the race take place?

Five

A battle on 22 August 1485 was the last significant battle of England’s Wars of the Roses. What was the battle, and what king died during it?

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

Hawaii Five-0

The answers to my earlier post are shown below.

Official portrait of Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1959.
Image Wikipedia

One

On August 21st, Hawaii was officially proclaimed the 50th US state. Can you name the president who made this proclamation?

Answer: Dwight D. Eisenhower

Hawaii was officially proclaimed the 50th US state by President Dwight D. Eisenhower on 21 August 1959. Hawaii is an island state in the Pacific Ocean, consisting of 137 volcanic islands. It is the only US state not on the North American mainland and is known for its diverse culture, influenced by North American, East Asia and indigenous Hawaiian heritage. Hawaii’s economy, historically based on agriculture, has diversified to include tourism and military defence.

Two

Where was the Mona Lisa stolen from on this day in 1911?

Answer: The Louvre

The Mona Lisa was stolen from the Louvre in 1911 by Vincenzo Peruggia, who believed it should be returned to Italy. After keeping it for two years, Peruggia attempted to sell it and was caught, leading to the painting’s return to the Louvre in 1914.

Count Basie, *Blazing Saddles*, 1974.
Image

Three

Born 21 August 1904, an American musician who will, 70 years later, feature in a desert scene from Blazing Saddles. Who is he?

Answer: Count Basie

Count Basie plays himself in Mel Brooks 1974 film Blazing Saddles. He and his orchestra play April in Paris in the middle of the desert as Bart (Cleavon Little) rides towards Rock Ridge to assume the post of sheriff.

Princess Margaret, 1950.
Image Wikipedia

Four

Born on this day in 1930 at Glamis Castle, Scotland, this princess’s 1960 marriage would be the first royal wedding to be televised. Who is she?

Answer: Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon

Princess Margaret, born in 1930, was the second daughter of the Duke and Duchess of York, who, following the abdication of Edward VIII, became King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. Known for her independent spirit, she famously renounced her engagement to Peter Townsend due to his divorce. A celebrated socialite, she was the Countess of Snowdon and had a glamorous lifestyle with notable romances. Margaret married Antony Armstrong-Jones in 1960, but their marriage ended in divorce in 1978, marking the first royal divorce in 400 years.

Dumbarton Oaks, Washington D.C., 1999.
Image US Library of Congress via Wikipedia

Five

The Dumbarton Oaks Conference, opening on 21 August 1944, was instrumental in the founding of what?

Answer: United Nations

The ‘Allied Big Four’ (UK, US, USSR, Republic of China) formulated the new international organisation at the Dumbarton Oaks Conference in 1944. The Yalta Conference in 1945 and further negotiations with the Soviet Union resolved all issues.

Hawaii Five-0

All the questions are related to today, August 21st.

One

On August 21st, Hawaii was officially proclaimed the 50th US state. Can you name the president who made this proclamation?

Two

Where was the Mona Lisa stolen from on this day in 1911?

Three

Born 21 August 1904, an American musician who, 70 years later, will feature in a desert scene from Blazing Saddles. Who is he?

Four

Born on this day in 1930 at Glamis Castle, Scotland, this princess’s 1960 marriage would be the first royal wedding to be televised. Who is she?

Five

The Dumbarton Oaks Conference, opening on 21 August 1944, was instrumental in the founding of what?

Good luck! I’ll post the answers later today.