Tag: environment

Random Numbers | Answers

The answers to my earlier post are shown below.

One

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.

F0F1F2F3F4F5F6F7
011235813
F8F9F10F11F12F13F14F15
21345589144233377610

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.

— Wikipedia

Voyage of Discovery | Answers

The answers to the questions I posted earlier are shown in bold below.

Flag of Brazil.
Image Wikipedia
  1. On 22 April 1500, Pedro Álvares Cabral, a Portuguese navigator, is credited as the first European to reach…
    • Brazil—Portuguese explorer Pedro Álvares Cabral sighted the mainland of South America near the present-day city of Pôrto Seguro, Brazil.
      Blue Marble photograph taken by the crew of Apollo 17.
      Image NASA/Wikipedia
  2. Earth Day was first celebrated today in…
    • 1970—Earth Day, celebrated annually on 22 April, is a global event that honours environmental achievements and promotes sustainability. It originated in the US in 1970, organised by Gaylord Nelson and Denis Hayes, involving 20 million Americans and leading to significant environmental legislation. Today, it is observed worldwide with various activities addressing environmental concerns like climate change, involving a billion people in over 193 countries, with notable milestones such as the signing of the Paris Agreement in 2016.
      The First German Gas Attack at Ypres by William Roberts.
      Image Wikipedia
  3. Where was modern chemical warfare initiated on 22 April 1915?
    • Belgium—Chemical weapons have a long history, dating back to ancient times when warring forces poisoned water supplies. However, they became true weapons of mass destruction during World War I with the introduction of modern chemical warfare by the German army by launching a chlorine attack at Ypres, Belgium, on 22 April 1915, killing 5,000 French and Algerian troops.
      Vladimir Nabokov.
      Image Wikipedia
  4. All of these Americans were born on 22 April, but who was born first?
    • Vladimir Nabokov, author—was born in 1899; Oppenheimer, 1904, and Nicholson, 1937. Vladimir Nabokov, a Russian-born American novelist and critic, wrote in both Russian and English, achieving international acclaim for his English-language works such as Lolita and Pale Fire.
      Hernán Cortés.
      Image Wikipedia
  5. On this day in 1519, a Spanish conquistador established a settlement at Veracruz, Mexico. Who was he?
    • Hernán Cortés—a Spanish conquistador, led an expedition from 1519 to 1521 that overthrew the Aztec Empire in Mexico, bringing much of mainland Mexico under Spanish rule. He strategically allied with local tribes, particularly the Tlaxcaltecs, who resented Aztec dominance, and used a native interpreter to aid his efforts. Despite defying orders from the governor of Cuba, Cortés’s leadership and the Aztecs’ internal conflicts resulted in the conquest of Tenochtitlán in 1521. For his achievements, he was awarded the title of marqués del Valle de Oaxaca.

Voyage of Discovery

Here are a few questions relating to today, 22 April.

Pedro Álvares Cabral.
Image Wikipedia
  1. On 22 April 1500, Pedro Álvares Cabral, a Portuguese navigator, is credited as the first European to reach…
    • Brazil
    • Mozambique
    • Sri Lanka
  2. Earth Day was first celebrated today in…
    • 1970
    • 1980
    • 1990
  3. Where was modern chemical warfare initiated on 22 April 1915?
    • Belgium
    • Egypt
    • Syria
  4. All of these Americans were born on 22 April, but who was born first?
    • Vladimir Nabokov, author
    • Jack Nicholson, actor
    • J. Robert Oppenheimer, physicist
  5. On this day in 1519, a Spanish conquistador established a settlement at Veracruz, Mexico. Who was he?
    • Eugenio Cajés
    • Hernán Cortés
    • Antonio Cortis

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

Bombshell Birthdays, Trashy Climbers and Hockey Hooligans!—Answers

Jean Harlow.
Image Wikipedia
  1. Jean Harlow—Jean Harlow, born Harlean Carpenter in 1911, was the quintessential blonde bombshell of Hollywood’s golden age. Rising to fame during the 1930s, she captivated audiences with her vivacious personality, striking platinum hair, and undeniable talent. Harlow’s career was marked by standout performances in films like Hell’s Angels and Red Dust, where she showcased her comedic timing and magnetic screen presence. Despite her glamorous image, she was known for her down-to-earth nature and warmth. Tragically, Harlow’s life was cut short at the age of 26 due to kidney failure, but her legacy as a pioneering Hollywood icon endures.
    Looking north to Mount Everest.
    Image Wikipedia
  2. 8 kg (17.6 lb)—Nepal’s tourism authority announced a new rule requiring climbers of Mount Everest to return with 8kg (17.6lb) of trash more than they produced during their ascent. This measure aims to address the estimated 50 tons of discarded items left on the mountain.
    Alexander Graham Bell, c1914-1919.
    Image Wikipedia
  3. Edinburgh, Scotland—Alexander Graham Bell, born in Edinburgh, Scotland, was an American inventor and scientist celebrated for his revolutionary contributions to communication. He invented the telephone in 1876 and the phonograph in 1886. Bell’s inventive genius is showcased by 18 patents in his name and 12 shared with collaborators. His patents include 14 for the telephone and telegraph, four for the photophone, one for the phonograph, five for aerial vehicles, four for hydroairplanes, and two for selenium cells. Bell’s work transformed the world by enhancing communication methods.
    Flag, which flew over Fort McHenry following the Battle of Baltimore in the War of 1812, is said to have inspired Francis Scott Key.
    Image Wikipedia
  4. 1931—The Star-Spangled Banner is the national anthem of the United States, penned by Francis Scott Key during the War of 1812. Key, an American lawyer, wrote the lyrics after witnessing the British bombardment of Fort McHenry in Baltimore, Maryland, during the Battle of Baltimore. Captivated by the sight of the American flag, the Star-Spangled Banner, still flying over the fort at dawn, he poetically immortalised the resilience and spirit of the American people. The anthem’s stirring words and vivid imagery have since become a symbol of national pride. In 1931, the United States Congress officially designated it as the national anthem.
    Composite photo of 1893 hockey game at the Victoria Skating Rink in Montreal; photo in collection of McCord Museum.
    Image Wikipedia
  5. Montreal—The first recorded public indoor ice hockey game, played in Montreal’s Victoria Skating Rink in 1875, involved two teams of McGill University students. The game’s reputation for violence was already evident as shown by The Daily British Whig of Kingston, Ontario, which reported, the match was marked by “shins and heads being battered, benches smashed, and lady spectators fleeing in confusion.” The McGill University Hockey Club, the first organised team, was formed in 1877; it codified the rules of the game and limited the number of players on each side to nine.

Bombshell Birthdays, Trashy Climbers and Hockey Hooligans!

Marilyn Monroe, 1954.
Image Wikipedia

All of the following are connected to 3 March.

  1. An actress born on 3 March 1911 was, according to Encyclopædia Britannica, the original ‘blonde bombshell’; who was she?
    • Jean Harlow
    • Fay Wray
    • Mae West
    Everest Base Camp.
    Image Wikipedia
  2. On this day in 2014, Nepal implemented a system requiring climbers of Mount Everest to return ___ of trash more than they produced during their ascent and descent. Which of these is missing from the previous sentence?
    • 4 kg (8.8 lb)
    • 6 kg (13.2 lb)
    • 8 kg (17.6 lb)
  3. Alexander Graham Bell, inventor and scientist, best known for the invention of the telephone, was born on 3 March 1847. Where was he born?
    • Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, Canada
    • Edinburgh, Scotland
    • Isle of Skye, Scotland
    Flag, which flew over Fort McHenry following the Battle of Baltimore in the War of 1812, is said to have inspired Francis Scott Key.
    Image Wikipedia
  4. The Star-Spangled Banner, written by Francis Scott Key during the War of 1812, was officially adopted by an act of Congress as the official national anthem of the United States on this day in…
    • 1853
    • 1892
    • 1931
  5. The first recorded public indoor ice hockey game took place today in 1875. It was played in the Canadian city of…
    • Montreal
    • Quebec
    • Vancouver

Good luck! The answers will be posted later today.