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?
British novelist Charles Dickens was born on this day in 1812. But what does the word ‘Dickens’ refer to in the phrase ‘What the dickens’?
Answer: Devil.
dickens /ˈdɪkɪnz / noun [in singular] informal, dated used for emphasis, or to express annoyance or surprise when asking questions: what the dickens is going on? they work like the dickens. – ORIGIN late 16th century: a euphemism for ‘devil’, probably a use of the surname Dickens. — Oxford English Dictionary
Two
After the death of King Hussein in 1999, his son Abdullah II became king in what country, and what countries border it?
Answer: Jordan; (bordering countries are) Iraq, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Syria, West Bank.
Syria is to the north; Iraq to the east; Saudi Arabia to the southeast and south; Israel to the west; and the West Bank to the west. There is also a maritime border with Egypt on the Gulf of Aqaba to the south.
Three
On this day, Michael Romanov became Tsar of Russia as Michael I and founded the Romanov dynasty. In what century was it founded? In what year did it end, and who was the last Tsar?
Answer: 17th century. 1917 and Nicholas II
Michael Romanov, elected Tsar of Russia in 1613 at age 16, initially relied on his mother’s relatives to restore order. His father, Philaret, returned from Polish captivity in 1619, becoming co-ruler and patriarch, and significantly influencing the government until his death in 1633. Michael’s reign (1613-1645) saw increased European contact, financial reforms, and the strengthening of serfdom. The dynasty ended with the Russian Revolution of 1917 when Nicholas II abdicated and, with his family, was later executed.
Four
The Beatles arrived in the United States for the first time on this day in 1964 in what the press named the ‘British Invasion’. What single gave the Beatles their first Billboard Hot 100 number one?
Answer: I Want to Hold Your Hand.
It became the Beatles’ first US number-one single when it topped the Billboard Hot 100 in February 1964, kicking off full-blown Beatlemania in America. They held the number one spot for a then-record fourteen straight weeks, from February 1st through May 2nd, and on April 4th, the Beatles held the top five positions in the Hot 100 simultaneously.
Five
Walt Disney’s Pinocchio premiered in 1940. Who wrote the novel it was based on?
Answer: Carlo Collodi.
Pinocchio, a 1940 Disney animated film, follows the adventures of a wooden puppet who becomes a real boy. The film is renowned for its animation, storytelling, and music. The film won two Academy Awards: Best Original Score and Best Original Song for When You Wish Upon a Star. This made it the first Disney film to win either category.
British novelist Charles Dickens was born on this day in 1812. But what does the word ‘Dickens’ refer to in the phrase ‘What the dickens’?
Two
After the death of King Hussein in 1999, his son Abdullah II became king in what country, and what countries border it?
Three
On this day, Michael Romanov became Tsar of Russia as Michael I and founded the Romanov dynasty. In what century was it founded? In what year did it end, and who was the last Tsar?
Four
The Beatles arrived in the United States for the first time on this day in 1964 in what the press named the ‘British Invasion’. What single gave the Beatles their first Billboard Hot 100 number one?
Five
Walt Disney’s Pinocchio premiered in 1940. Who wrote the novel it was based on?
An American actor and politician born in Tampico, Illinois, in 1911. After Eureka College, he became a radio sports broadcaster in Iowa. He was actively involved with labour unions before getting into politics. He died in 2004. Who is he?
Answer: Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan, the 40th President of the United States, served from 1981 to 1989. His presidency was marked by significant economic policies, including tax cuts and increased defence spending, known as ‘Reaganomics’. While proponents highlight his accomplishments in economic growth and ending the Cold War, opponents criticise his policies for increasing the national debt and cutting social services.
Two
In 1694, Dandara, the warrior queen and leader of the runaway slaves Quilombo dos Palmares in Brazil, was captured and chose suicide over a return to slavery. What English seven-letter word, derived from Spanish cimarrón meaning ‘wild’, did European slavers use to describe these escaped slaves?
Answer: Maroons
In Brazil the Africans set up settlements known as Quilombos. The most famous of such settlements was Quilombo dos Palmares, in the northeastern part of Brazil. It functioned successfully as an independent republic of the maroons in the 17th century, following an African pattern of social organization. At its apex, it was the home and refuge of some 20,000 African men, women, and children who had managed to escape the dreadful experience of plantation life. — Encyclopædia Britannica
Three
In the mid-20th century, this person became ruler on the death of their father, who himself had not expected to hold the post. They remained in this role for an astonishing 25,782 days?
Answer: Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom.
Her father, George VI, came to the throne on the abdication of his brother Edward VIII. Elizabeth II, Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms, reigned for 70 years and 214 days, the longest of any British monarch. Born in 1926, she became queen in 1952 and witnessed significant political changes, including the UK’s accession and withdrawal from the European Communities. Despite occasional republican sentiment and media criticism, her popularity remained high throughout her reign.
Four
Born in Munich, Germany, in 1912, this woman met in 1929 the man who became Chancellor of Germany a few years later. She married him in 1945. She died in Berlin, Germany, aged 33. Who was she?
Answer: Eva Braun
Eva Braun, was Adolf Hitler’s longtime companion and briefly his wife. She lived with him from 1930 until their deaths in 1945, when they died by suicide in the Führerbunker as the war ended.
Five
This monarch ruled England, Scotland and Ireland from 1702 to 1707 and then Great Britain and Ireland until their death in 1714, which marked the end of a dynasty. Who was this monarch?
Answer: Queen Anne.
The Union of the Crowns in 1707 united the Kingdoms of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain. Anne, the last Stuart monarch, ruled Great Britain and Ireland from 1702 to 1714. She favoured moderate Tory politicians and experienced estrangement from her sister Mary and friend Sarah Churchill. Despite 17 pregnancies, Anne died childless, marking the end of the House of Stuart and leading to the succession of George I of the House of Hanover.
An American actor and politician born in Tampico, Illinois, in 1911. After Eureka College, he became a radio sports broadcaster in Iowa. He was actively involved with labour unions before getting into politics. He died in 2004. Who is he?
Two
In 1694, Dandara, the warrior queen and leader of the runaway slaves Quilombo dos Palmares in Brazil, was captured and chose suicide over a return to slavery. What English seven-letter word, derived from Spanish cimarrón meaning ‘wild’, did European slavers use to describe these escaped slaves?
Three
In the mid-20th century, this person became ruler on the death of their father, who himself had not expected to hold the post. They remained in this role for an astonishing 25,782 days?
Four
Born in Munich, Germany, in 1912, this woman met in 1929 the man who became Chancellor of Germany a few years later. She married him in 1945. She died in Berlin, Germany, aged 33. Who was she?
Five
This monarch ruled England, Scotland and Ireland from 1702 to 1707 and then Great Britain and Ireland until their death in 1714, which marked the end of a dynasty. Who was this monarch?
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?
In 2021, the military of this country staged a coup d’état, ousting the country’s de facto leader. What country and who was the de facto leader?
Answer: Myanmar; Aung San Suu Kyi
Myanmar, officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, is a Southeast Asian country with a population of about 55 million. Aung San Suu Kyi, a prominent politician, State Counsellor, and Nobel laureate, faced criticism for her leadership and was arrested following the 2021 military coup.
In 1946, who was elected as this organisation’s first head and what was their title?
Answer: Trygve Lie; Secretary-General of the United Nations
Trygve Lie, the first UN Secretary-General, served from 1946 to 1952. He resigned due to Soviet opposition stemming from his support for UN intervention in the Korean War. Lie also faced challenges from McCarthyism in the United States.
Today’s remaining questions continue the flag theme but are not related to the date.
Nepal stands alone as the only modern nation without a rectangular national flag. The flag, which was adopted in 1962, consists of two united pennant shapes, crimson with blue borders, and decorated with stylised sun and moon symbols. It uses traditional designs with symbolic elements representing bravery, peace and Nepal’s national flower.
What does it signify if a ship in harbour displays this international maritime signal flag as a single flag?
Answer: All persons should report on board as the vessel is about to proceed to sea.
In English, the flag is known as the Blue Peter. It represents the letter ‘P’ if being used with other flags to spell out a message, and when flown on its own, in a harbour, it is an indication that the ship is preparing to depart, and all crew and passengers should report onboard.
This national flag was raised for the first time at the UN headquarters in 2015. Where does it represent?
Answer: Vatican City State (or Holy See)
The flag of Vatican City, adopted in 1929, features a vertical yellow and white bicolour with the emblem of the Holy See. It symbolises the Catholic faith and can be displayed at Catholic churches.
On 30 January 1945, the greatest maritime disaster in history occurred as the German ocean liner Wilhelm Gustloff was sunk. In what body of water was this sinking, and approximately how many people perished?
Answer: Baltic Sea; ≈ 9,000 lives were lost
The MV Wilhelm Gustloff, a German ocean liner originally built as a cruise ship for the Nazi Strength Through Joy organisation, was sunk by a Soviet submarine S-13 in the Baltic Sea on 30 January 1945, during Operation Hannibal. The ship, carrying an estimated 10,000 people, including refugees and military personnel, sank in one hour after being hit by three torpedoes. This disaster resulted in the greatest maritime disaster in history, with an estimated 8,761 to 9,343 casualties. Despite the high civilian death toll, the sinking is not considered a war crime due to the presence of military personnel and weapons on board.
Two
On this day in 1847, Yerba Buena became what North American city?
Answer: San Francisco
Yerba Buena (good herb), now San Francisco, was claimed by the US in 1846 during the Mexican-American War. The city became a US military territory in 1848 and was admitted to the Union as a state in 1850.
Three
Charles I, king of England, Scotland, and Ireland, was executed in London. In what decade did this occur?
Answer: 1640s
Charles I, King of England, Scotland, and Ireland from 1625 to 1649, believed in the divine right of kings and clashed with Parliament over his policies, including taxation without consent and religious reforms. His actions led to the English Civil War, his defeat, and his execution for high treason in 1649. The monarchy was abolished but restored in 1660 with his son, Charles II.
Four
Oliver Cromwell was one of the regicides responsible for Charles I’s execution. What happened to Cromwell two years after his own death?
Answer: He was disinterred and ritually executed.
Oliver Cromwell, who had died in 1658, was subjected to a posthumous execution. His body was disinterred, hanged at Tyburn, and beheaded. Then it was thrown into a pit and his head placed on a spike at the end of Westminster Hall facing the spot where Charles I had been executed.
Five
On this day in 1931 City Lights premiered. The film was written, produced, directed by, and starred whom?
Answer: Charlie Chaplin
City Lights is a 1931 American romantic comedy-drama film written, produced, directed by, and starring Charlie Chaplin. The film, which follows the Tramp’s misadventures, was released with a synchronised musical score and sound effects despite the rise of talking pictures. City Lights was a critical and commercial success, and is considered one of Chaplin’s greatest films.
Good Herb
The post title is the translation of Yerba Buena, which is now the city of San Francisco. See question two.
Quizology Online 