exploration – Page 2 – Quizology Online

The Smoke That Thunders—Answers

Here are the answers to the earlier posed questions.

All of these questions are related to today, November 16th.

José Saramago, 2001.
Image Carlos Alvarez/Getty Images via Encyclopædia Britannica

One

José Saramago, the novelist pictured above, won the Nobel Prize for Literature for his extensive body of work including O Evangelho Segundo Jesus Cristo (The Gospel According to Jesus Christ). What nationality was he?

Answer: Portuguese

Born in 1922, Portuguese novelist José Saramago, a Nobel Prize winner, grew up in poverty. He worked various jobs including mechanic journalist and translator before achieving international fame with novels like Memorial do convento (English title Baltasar and Blimunda) and O evangelho segundo Jesus Cristo (The Gospel According to Jesus Christ). His subversive perspectives on historic events and critique of institutions like the Catholic Church, often set against historical backdrops, earned him both acclaim and controversy. This led to his self-imposed exile in the Canary Islands after the Portuguese government censored his work.

Two

On this day, the Trans-Alaska Pipeline Authorization Act was signed authorising the construction of a pipeline across Alaska. Which US President signed it and what communities are at either end?

Answer: Richard Nixon; Prudhoe Bay and Valdez

The Trans-Alaska Pipeline, built to transport oil 800 miles from Prudhoe Bay to Valdez, was constructed in response to the 1968 oil discovery on Alaska’s North Slope. Environmental concerns led to design modifications, including elevated sections to prevent permafrost thawing and wildlife crossings. Construction, completed between 1975 and 1977, faced challenges due to extreme cold and permafrost. Despite initial mechanical issues, subsequent oil spills, and incidents of oil leakage, the pipeline remains operational and has shipped over 17 billion barrels of oil since 1977.

Three

Who is this Canadian singer, born on 16 November 1964, as pictured in 2010?

Answer: Diana Krall

Diana Krall, a Canadian jazz pianist and singer, is renowned for her contralto vocals and has sold over 15 million albums worldwide. She holds the record for the most albums debuting at number one on the Billboard Jazz Albums chart and has won numerous awards, including two Grammys and eight Junos.

Four

With NASA’s ___ campaign, we are exploring the Moon for scientific discovery, technology advancement, and to learn how to live and work on another world as we prepare for human missions to Mars. We will collaborate with commercial and international partners and establish the first long-term presence on the Moon.

— NASA

The above is taken from a NASA website and describes a program which is named after the twin sister of Apollo. What is this name which has been omitted from the above quote?

Answer: Artemis

Artemis, the Greek goddess of wild animals, the hunt, vegetation, chastity, and childbirth, was the daughter of Zeus and Leto and twin sister of Apollo. Apollo and Artemis were respectively personifications of the Sun and the Moon Her worship varied across regions, reflecting her diverse roles as a huntress, protector of young animals, and goddess of nature and fertility. While poets emphasised her chastity and love for the hunt, Greek sculpture often depicted her in a more gentle and graceful manner. She was also a protector of young children and a patron of healing, particularly among women and children. Widely venerated, her worship spread throughout ancient Greece, with her great temple at Ephesus being one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

Five

On this day in 1855, an explorer became the first European to witness Mosi-oa-Tunya, a now-renowned World Heritage Site. What name did he give it?

Answer: Victoria Falls

The Zambezi River does not gather speed as it nears the drop, the approach being signaled only by the mighty roar and characteristic veil of mist for which the Kalolo-Lozi people named the falls Mosi-oa-Tunya (“The Smoke That Thunders”).

— Encyclopædia Britannica

Mosi-oa-Tunya / Victoria Falls, located on the Zambezi River between Zambia and Zimbabwe, is a spectacular waterfall twice as wide and deep as Niagara Falls. The falls plunge over a sheer precipice into a chasm, creating a dramatic gorge and the Boiling Pot pool. In 1855, British explorer David Livingstone was the first European to see the falls which he named after Great Britain’s Queen Victoria. The surrounding national parks offer diverse wildlife and recreational facilities, and the area was designated a World Heritage site in 1989.

The Smoke That Thunders

All of these questions are related to today, November 16th.

One

Two

On this day, the Trans-Alaska Pipeline Authorization Act was signed authorising the construction of a pipeline across Alaska. Which US President signed it and what communities are at either end?

Three

Who is this Canadian singer, born on 16 November 1964, as pictured in 2010?

Four

With NASA’s ___ campaign, we are exploring the Moon for scientific discovery, technology advancement, and to learn how to live and work on another world as we prepare for human missions to Mars. We will collaborate with commercial and international partners and establish the first long-term presence on the Moon.

— NASA

The above is taken from a NASA website and describes a program which is named after the twin sister of Apollo. What is this name which has been omitted from the above quote?

Five

On this day in 1855, an explorer became the first European to witness Mosi-oa-Tunya, a now-renowned World Heritage Site. What name did he give it?

Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

Dr. Livingstone, I presume?—Answers

Here are the answers to my earlier post.

The first question concerns today, November 10th, while the others follow a theme related to it.

HenryMorton Stanley (L) meeting David Livingstone (R) at Ujiji.
Image Wikipedia

One

‘Dr. Livingstone, I presume?’

On this day in 1871, Henry Stanley uttered the famous words quoted above on meeting explorer and missionary Dr. David Livingstone at Ujiji. In what modern country is the town of Ujiji situated?

Answer: Tanzania

David Livingstone was a Scottish missionary, doctor, abolitionist, and explorer who lived in the 1800s. He is known for his expeditions in Africa and his efforts to bring Christianity, commerce, and “civilization” to the continent.

Livingstone was born into a poor but religious family in Scotland. At the age of 10, he began working in a cotton mill to help his family. Despite the long hours, he was determined to get an education and studied Latin, Greek, theology, and medicine.

Livingstone became a missionary and set sail for South Africa in 1840. He believed that Christianity, commerce, and civilization would open up Africa. He wanted to find a route to the Atlantic coast to promote legitimate trade and undermine the slave trade.

Livingstone traveled extensively throughout Africa, and was the first European to see Victoria Falls, naming them after Queen Victoria. He also crossed the African continent and explored the Zambezi River regions. Livingstone searched for the source of the Nile River. During this expedition, he reached Lake Mweru and Lake Bangweulu. In 1871, he arrived at Nyangwe on the Lualaba River, further west than any other European had gone.

Livingstone was found by Henry M. Stanley, a reporter from the New York Herald, in 1871. Stanley greeted him with the famous words, “Dr. Livingstone, I presume?” Livingstone refused to leave Africa with Stanley and continued his mission.

Encyclopædia Britannica, see David-Livingstone

Two

Which Portuguese explorer was the first European to reach India by sea, sailing around the Cape of Good Hope in 1498?

Answer: Vasco da Gama

Da Gama’s voyage established the first direct maritime trade route between Europe and Asia, transforming global commerce.

Three

Who led the first successful expedition to the South Pole in 1911, beating Robert Falcon Scott’s British team?

Answer: Roald Amundsen

The Norwegian explorer used sled dogs and meticulous planning to reach the Pole on 14 December 1911 — a month before Scott’s ill-fated arrival.

Four

Which Venetian merchant and explorer travelled along the Silk Road to the court of Kublai Khan in the 13th century, later inspiring generations of explorers with his tales of Asia?

Answer: Marco Polo

Polo’s book The Travels of Marco Polo introduced Europeans to the wealth and wonders of the East, though some contemporaries doubted his accounts.

Five

What treacherous Arctic sea route, long sought by European explorers, connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans through the Canadian Arctic Archipelago?

Answer: The Northwest Passage

Many expeditions tried and failed to find it — including Sir John Franklin’s ill-fated 1845 voyage — until Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen finally navigated it completely in 1906.

Dr. Livingstone, I presume?

The first question concerns today, November 10th, while the others follow a theme related to it.

David Livingstone by Thomas Annan, 1864.
Image National Galleries of Scotland/Wikipedia

One

‘Dr. Livingstone, I presume?’

On this day in 1871, Henry Stanley uttered the famous words quoted above on meeting explorer and missionary Dr. David Livingstone at Ujiji. In what modern country is the town of Ujiji situated?

Two

Which Portuguese explorer was the first European to reach India by sea, sailing around the Cape of Good Hope in 1498?

Three

Who led the first successful expedition to the South Pole in 1911, beating Robert Falcon Scott’s British team?

Four

Which Venetian merchant and explorer travelled along the Silk Road to the court of Kublai Khan in the 13th century, later inspiring generations of explorers with his tales of Asia?

Five

What treacherous Arctic sea route, long sought by European explorers, connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans through the Canadian Arctic Archipelago?

Good Luck! I’ll post the answers later.

A Sporting First—Answers

Here are the answers to the questions I posted earlier.

Althea Gibson, victorious at Wimbledon Ladies Singles in 1957, at parade in her honour, New York.
Image Wikipedia

One

Althea Gibson, aged 76, died on this day in 2003. In the mid-1950s she achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first African-American woman to win titles in what sport?

Answer: Tennis

Althea Gibson was a dominant American tennis player who ruled women’s competition in the late 1950s. She achieved historic milestones as the first Black player to win the French Open (1956), Wimbledon (1957–58) and the US Open (1957–58) singles championships.

Two

Brigitte Bardot was born on 28 September 1934. She gained international recognition in which 1956 film directed by Roger Vadim?

Answer: And God Created Woman

Born in Paris, Bardot aspired to be a ballerina before starting her acting career in 1952. She gained international fame in 1957 for her role in And God Created Woman.

Three

In 1928, a physician and microbiologist observed a mould growth in a laboratory that would later be identified as penicillin. Who was this individual?

Answer: Alexander Fleming

Scottish physician and microbiologist Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin, the first broadly effective antibiotic, in 1928. He shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1945 for this discovery.

Four

On 28 September, a European ‘discovered’ California. In which century did this happen?

Answer: 16th century

Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo, the “discoverer” of California, landed near present-day San Diego in 1542, becoming the first European to set foot on the west coast of the future United States.

Five

On 28 September 2008 Singapore hosted its inaugural Formula One race, making it the first night race in the sport’s history. Almost a year later allegations emerged of a driver being instructed by his team to crash his car. Who was the driver and which team was he representing?

Answer: Nelson Piquet Jr. and Renault F1 (or Renault)

The 2008 Singapore Grand Prix, the first Formula One race held at night, was won by Fernando Alonso after a controversial incident involving his teammate, Nelson Piquet Jr. Piquet deliberately crashed, bringing out the safety car and benefiting Alonso’s strategy. This incident led to Renault’s disqualification from Formula One, later overturned in court.

A Sporting First

Here are five questions about today, September 28th.

One

Althea Gibson, aged 76, died on this day in 2003. In the mid-1950s she achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first African-American woman to win titles in what sport?

Two

Brigitte Bardot was born on 28 September 1934. She gained international recognition in which 1956 film directed by Roger Vadim?

Three

In 1928, a physician and microbiologist observed a mould growth in a laboratory that would later be identified as penicillin. Who was this individual?

Four

On 28 September, a European ‘discovered’ California. In which century did this happen?

Five

Good luck! I will post the answers later.

Entertaining History—Answers

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

Catherine Zeta-Jones, Michael Douglas and daughter, Carys in 2023.
Image Wikipedia

One

Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones, both actors, share the same birthday on 25 September. How many years apart are their birth years, and where were they born?

Answer: 25 years; New Jersey, US and Wales, UK

Douglas was born in 1944, in the city of New Brunswick, New Jersey, US. The birth of Catherine Zeta-Jones was in 1969 in Swansea, a city in Wales, UK

Two

Tostig Godwinson died in England on 25 September in a battle against his brother. His victorious brother would die less than three weeks later in another battle over 250 miles away. Who was the victorious brother, and in what battle did he die?

Answer: King Harold II of England aka Harold Godwinson and Battle of Hastings

On 25 September 1066, Tostig Godwinson, allied with the Norwegian king Harald Hardrada, faced his brother Harold II, the king of England, at the Battle of Stamford Bridge. Both Tostig and Harald died in the battle. The victorious Harold was then compelled to march his armies to the English Channel coast to confront the Norman invasion led by William, Duke of Normandy. At the Battle of Hastings, Harold was killed and his armies defeated, and the Duke of Normandy became William the Conqueror, the first Norman king of England, known as William I.

The first page of Publick Occurrences.
Internet Archive under public domain
Image Smithsonian Magazine

Three

Publick Occurrences Both Forreign and Domestick, a multi-page newspaper, first published on 25 September 1690, was the first publication of its kind in the British American colonies. Is this true or false?

Answer: True

It is true. It was short lived though as the following quote explains.

His newspaper, Publick Occurrences, Both Foreign and Domestick (Sept. 25, 1690), the first newspaper printed in the colonies, was suppressed by Boston authorities after one issue.
— Encyclopædia Britannica

Four

On 25 September 1962, Sonny Liston became the world heavyweight boxing champion with a first-round knockout to win the title. Who did he defeat?

Answer: Floyd Paterson

Floyd Patterson became the youngest heavyweight champion in 1956, defeating Archie Moore. He lost the title to Ingemar Johansson in 1959 but regained it in 1960, holding it until 1962 when he was defeated by Sonny Liston.

Five

On 25 September 1513, Vasco Núñez de Balboa became the first European to see the Pacific Ocean. What was that body of water known as to Balboa and his contemporaries at that time?

Answer: Pacific Ocean

The Pacific Ocean was originally called the South Sea by Spanish explorer Vasco Núñez de Balboa in 1513, due to its location along the southern shore of the Isthmus of Panama. Later, in 1520, Ferdinand Magellan renamed it the Pacific, being a ‘peaceful sea’, after his journey through the stormy waters surrounding Cape Horn to reach it.

Entertaining History

Here are five questions all related to today, September 25th.

Catherine Zeta-Jones with her husband Michael Douglas in 2012.
Image Wikipedia

One

Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones, both actors, share the same birthday on 25 September. How many years apart are their birth years, and where were they born?

Two

Three

Four

On 25 September 1962, Sonny Liston became the world heavyweight boxing champion with a first-round knockout to win the title. Who did he defeat?

Five

On 25 September 1513, Vasco Núñez de Balboa became the first European to see the Pacific Ocean. What was that body of water known as to Balboa and his contemporaries at that time?

Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

What’s in a Name—Answers

One

On 20 September 1967, the Cunard liner Queen Elizabeth 2 was launched from which shipyard?

John Brown and Company, Clydebank, Scotland, UK
Harland & Wolff, Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
Swan Hunter, Wallsend, Tyne and Wear, England, UK

Answer: John Brown and Company, Clydebank, Scotland, UK

The QE2 was built and launched into the River Clyde from John Brown and Company, Clydebank, Scotland, by HM Queen Elizabeth II. During the launch ceremony, the Queen said ‘I name this ship Queen Elizabeth the Second’, and the following day, newspapers including The Times and The New York Times printed the name as Queen Elizabeth II, which would be read as ‘Queen Elizabeth the Second’. When the ship was completed, the name on both the bow and stern of the vessel was Queen Elizabeth 2. Over the years, there has been debate as to whether the ship is named after Queen Elizabeth II; her mother, Queen Elizabeth, Queen Consort of King George VI; or simply the second Cunard liner named Queen Elizabeth. See Wikipedia for additional information.

Billie Jean King & Bobby Riggs.
Image Wikipedia

Two

The ‘Battle of the Sexes’ tennis match took place at Houston Astrodome on 20 September 1973. Who were the two players who competed in the match?

Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs
Chris Evert and Jimmy Connors
Evonne Goolagong and Marlon Brando

Answer: Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs

In 1973, Billie Jean King defeated Bobby Riggs in an exhibition match, earning $100,000, equivalent to $707,000 in 2024. Riggs, a former top men’s player in the 1930s and 1940s, had won Wimbledon in 1939 and was World No. 1 in 1941, 1946, and 1947. He later became a tennis ‘hustler’, playing promotional matches. Riggs claimed the women’s game was inferior and challenged top female players, defeating Margaret Court 6–2, 6–1. King, initially rejecting his challenges, accepted a financial offer to play him, resulting in her victory and a significant win for women’s tennis.

Three

On 20 September 1870, Rome was occupied, leading to the unification of Italy. Who was the ruler of the Kingdom of Italy at this time?

Victor Emmanuel I
Victor Emmanuel II
Victor Emmanuel III

Answers: Victor Emmanuel II

The unification of Italy, or Risorgimento, was a 19th-century movement that culminated in 1861 with the creation of the Kingdom of Italy through the annexation of various Italian states to the Kingdom of Sardinia. Key figures included King Victor Emmanuel II, Camillo Benso, Count of Cavour, Giuseppe Garibaldi, and Giuseppe Mazzini. The movement was inspired by earlier rebellions and the Revolutions of 1848, concluding in 1870 with Rome’s capture. King Victor Emmanuel II was honoured as the Father of the Fatherland.

Four

Which explorer set out from Spain on 20 September 1519, embarking on a quest to circumnavigate the globe?

Bartolomeu Dias
Ferdinand Magellan
Vasco da Gama

Answer: Ferdinand Magellan

The Magellan expedition, led by Ferdinand Magellan and completed by Juan Sebastián Elcano, was a pivotal 16th-century Spanish voyage aimed at securing a maritime trade route to the Spice Islands. Departing Spain in 1519 with five ships and about 270 men, it achieved the first circumnavigation of Earth, crossing the Pacific and Indian Oceans. Despite hardships like mutinies, starvation, and Magellan’s death in the Philippines, only about 40 men and the ship Victoria returned in 1522. Funded by King Charles I, the expedition expanded European geographical knowledge, though the route proved commercially impractical.

Five

On 20 September 1881, a US Vice President was sworn in as president following the death of his predecessor who had died the previous day two months after being shot. Who was the vice president who was sworn in as president on this day?

Andrew Johnson
Chester A. Arthur
Theodore Roosevelt

Answer: Chester A. Arthur

James A. Garfield, the 20th US president, was assassinated by Charles J. Guiteau in 1881. Guiteau, who believed he deserved a diplomatic post for his support of Garfield, shot him after his requests were denied. Garfield died from his injuries over two months later, and Vice President Chester A. Arthur became the 21st US President. Guiteau, who was apprehended at the scene of the shooting, was later executed for the murder.

What’s in a Name

The questions are all related to today’s date, September 20th.

The *Queen Elizabeth 2* is now a hotel in Dubai.
Image Wikipedia

One

On 20 September 1967, the Cunard liner Queen Elizabeth 2 was launched from which company’s shipyard?

John Brown and Company, Clydebank, Scotland, UK
Harland & Wolff, Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
Swan Hunter, Wallsend, Tyne and Wear, England, UK

Two

The ‘Battle of the Sexes’ tennis match took place at Houston Astrodome on 20 September 1973. Who were the two players who competed in the match?

Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs
Chris Evert and Jimmy Connors
Evonne Goolagong and Marlon Brando

Three

On 20 September 1870, Rome was occupied, leading to the unification of Italy. Who was the ruler of the Kingdom of Italy at this time?

Victor Emmanuel I
Victor Emmanuel II
Victor Emmanuel III

Four

Which explorer set out from Spain on 20 September 1519, embarking on a quest to circumnavigate the globe?

Bartolomeu Dias
Ferdinand Magellan
Vasco da Gama

Five

Andrew Johnson
Chester A. Arthur
Theodore Roosevelt

Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.