There is much pleasure to be gained from useless knowledge. (Bertrand Russell)
Author: Quizologist
As a retired trivia writer, editor and quiz compiler, I wholeheartedly agree with Bertrand Russell’s quote: “There’s much pleasure to be gained in useless knowledge.” Trivia of all sorts has always fascinated me, and for many years, I’ve written and compiled trivia for various media, including traditional TV and radio quiz shows, newspapers and magazines, apps, and other digital platforms.
Is it true or false that velociraptors were only about the size of turkeys?
Answer: True
Velociraptor, commonly known as “raptor,” is one of the dinosaur genera most familiar to the general public. This is largely due to its prominent role in the Jurassic Park films. However, in reality, Velociraptor was roughly the size of a turkey, considerably smaller than the approximately 2 metres (6.6 feet) tall and 90 kilograms (200 pounds) reptiles depicted in the novels and films. These depictions were based on members of the related genus Deinonychus.
Is it true or false that P.T. Barnum started his career as a showman by publicly displaying an elderly African slave he claimed was George Washington’s 161-year-old former nursemaid?
Answer: True
In 1834 he moved to New York City, where he found his vocation as a showman one year later when he successfully presented Joice Heth, a wizened Black woman whom he advertised as the 161-year-old nurse to Gen. George Washington. On her death, however, the story was exposed as a hoax.
Is it true or false that if broccoli is left unharvested, each green bud usually produces a flower with four yellow petals?
Answer: True
Broccoli, a nutritious vegetable from the mustard family, is high in fibre and vitamins. It can be eaten fresh or cooked and should be dark green with firm stalks. If left unharvested, those buds produce yellow flowers with four petals and dry capsule fruits called siliques.
Four
Is it true or false that elephants can communicate with each other using ambisonic calls?
Answer: False
Elephants can communicate with each other using infrasonic calls that are below the range of human hearing. They also stomp messages on the ground that can be felt and understood by other elephants miles away.
Five
Is it true or false that on Venus, the Sun rises in the west and sets in the east?
Answer: True
Venus is unusual because it spins the opposite direction of Earth and most other planets…
…And because Venus rotates backwards, the Sun rises in the west and sets in the east.
Is it true or false that velociraptors were about the size of turkeys?
Two
Is it true or false that P.T. Barnum started his career as a showman by publicly displaying an elderly African slave he claimed was George Washington’s 161-year-old former nursemaid?
Three
Is it true or false that if broccoli is left unharvested, each green bud usually produces a flower with four yellow petals?
Four
Is it true or false that elephants can communicate with each other using ambisonic calls?
Five
Is it true or false that on Venus, the Sun rises in the west and sets in the east?
On 9 August 1942, Dmitri Shostakovich’s 7th symphony premiered in a besieged city. Can you name that city?
Answer: Leningrad
Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 7 was premiered in Leningrad on 9 August 1942 during the Nazi siege. Despite the musicians’ starvation and the orchestra’s limited rehearsal time, the performance was a success, bolstered by a Soviet military offensive and broadcast to German lines.
Two
Construction of the campanile of the Cathedral of Pisa, also known as the Leaning Tower of Pisa, began on this day. In which century did this construction commence, and approximately how long did it take to complete?
Answer: 12th Century and 199 years (two centuries) to complete
The Leaning Tower of Pisa, a freestanding bell tower in Pisa, Italy, is known for its nearly four-degree lean due to an unstable foundation. It is one of the most visited tourist attractions in the world, receiving over 5 million visitors annually.
Three
Answer: Jesse Owens and long jump
Jesse Owens, an exceptionally gifted athlete, won four gold medals at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, defying Adolf Hitler’s hopes of showcasing Aryan supremacy. Owens’ achievements, which also include setting three world records in one hour in 1935, remain unparalleled.
Four
Born in Maryborough, Queensland, on 9 August 1899, this writer is best known for her Mary Poppins books. Who is she?
Answer: P.L. Travers
P.L. Travers, an Australian-English writer, authored the Mary Poppins books, a series of eight children’s books illustrated by Mary Shepard. The books follow the magical nanny Mary Poppins and her adventures with the Banks children. Walt Disney adapted the books into two musical films: Mary Poppins (1964) and its sequel, Mary Poppins Returns (2018). A stage musical, created by Disney Theatrical and Sir Cameron Mackintosh, ran on Broadway from 2006 to 2013.
Five
On this day in 1945, Bockscar sealed a place in history. Who or what was Bockscar?
Answer: Boeing B-29 Superfortress
Bockscar, a Boeing B-29 Superfortress bomber, dropped the second nuclear weapon on Nagasaki during WWII. It was one of 15 Silverplate B-29s used by the 509th Composite Group.
A few questions related to events connected to today, August 9th.
One
On 9 August 1942, Dmitri Shostakovich’s 7th symphony premiered in a besieged city. Can you name that city?
Two
Construction of the campanile of the Cathedral of Pisa, also known as the Leaning Tower of Pisa, began on this day. In which century did this construction commence, and approximately how long did it take to complete?
Three
On 9 August 1936, at the Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany, Jesse Owens of the USA won his fourth gold medal of the games in the 4 x 100m sprint relay. He also won gold medals in the 100m dash and 200m sprint. In what other event did he win gold at these games?
Four
Born in Maryborough, Queensland, on 9 August 1899, this writer is best known for her Mary Poppins books. Who is she?
Five
On this day in 1945, Bockscar sealed a place in history. Who or what was Bockscar?
It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking…
The above quote is from the opening sentence of a dystopian novel published in 1949. Can you identify the missing number?
Answer: Thirteen
Nineteen Eighty-Four, a dystopian novel by George Orwell, examines the effects of totalitarianism, mass surveillance, and truth manipulation. Set in a future where Airstrip One is part of Oceania, the story portrays a society under the control of Big Brother and the Party’s Thought Police. Winston Smith, a Party member, attempts to rebel against the oppressive regime but is eventually captured, tortured, and forced to betray Julia, ultimately submitting to Big Brother.
Two
If the Fibonacci sequence starts with F0 = 0 and F1 = 1, what is F13 equal to?
Answer: 233
The Fibonacci sequence is a series of numbers in which each number (Fibonacci number) is the sum of the two preceding numbers. The simplest is the series 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, etc. In fiction they had a role to play in Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code.
F0
F1
F2
F3
F4
F5
F6
F7
0
1
1
2
3
5
8
13
F8
F9
F10
F11
F12
F13
F14
F15
21
34
55
89
144
233
377
610
Three
What birthday does Bilbo celebrate near the beginning of the novel The Fellowship of the Ring (1954) and the 2001 film adaptation?
Answer: 111th
The beginning of the first chapter in the book begins quite lightly, following on from The Hobbit which is more of a children’s story than The Lord of the Rings. It begins with Bilbo Baggins celebrating his 111th (or eleventy first, as it is called) birthday, on the same day that Frodo celebrates his 33rd birthday. (His ‘coming of age’) At the birthday party, Bilbo disappears after his speech, to the surprise of all. Frodo later learns about the ring which he had used to make himself invisible, and also to some of its darker powers. — Tolkien Gateway
Four
In what year was Donald J. Trump, the President of the United States, born?
Answer: 1946
Donald Trump (born June 14, 1946, New York, New York, U.S.) is the 45th and 47th president of the United States (2017–21; 2025– ). Following his inauguration on January 20, 2025, Trump became only the second president to serve two nonconsecutive terms, the first being Grover Cleveland (1885–89; 1893–97). In January 2025, upon his sentencing without punishment for a felony conviction in 2024, Trump officially became the first convicted felon to be elected president. At age 78, Trump is the oldest person to win the office. — Encyclopædia Britannica
Five
Ray Bradbury’s 1953 dystopian novel, Fahrenheit…, is missing a number from its title. What is it?
Answer: 451
Fahrenheit 451‘s title. The title page of the book explains the title as follows: Fahrenheit 451—The temperature at which book paper catches fire and burns…. On inquiring about the temperature at which paper would catch fire, Bradbury had been told that 451 °F (233 °C) was the autoignition temperature of paper. In various studies, scientists have placed the autoignition temperature at a range of temperatures between 424 and 475 °F (218 and 246 °C), depending on the type of paper.
Regular triskaidecagon or tridecagon, see #4. Image Wikipedia
The answers to my earlier post are shown below.
One
From which Asian language does the word ’jungle‘ originate?
Answer: Sanskrit (Hindi is a close second)
jungle /ˈdʒʌŋɡl / ▸ noun 1 an area of land overgrown with dense forest and tangled vegetation, typically in the tropics: we set off into the jungle [mass noun] the lakes are hidden in dense jungle.
a wild tangled mass of vegetation or other things: the garden was a jungle of bluebells.
a situation or place of bewildering complexity or brutal competitiveness: it’s a jungle out there.
2 [mass noun] (also jungle music) a style of dance music incorporating elements of ragga, hip-hop, and hard core and consisting of very fast electronic drum tracks and slower synthesized bass lines, originating in Britain in the early 1990s.
– PHRASES the law of the jungle the principle that those who are strong and apply ruthless self-interest will be most successful: power politics reflected the law of the jungle. – DERIVATIVES jungled adjective – ORIGIN late 18th century: via Hindi from Sanskrit jāṅgala ‘rough and arid (terrain)’. — Oxford English Dictionary
Two
A Scrabble board has how many squares to place tiles in?
Answer: 225
Scrabble, invented in 1931 by Alfred Mosher Butts, is a word game played on a 15×15 grid. Hasbro produces it in the US and Canada, while Mattel holds the rights for international production.
Three
In four English-speaking countries, a specific word is used to describe a particular capacity, ranging from as low as 237 millilitres to as much as 250 millilitres. What is this term?
Answer: Cup
A measure of capacity used in cooking. In the US and Canada it is equal to half a US pint, therefore 8 fluid ounces or 237 millilitres. In the UK it is 10 fluid ounces or 284 millilitres and Australia it is 250 millilitres.
Four
A triskaidecagon, or tridecagon, has how many sides?
Answer: Thirteen
In geometry, a tridecagon, also known as a triskaidecagon or 13-gon, is a thirteen-sided polygon, see image above.
Five
What ‘H’ is an alphabet containing the word ‘qoph’?
From which Asian language does the word ’jungle‘ originate?
Two
A Scrabble board has how many squares to place tiles in?
Three
In four English-speaking countries, a specific word is used to describe a particular capacity, ranging from as low as 237 millilitres to as much as 250 millilitres. What is this term?
Four
A triskaidecagon, or tridecagon, has how many sides?
Five
What ‘H’ is an alphabet containing the word ‘qoph’?
Colonel Paul Tibbets, in the B-29 he named Enola Gay, August 1945. Image Wikipedia
One
On 6 August 1945, the United States dropped an atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. Firstly, what was the name of the bomb, and secondly, what name did the pilot of the aircraft which dropped the bomb give to that aircraft?
Answer: Little Boy and Enola Gay
On this day in 1945, the United States dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, killing more than 70,000 people and destroying most of the city in an effort to hasten the end of World War II. The blast, caused by the atomic bomb Little Boy dropped by the U.S. B-29Enola Gay, resulted in around 70,000 instant deaths, with tens of thousands more dying in subsequent years from burns and radiation poisoning. The B-29 Superfortress Enola Gay was named after Enola Gay Tibbets by the pilot, her son, Colonel Paul Tibbets.
Two
Scottish bacteriologist Alexander Fleming, who was born on on the 6 August 1881, revolutionised antibiotics in 1928 with the discovery of…
Answer: Penicillin
Alexander Fleming, who was born on 6 August 1881 at Lochfield Farm, Darvel, Ayrshire, was a Scottish bacteriologist best known for discovering penicillin in 1928, which revolutionised antibiotics and earned him the Nobel Prize in 1945.
Three
This actor, who was born 6 August 1917, portrayed Sheriff J.P. Harrah in the 1966 western El Dorado and was Charles Shaughnessy in Ryan’s Daughter (1970). Who is he?
Answer: Robert Mitchum
Robert Mitchum, an American actor known for his antihero roles and film noir appearances, received numerous accolades including an Academy Award nomination and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He starred in numerous films, including Out of the Past and Cape Fear, and was praised by critics for his deep voice and weary eyes.
Four
The Old Man of Hoy, a 449-foot sea stack, was first climbed by three mountaineers including Chris Bonnington, born on 6 August 1934. This sea stack is located in which British archipelago?
Answer: Orkney
The Old Man of Hoy is a 449-foot sea stack on Hoy, in the Orkney archipelago, Scotland. Formed from Old Red Sandstone, it is popular with climbers and may soon collapse. It was first climbed in 1966 by mountaineers Chris Bonington, Rusty Baillie and Tom Patey.
Five
A poet born on this day in 1809, penned the lines quoted
Someone had blundered. Theirs not to make reply, Theirs not to reason why, Theirs but to do and die. Who was the poet and what poem are the lines from?
Answer: Alfred, Lord Tennyson and The Charge of the Light Brigade
Alfred Tennyson, 1st Baron Tennyson, was an English poet and Poet Laureate during Queen Victoria’s reign. He is known for his short lyrics, classical mythological themes, and blank verse, with many of his phrases becoming commonplace in the English language. The lines quoted were from The Charge of the Light Brigade which is a narrative poem by Tennyson (The full poem is shown bellow). It describes the Charge of the Light Brigade, a disastrous British cavalry attack against heavily defended Russian troops at the Battle of Balaklava in October 1854 during the Crimean War. The suicidal assault placed the British light horse brigade, commanded by the Earl of Cardigan, against a Russian infantry and cavalry defence supported by heavy artillery batteries that commanded three sides of a narrow valley.
I Half a league, half a league, Half a league onward, All in the valley of Death Rode the six hundred. “Forward, the Light Brigade! Charge for the guns!” he said. Into the valley of Death Rode the six hundred.
II “Forward, the Light Brigade!” Was there a man dismayed? Not though the soldier knew Someone had blundered. Theirs not to make reply, Theirs not to reason why, Theirs but to do and die. Into the valley of Death Rode the six hundred.
III Cannon to right of them, Cannon to left of them, Cannon in front of them Volleyed and thundered; Stormed at with shot and shell, Boldly they rode and well, Into the jaws of Death, Into the mouth of hell Rode the six hundred.
IV Flashed all their sabres bare, Flashed as they turned in air Sabring the gunners there, Charging an army, while All the world wondered. Plunged in the battery-smoke Right through the line they broke; Cossack and Russian Reeled from the sabre stroke Shattered and sundered. Then they rode back, but not Not the six hundred.
V Cannon to right of them, Cannon to left of them, Cannon behind them Volleyed and thundered; Stormed at with shot and shell, While horse and hero fell. They that had fought so well Came through the jaws of Death, Back from the mouth of hell, All that was left of them, Left of six hundred.
VI When can their glory fade? O the wild charge they made! All the world wondered. Honour the charge they made! Honour the Light Brigade, Noble six hundred!
On 6 August 1945, the United States dropped an atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. Firstly, what was the name of the bomb, and secondly, what name did the pilot of the aircraft which dropped the bomb give to that aircraft?
Two
Scottish bacteriologist Alexander Fleming, who was born on on the 6 August 1881, revolutionised antibiotics in 1928 with the discovery of…
Three
This actor, who was born 6 August 1917, portrayed Sheriff J.P. Harrah in the 1966 western El Dorado and was Charles Shaughnessy in Ryan’s Daughter (1970). Who is he?
Four
The Old Man of Hoy, a 449-foot sea stack, was first climbed by three mountaineers including Chris Bonnington, born on 6 August 1934. This sea stack is located in which British archipelago?
Five
A poet born on this day in 1809, penned the lines quoted
Someone had blundered. Theirs not to make reply, Theirs not to reason why, Theirs but to do and die.
Who was the poet and what poem are the lines from?
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