Quizology.Online

Category: Pursuit of the Trivial

  • Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?—Answers

    Here are the answers to the questions from my earlier post.

    United Nations flag.
    Image Wikipedia

    One

    Switzerland became a full member of the United Nations on this day. In what decade did this occur?

    Answer: Noughties (2000s)

    Switzerland, fearing for its neutrality status, did not join the United Nations when it was created in 1945. However, in 2002, after a referendum, it became the first country to join based on a popular vote.

    Two

    On 10 September, the United States defeated a British fleet at the Battle of Lake Erie. This battle took place during what war?

    Answer: War of 1812

    The Battle of Lake Erie, fought on 10 September 1813, saw the US Navy defeat the British Royal Navy, securing American control of the lake and enabling subsequent victories.

    Diana and Charles Ingram, 2006.
    Image Wikipedia

    Three

    Who was the former major from the British Army who won £1 million on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire on 10 September 2001, only to be later convicted of cheating and fraud?

    Answer: Charles Ingram

    In 2001, during his appearance on the British TV game show Who Wants to be a Millionaire? contestant Charles Ingram reached the £1 million top prize. However, it was later revealed that he had cheated by listening to coughs from his wife and another contestant. All three were later found guilty of procuring the execution of a valuable security by deception by a court of law.

    Four

    The last full-scale military confrontation between Scotland and England took place on 10 September 1547. What was the battle? Was it the Battle of Finger, Pinkie, or Thumb?

    Answer: Pinkie

    Henry VIII’s proposal for an alliance with Scotland through the marriage of his son to Queen Mary was rejected. After Henry’s death, the Duke of Somerset, ruling as Lord Protector, continued the ‘Rough Wooing’ with a military campaign, culminating in the Battle of Pinkie (or Pinkie Cleugh) on 10 September 1547. The English victory, with significant Scottish losses, led to the young Queen Mary being sent to France.

    View of the LHC tunnel sector 3-4.
    Image Wikipedia

    Five

    In a novel published in 2000, the theft of antimatter created by a device described by the BBC as “the world’s biggest science experiment” was an essential part the plot of the novel and subsequent film. What is the three-word name of the device, and what is the title of the novel and film?

    Answers: Large Hadron Collider and Angels & Demons

    The novel Angels & Demons, by Dan Brown, involves antimatter created at the LHC to be used in a weapon against the Vatican. In response, CERN published a “Fact or Fiction?” page discussing the accuracy of the book’s portrayal of the LHC, CERN, and particle physics in general. The movie version of the book has footage filmed on-site at one of the experiments at the LHC; the director, Ron Howard, met with CERN experts in an effort to make the science in the story more accurate
    — Wikipedia

  • Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?

    Some questions which are related to today, September 10th.

    United Nations flag.
    Image Wikipedia

    One

    Switzerland became a full member of the United Nations on 10 September. In what decade did this occur?

    Two

    On this day, the United States defeated a British fleet at the Battle of Lake Erie. This battle took place during what war?

    Three

    Who was the former major from the British Army who won £1 million on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire on 10 September 2001, only to be later convicted of cheating and fraud?

    Four

    The last full-scale military confrontation between Scotland and England took place on 10 September 1547. What was the battle? Was it the Battle of Finger, Pinkie, or Thumb?

    Five

    In a novel published in 2000, the theft of antimatter created by a device described by the BBC as “the world’s biggest science experiment” was an essential part the plot of the novel and subsequent film. What is the three-word name of the device, and what is the title of the novel and film?

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

  • Historical Truths (or are they?)—Answers

    Here are the answers to the questions from my earlier post.

    Bayeux Tapestry – Scenes 55 & 56 – Duke William lifts his helmet to be recognized on the battlefield of Hastings.
    Image Wikipedia

    One

    Is it true or false that William the Conqueror died of smallpox on 9 September 1092?

    Answer: True

    King William of England died on 9 September 1087 at Rouen, France, several weeks after being seriously injured at the Battle of Mantes. In July 1087, while fighting a counter-offensive against the French, the King fell against the pommel of his saddle, severely damaging his intestines.

    Two

    Is it true or false that Elvis Presley appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show for the first time on 9 September 1960?

    Answer: False

    Presley’s first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show was on 9 September 1956. He made two further appearances over the next four months, but he didn’t appear on the show again after his third appearance.

    Mary, Queen of Scots.
    Image Wikipedia

    Three

    Is it true that a Scottish monarch was crowned at the age of nine months on 9 September 1543? If so, who was the monarch?

    Answer: True. Mary, Queen of Scots

    Mary Stuart became queen at the tender age of six days old in December 1543 upon her father James V’s death. Crowned as Mary, Queen of Scots on 9 September 1543 in Stirling, she remained queen until her forced abdication on 24 July 1567.

    Four

    Is it true or false that on 9 September 1759, forty-seven nations adopted Sauchie Fraser’s proposal for a standard time and time zones?

    Answer: False

    On this date in 1885, twenty-five nations adopted Sanford Fleming’s  proposal for standard time and time zones. 

    Five

    Captain William Bligh FRS RN, born on 9 September 1754, is best known for being cast adrift from HMS Bounty. Is it true or false that between 1806 and 1808, he served as Governor of New South Wales?

    Answer: True

  • Historical Truths (or are they?)

    Here are some historical truths and falsehoods related to today, September 9th.

    Elvis Presley.
    Image Wikipedia

    One

    Is it true or false that William the Conqueror died of smallpox on 9 September 1092?

    Two

    Is it true or false that Elvis Presley appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show for the first time on 9 September 1960?

    Three

    Is it true or false that a Scottish monarch was crowned at the age of nine months on 9 September 1543? If so, who was the monarch?

    Four

    Is it true or false that on 9 September 1759, forty-seven nations adopted Sauchie Fraser’s proposal for a standard time and time zones?

    Five

    Captain William Bligh FRS RN, born on 9 September 1754, is best known for being cast adrift from HMS Bounty. Is it true or false that between 1806 and 1808, he served as Governor of New South Wales?

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

  • Long to Reign Over Us—Answers

    Queen Victoria.
    Image Wikipedia

    One

    On 8 September 2022, Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom passed away at Balmoral Castle in Scotland after reigning for 70 years. Her reign was the longest of any monarch in the United Kingdom. Is it true or false that in a list of the longest reigning monarchs within the UK, Queen Victoria would be placed second and George III, third?

    Answer: True

    Elizabeth II reigned for 70 years, 214 days, while Victoria reigned for 63 years, 216 days, and George III for 59 years, 96 days.

    George III.
    Image Wikipedia

    Two

    Is this true or false that The Great Herding was a historical event in medieval Scotland which began on 8 September annually?

    Answer: False

    The Great Herding, or El Gran Arreo, began in 1888 when five settlers, led by Henry Jamieson, moved thousands of sheep hundreds of kilometres to Santa Cruz, Argentina, to establish large sheep farms.

    Three

    Is it true or false that on 8 September 1941, German and Finnish troops began a siege that would last 872 days?

    Answer: True

    The siege of Leningrad, lasting two years, four months, and nineteen days from 1941 to 1944, was a devastating blockade by Germany and Finland. It is renowned as the most destructive siege in history. Although Leningrad was never captured, the intentional starvation of its civilians resulted in an estimated 1.5 million deaths.

    Michelangelo’s David.
    Image Wikipedia

    Four

    Is this true or false that on this day in 1644, Michelangelo’s David was unveiled in the Piazza della Signoria, in Milan.

    Answer: False

    1644 and Milan are incorrect. Michelangelo’s 5.17-metre marble statue, David, was created between 1501 and 1504. On 8 September 1504, it was unveiled in Piazza della Signoria, Florence. Originally intended for Florence Cathedral, David became a symbol of civil liberties and was moved to the Galleria dell’Accademia in 1873.

    The Man Trap (1966), Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner in Star Trek.
    Image IMDB

    Five

    Is it true or false that the first episode of Star Trek premiered on American television on 8 September 1970?

    Answer: False

    The Man Trap, the first episode of Star Trek had premiered on NBC some four years earlier on 8 September 1966. The Man Trap follows Captain Kirk and his crew as they visit an outpost and encounter a shapeshifting alien.

  • Long to Reign Over Us

    Today’s questions are related to today’s date, 8 September. The answers are either true or false.

    Elizabeth II, 1959.
    Image Wikipedia

    One

    On 8 September 2022, Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom passed away at Balmoral Castle in Scotland after reigning for 70 years. Her reign was the longest of any monarch in the United Kingdom. Is it true or false that in a list of the longest reigning monarchs within the UK, Queen Victoria would be placed second and George III, third?

    Two

    Is it true or false that The Great Herding was a historical event in medieval Scotland which began on 8 September annually?

    Three

    Is it true or false that on 8 September 1941, German and Finnish troops began a siege that would last 872 days?

    Four

    Is it true or false that on this day in 1644, Michelangelo’s David was unveiled in the Piazza della Signoria, in Milan?

    Five

    Is it true or false that the first episode of Star Trek premiered on American television on 8 September 1970?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • Good Queen Bess—Answers

    Edward VI by William Scrots.
    Image Wikipedia
    Mary by Hans Eworth, 1554.
    Image Wikipedia

    One

    England’s Elizabeth I was born on 7 September 1533, the daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. When she ascended the throne in 1558, she followed two siblings, whose regnal names were?

    Answers: Edward VI and Mary I

    Elizabeth I’s shrewdness, courage, and self-display inspired loyalty and unified England against foreign enemies. Her carefully crafted image as a symbol of the nation’s destiny, coupled with her authority to make critical decisions, defined the Elizabethan Age.

    Two

    Today marks the anniversary of ESPN’s debut on American television. In which decade did this event occur?

    Answer: Seventies (1970s)

    ESPN, founded in 1979 by Bill Rasmussen and his son Scott, revolutionised sports broadcasting. With backing from Getty Oil and later ABC, ESPN secured major sports contracts, including the NFL and NCAA football, establishing itself as a dominant force in the industry. Despite facing challenges in the 2010s, ESPN continues to evolve, launching streaming services and expanding its reach through partnerships and acquisitions.

    Napoleon I on the Borodino Heights, by Vasily Vereshchagin (1897).
    Image Wikipedia

    Three

    The armies of what two nations fought at the Battle of Borodino on 7 September 1812?

    Answer: France and Russia

    The Battle of Borodino, fought on 7 September 1812, was the bloodiest single day of the Napoleonic Wars. Despite a French victory, the Imperial Russian army retreated, leading to the French occupation of Moscow and the eventual failure of Napoleon’s invasion of Russia.

    Grandma Moses.
    Image Wikipedia

    Four

    Grandma Moses (Anna Mary Robertson Moses), born on this day in 1860, became internationally renowned as a painter of naïve folk art depicting rural life in the United States. Where was born: Greenwich, New York; Greenwich, Ohio; or Greenwich, Pennsylvania?

    Answer: Greenwich, New York

    Grandma Moses, an American folk artist, gained fame in her 70s for her paintings of rural life. Her work, characterised by simple realism and nostalgic atmosphere, has been widely exhibited and merchandised.
    Greenwich, New York, is a town in Washington County with a population of 4,868. It is part of the Glens Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area and has historical significance as part of the Underground Railroad.

    RMS Lusitania, possibly New York, c.1907.
    Image Wikipedia

    Five

    Launched on this day in 1907, what Cunard liner was named after an ancient Roman province on the Iberian Peninsula?

    Answer: Lusitania (RMS Lusitania)

    The ship’s name was inspired by Lusitania, an ancient Roman province located on the west coast of the Iberian Peninsula. This region is now known as southern Portugal and Extremadura, Spain. Lusitania was targeted by a German submarine, torpedoed and sunk with the loss of 1,193 lives in May 1915.

  • Good Queen Bess

    Elizabeth I of England, c.1575.
    Image Wikipedia

    One

    England’s Elizabeth I was born on 7 September 1533, the daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. When she ascended the throne in 1558, she followed two siblings, whose regnal names were?

    Two

    Today marks the anniversary of ESPN’s debut on American television. In which decade did this event occur?

    Three

    The armies of what two nations fought at the Battle of Borodino on 7 September 1812?

    Four

    Grandma Moses (Anna Mary Robertson Moses), born on this day in 1860, became internationally renowned as a painter of naïve folk art depicting rural life in the United States. Where was born: Greenwich, New York; Greenwich, Ohio; or Greenwich, Pennsylvania?

    Answer: RMS Lusitania

    The ship’s name was inspired by Lusitania, an ancient Roman province located on the west coast of the Iberian Peninsula. This region is now known as southern Portugal and Extremadura, Spain. Lusitania was targeted by a German submarine, torpedoed and sunk with the loss of 1,193 lives in May 1915.

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

  • Round the World—Answers

    Here are the answers to the questions from my earlier post.

    V2-Rocket in the Peenemünde Museum.
    Image Wikipedia

    One

    On 6 September 1944, Nazi Germany launched the first V-2 rocket, a precursor to modern long-range missiles. What city was the target of this inaugural launch?

    Answer: Paris

    [The first] was fired against Paris on September 6, 1944. Two days later the first of more than 1,100 V-2s was fired against Great Britain (the last on March 27, 1945). Belgium was also heavily bombarded. About 5,000 people died in V-2 attacks, and it is estimated that at least 10,000 prisoners from the Mittelbau-Dora concentration camp died when used as forced labour in building V-2s at the underground Mittelwerk factory. After the war, both the United States and the Soviet Union captured large numbers of V-2s and used them in research that led to the development of their missile and space exploration programs.

    — Encyclopædia Britannica

    Joseph Kenney, United States Ambassador to the Court of St James’s.
    Image Wikipedia

    Two

    Joseph Kennedy Sr. was born on 6 September 1888. He was the father of the Kennedy dynasty, which included John F. Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy. He was appointed as the US Ambassador to the United Kingdom but what is the formal name for that post: US Ambassador to the…?

    Answer: US Ambassador to the Court of St. James’s

    The Court of St James’s serves as the official royal court for the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. It formally receives all ambassadors accredited to the UK and, conversely, ambassadors representing the UK are formally accredited from this court. It is named after St James’s Palace, the most senior of Britain’s royal palaces.

    Three

    On 6 September 957, Liudolf, the Duke of Swabia and son of the Holy Roman emperor Otto I, passed away. Today, the area known as the Duchy of Swabia is located in which modern country?

    Answer: Germany

    Swabia is a cultural and linguistic region in southwestern Germany, roughly coinciding with the Swabian Circle of the Holy Roman Empire. Swabians, natives of Swabia and speakers of Swabian German, numbered close to 800,000 as of 2006.

    William McKinley, President of the United States.
    Image Encyclopædia Britannica

    Four

    On 6 September, Leon Czolgosz shot a US president. Who was the president?

    Answer: William McKinley

    On 6 September 1901, President McKinley was attending the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York, when he was shot twice in the chest and abdomen by Leon Czolgosz, an anarchist. He lingered for a week before succumbing to his injuries on 14 September, when Theodore Roosevelt succeeded him.

    Victoria, the sole ship of Magellan’s fleet to complete the circumnavigation. Detail from a map by Ortelius, 1590.
    Image Wikipedia

    Five

    The Victoria, the first known ship to circumnavigate the world returned to Spain on 6 September. In which decade did this event occur?

    Answer: 1520s

    On 6 September 1522, the Victoria, the only surviving ship of Ferdinand Magellan’s expedition, completed the circumnavigation of the world and arrived at Sanlúcar de Barrameda, Spain. Of the 270 men who had set sail on the expedition on 20 September 1519, only 18 or 19 survived. Magellan had been killed approximately 18 months earlier.

  • Round the World

    V2-Rocket in the Peenemünde Museum.
    Image Wikipedia

    One

    On 6 September 1944, Nazi Germany launched the first V-2 rocket, a precursor to modern long-range missiles. What city was the target of this inaugural launch?

    Two

    Joseph Kennedy Sr. was born on 6 September 1888. He was the father of the Kennedy dynasty, which included John F. Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy. He was appointed as the US Ambassador to the United Kingdom but what is the formal name for that post: US Ambassador to the…?

    Three

    On 6 September 957, Liudolf, the Duke of Swabia and son of the Holy Roman emperor Otto I, passed away. Today, the area known as the Duchy of Swabia is located in which modern country?

    Four

    On 6 September, Leon Czolgosz shot a US president. Who was the president?

    Five

    The Victoria, the first known ship to circumnavigate the world returned to Spain on 6 September. In which decade did this event occur?

    Good luck! As usual I will post the answers later today.