In what decade was the first science fiction television programme broadcast?
Two
On this day in 1929, a treaty was signed recognising papal sovereignty over Vatican City. What was the treaty’s name and who was the Italian signatory?
Three
Today marks the traditional date for Jimmu’s founding of which country’s empire in 660 BCE?
Four
In 1858, 14-year-old Mademoiselle Soubirous had visions of the Virgin Mary. Where did this occur, and what was Mademoiselle Soubirous’s first name?
Five
On this date, and in what year did the World Health Organisation officially name the coronavirus outbreak COVID-19? And up to February 2026, to the nearest million, how many people have died from COVID-19?
Panthera uncia, native to Central and South Asia, inhabits mountain ranges like the Altai, Hindu Kush, and Himalayas. What is its name in English and by what other name, which could be confused with a measure, was it known?
Answer: Snow leopard; ounce.
The snow leopard (Panthera uncia) is a large cat native to Central and South Asia’s mountain ranges. It is listed as Vulnerable due to poaching and habitat destruction, with fewer than 10,000 mature individuals remaining. The snow leopard is legally protected in most of its range and is culturally significant in Kyrgyzstan.
Two
The acronym SONAR means what?
Answer: Sound navigation and ranging. (SO(und) NA(vigation and) R(anging).
The name of a 2003 Grammy Award winner and the title of a short story by Edgar Allan Poe published in 1839 are linked by a single word. Can you supply the word and the full title of Poe’s short story?
Answer: Usher; The Fall of the House of Usher.
Edgar Allan Poe’s Gothic fiction short story, The Fall of the House of Usher, delves into themes of madness, family and isolation. In 2003, Usher won his second consecutive Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for U Don’t Have to Call.
Four
What was the name of Captain Robert Falcon Scott’s ship during his ill-fated Antarctic expedition?
Answer: Terra Nova.
The Terra Nova Expedition, led by Captain Robert Falcon Scott, aimed to reach the South Pole and conduct scientific research. Although they achieved this goal on January 17, 1912, they arrived second—a month after Amundsen. Scott and his team tragically died on the Ross Ice Shelf during their return journey, leading to debate about the expedition’s organisation and management.
Five
In December 1969, on a television programme, a Norwegian Blue was purchased, and then an attempt was made to return it. What was the name that this sketch is known by, and in what TV programme was it featured?
The ‘Dead Parrot sketch’ from Monty Python’s Flying Circus satirises poor customer service. It features a customer, Mr Praline, arguing with a shopkeeper about a dead parrot. Mr Praline complains about a deceased parrot he bought. The shopkeeper, using euphemisms for death, sends him to his brother’s shop in Bolton for a refund, but Praline discovers it’s the same shop. The shopkeeper, claiming it’s a prank, is interrupted by a Colonel who orders the sketch to stop.
Panthera uncia, native to Central and South Asia, inhabits mountain ranges like the Altai, Hindu Kush, and Himalayas. What is its name in English and by what other name, which could be confused with a measure, was it known?
Two
The acronym SONAR means what?
Three
The name of a 2003 Grammy Award winner and the title of a short story by Edgar Allan Poe published in 1839 are linked by a single word. Can you supply the word and the full title of Poe’s short story?
Four
What was the name of Captain Robert Falcon Scott’s ship during his ill-fated Antarctic expedition?
Five
In December 1969, on a television programme, a Norwegian Blue was purchased, and then an attempt was made to return it. What was the name that this sketch is known by, and in what TV programme was it featured?
Born in 1909, this Hollywood star made her film debut in Down Argentine Way alongside Don Ameche and Betty Grable. Who was she and where was she born?
Answer: Carmen Miranda; Portugal
Carmen Miranda, a Portuguese-born Brazilian singer, dancer and actress, gained fame in Brazil as a samba dancer. She became a Hollywood star in the 1940s, known for her exotic image and fruit-hat outfits, and popularised Brazilian music and Latin culture in the United States. Despite her success, she struggled with the stereotypical ‘Brazilian Bombshell’ image and later focused on nightclub appearances and television.
Two
On this day in 1893, Giuseppe Verdi’s final opera premiered at La Scala in Milan. What was its title?
Answer: Falstaff.
Giuseppe Verdi’s comic opera Falstaff is based on Shakespeare’s The Merry Wives of Windsor and incorporates scenes from Henry IV, Part 1 and Part 2. While not as popular as his earlier works, it’s now a staple of the operatic repertoire, championed by conductors like Toscanini, Karajan, Solti and Bernstein. Following its first performance, Verdi made numerous changes to the music resulting in a somewhat fluid score.
Three
On this day in what year was the Davis Cup established and which teams competed in the inaugural tournament?
Answer: 1900; USA and Great Britain (or British Isles*).
Davis Cup began in 1900 as a competition between USA and Great Britain. It’s now the world’s largest annual international team competition in sport, with 157 nations entering in 2025. — Davis Cup
*Some sources, for example Encyclopædia Britannica, list the first competition to have been between the USA and the British Isles; others, such as the official competition website, show Great Britain.
Four
Born in 1940, this novelist is the first writer to win the Booker Prize twice – in 1983 and 1999. His first win was for Life & Times of Michael K and his second for Disgrace. He’s also the second writer from his nationality, after Nadine Gordimer, to win the Nobel Prize for Literature. Who is he, and what is his nationality?
Answer: J.M. Coetzee; South African.
J.M. Coetzee, a South African-Australian author, is a Nobel Prize winner and recipient of numerous literary awards. He was born in Cape Town but now resides in Adelaide, South Australia.
Five
Who, born in New York City in 1942, was the most successful female songwriter on the UK singles charts from 1962 to 2005?
Answer: Carole King
Carole King is an American singer-songwriter and musician. She wrote or co-wrote numerous hit songs and achieved success as a solo performer, releasing 25 albums and selling over 75 million records worldwide. Today’s post title refers to her song Hard Rock Café from her 1977 album Simple Things.
Born in 1909, this Hollywood star made her film debut in Down Argentine Way alongside Don Ameche and Betty Grable. Who was she and where was she born?
Two
On this day in 1893, Giuseppe Verdi’s final opera premiered at La Scala in Milan. What was its title?
Three
On this day in what year was the Davis Cup established and which teams competed in the inaugural tournament?
Four
Born in 1940, this novelist is the first writer to win the Booker Prize twice – in 1983 and 1999. His first win was for Life & Times of Michael K and his second for Disgrace. He’s also the second writer from his nationality, after Nadine Gordimer, to win the Nobel Prize for Literature. Who is he, and what is his nationality?
Five
Who, born in New York City in 1942, was the most successful female songwriter on the UK singles charts from 1962 to 2005?
The US space station launched in 1973 and operational until 1974 ceased operations on this date. What was its name and how many weeks was it occupied?
Answer: Skylab; 24 weeks.
Skylab, the first U.S. space station, was launched in 1973 and constructed from a repurposed Saturn V stage. It hosted three crews for missions lasting 28, 59, and 84 days, conducting research on human adaptation to space, solar studies, and Earth observations. Skylab’s use came to an end after 171 days and it disintegrated in 1979 due to faster-than-expected orbital decay resulting in debris coming down in the Indian Ocean and Western Australia.
Two
Who was executed on this date in 1587, as a suspect in the Babington Plot to murder England’s Queen Elizabeth I?
Answer: Mary, Queen of Scots.
Mary, Queen of Scots, was executed at Fotheringhay Castle, England. Her execution was notoriously botched, requiring multiple blows to sever her head. Despite appearing uninvolved, Elizabeth I faced significant backlash for the event and refused Mary’s request for a Catholic burial. A controversial figure throughout her life, she remains the subject of historical debate and public fascination.
Three
What film, which premiered in 1915, was hailed for its technical and dramatic innovations but condemned for its overt racism and positive portrayal of the Ku Klux Klan?
Answer: The Birth of a Nation.
The Birth of a Nation (1915), a silent film starring Lillian Gish, was a groundbreaking Hollywood blockbuster. While praised for its technical and dramatic innovations, it was also criticised for its racist portrayal of the Ku Klux Klan.
Four
In what decade did Sandford Fleming propose at the Royal Canadian Institute the adoption of Universal Standard Time?
Answer: 1870s.
In 1879, Fleming proposed a single 24-hour clock for the world, with 24 time zones based on the Greenwich meridian. His system, initially linked to the Greenwich meridian, was later revised to use the anti-meridian. Although the International Meridian Conference adopted the Greenwich Meridian, it rejected Fleming’s time zones.
Five
In the biographical film Iris, both Kate Winslet and Judith Dench portrayed the title character. Who was the real Iris?
Answer: Iris Murdoch.
Iris Murdoch (1919-1999) was a British novelist and philosopher known for her psychological novels with philosophical and comic elements. Her works, characterised by convoluted plots and realistic observations of 20th-century life, explore the influence of the unconscious mind and societal forces on human behaviour. Murdoch’s novels, plays, verse and philosophical works continue to be celebrated for their intelligence, wit, and high seriousness.
The US space station launched in 1973 and operational until 1974 ceased operations on this date. What was its name and how many weeks was it occupied?
Two
Who was executed on this date in 1587, as a suspect in the Babington Plot to murder England’s Queen Elizabeth I?
Three
What film, which premiered in 1915, was hailed for its technical and dramatic innovations but condemned for its overt racism and positive portrayal of the Ku Klux Klan?
Four
In what decade did Sandford Fleming propose at the Royal Canadian Institute the adoption of Universal Standard Time?
Five
In the biographical film Iris, both Kate Winslet and Judith Dench portrayed the title character. Who was the real Iris?
Here are the answers to the questions i posted earlier.
These questions all relate to today’s date, February 5th. Each question has a year or decade as the first part of the answer, followed by a supplementary question.
Cartoon depicting Leopold II and other imperial powers at the Berlin Conference of 1884. Image Wikimedia Commons
One
In what decade did a European monarch establish the Congo Free State in West Africa? Who was the monarch, and what was the European country?
Answer: 1880s; Leopold II and Belgium
Belgian King Leopold II established the Congo Free State in 1885, seizing the land as his personal possession. His brutal reign, characterised by forced labour and widespread atrocities, led to international condemnation and the eventual transfer of control to Belgium in 1908.
Two
On this day in what year did Apollo 14 land on the Moon, and name any one of the three astronauts who flew on that mission or all three if you can?
Answer: 1971; Alan B. Shepard Jr., Stuart A. Roosa or Edgar D. Mitchell
Apollo 14, the third lunar landing, successfully landed in the Fra Mauro formation after overcoming malfunctions. Shepard and Mitchell collected Moon rocks and deployed experiments, while Roosa orbited the Moon.
Three
On this day, the New Hermitage Museum opened in Russia. In what decade did it open, and what—at that time—was the name of the city it is located in?
Answer: 1850s; Saint Petersburg
The New Hermitage Museum, part of the larger Hermitage Museum complex in St. Petersburg, was reconstructed between 1840 and 1852 and opened to the public in 1852. The museum is housed within five interconnected buildings, including the Winter Palace and the Small, Old and New Hermitages. The city was founded by Peter the Great in 1703 and named St. Petersburg, which it stayed until 1914 when it became Petrograd to reflect Russian patriotism during World War I by avoiding the German-sounding ‘Petersburg’. In 1924, the name changed to Leningrad in honour of Vladimir Lenin after his death, which it was until 1991 when the city’s population voted to return to the original name.
Four
United Artists, the American film production company, was founded on this day in what decade? Secondly, name any two of the four founders?
Answer: 1910s; Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks and D. W. Griffith.
United Artists, founded in 1919, was established to allow actors more control over their own affairs. It was acquired by MGM in 1981 and later revived as United Artists Releasing in 2019. However, Amazon, MGM’s parent company, folded UAR into MGM in 2023. On 26 July 2024, Amazon MGM Studios announced the company’s revival.
Five
The creation of the first synthetic plastic was announced on this date. In what decade was this announcement made, and what was the name of this synthetic plastic?
Answer: 1900s; Bakelite
Leo Hendrik Baekeland, a Belgian chemist, invented Velox photographic paper and Bakelite, a versatile plastic, earning him the title ‘The Father of the Plastics Industry’. Bakelite, developed in 1907, became a commercial success due to its mouldability, heat resistance, and electrical nonconductivity. Its creation revolutionised the chemical industry and inspired the development of other synthetic plastics.
These questions all relate to today’s date, February 5th. Each question has a year or decade as the first part of the answer, followed by a supplementary question.
Contemporary cartoon. Image Wikimedia Commons
One
In what decade did a European monarch establish the Congo Free State in West Africa? Who was the monarch, and what was the European country?
Two
On this day in what year did Apollo 14 land on the Moon, and name any one of the three astronauts who flew on that mission or all three if you can?
Three
On this day, the New Hermitage Museum opened in Russia. In what decade did it open, and what—at that time—was the name of the city it is located in?
Four
United Artists, the American film production company, was founded on this day in what decade? Secondly, name any two of the four founders?
Five
The creation of the first synthetic plastic was announced on this date. In what decade was this announcement made, and what was the name of this synthetic plastic?
A German composer who was born this day in 1809 wrote an 1830 overture which has been credited with popularising Fingal’s Cave as a tourist destination. Who was the composer, and in what country is the cave located?
Answer: Felix Mendelssohn; Scotland.
Fingal’s Cave, popularised by Mendelssohn’s overture, inspired many 19th-century artists and writers, including Verne, Wordsworth, Keats, and Turner, and more recently Pink Floyd. Its unique basalt columns and echoing chambers captivated visitors like Sir Walter Scott and Queen Victoria. The cave continues to inspire modern artists, featuring in films and exhibitions.
Two
In a Beatles’ song, the lyrics in verses I and III respectively mention a barber showing photographs and a fireman with an hourglass. Where are these characters located?
Answer: Penny Lane.
Penny Lane, a Beatles song written by Paul McCartney and John Lennon, was inspired by a Liverpool street familiar to both. The song, evoking nostalgic childhood memories, was released in 1967 and topped the US Billboard Hot 100.
Three
An unexpected pairing led to this 1987 song, which has been described as ‘a spectacular blend of rock and opera, celebrating both the city of __ and the Olympic spirit with its grandiose composition’. What is both the name of the city and the song; and what are the names of the rock legend and world-famous soprano who formed the pairing?
Answer: Barcelona; Freddie Mercury and Montserrat Caballé
Freddie Mercury and Montserrat Caballé’s iconic song Barcelona was performed at the 1992 Olympics opening ceremony a year after Mercury’s death. The song, a collaboration between the rock legend and the operatic soprano, was recorded in 1987 and became a hit single. Mercury’s love for opera and his admiration for Caballé led to this memorable musical pairing.
Four
What place is in the title of a 1938 novel by Graham Greene and a 1974 song by Queen?
Answer: Brighton.
Both are set in Brighton, England. Brighton Rock is the title of both Greene’s novel and Queen’s song. Queen’s song, written by Brian May in 1973, features a famous guitar solo and was on the 1974 album Sheer Heart Attack. It gained renewed popularity after being featured in the 2017 film Baby Driver. Graham Greene’s 1938 novel is a murder thriller set in Brighton. It explores moral issues, class privilege, and evil.
Five
Sinfonia Antartica, which premiered in 1953 incorporated music from the 1948 film Scott of the Antarctic. Who composed Sinfonia Antartica?
Answer: Ralph Vaughan Williams.
Vaughan Williams composed his Seventh Symphony, Sinfonia Antartica, inspired by the musical score he had written for the film Scott of the Antarctic depicting Robert Falcon Scott’s ill-fated 1912 Terra Nova Expedition to the South Pole. The film, shot in Technicolour, follows Scott’s fundraising efforts, the expedition’s journey, and the tragic deaths of Scott and his team on their return journey from the pole.
