The first question refers to the colony where Virginia Dare, the first child born in the Americas to European parents, was born on 18 August 1587. The other questions are random and have no connection to the date.
Baptism of Virginia Dare, wood engraving 1880. Image Wikipedia
One
The person who sent ships and colonists to set up a fort at Roanoke in what is now North Carolina, US is described by Wikipedia as an ‘English statesman, soldier, writer and explorer’. Who is he?
Two
Which Elton John song, released in 1997, remained in the Canadian Singles Charts for three years. What was that song?
Three
Zupaysaurus, meaning ‘devil lizard’ from the Queshua word supay meaning ‘devil’ and the Greek sauros meaning ‘lizard’, is an early theropod dinosaur. In which country was it discovered?
Four
Tasmania, an island state of Australia, is named after Dutch seafarer and explorer Abel Tasman. In 1642, Tasman became the first reported European to sight the island. What name did Tasman give the island?
Five
An ibex is any of several species of wild…
What is the next word in the above quote from the Wikipedia article on the ibex?
Colonel Paul Tibbets, in the B-29 he named Enola Gay, August 1945. Image Wikipedia
One
On 6 August 1945, the United States dropped an atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. Firstly, what was the name of the bomb, and secondly, what name did the pilot of the aircraft which dropped the bomb give to that aircraft?
Answer: Little Boy and Enola Gay
On this day in 1945, the United States dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, killing more than 70,000 people and destroying most of the city in an effort to hasten the end of World War II. The blast, caused by the atomic bomb Little Boy dropped by the U.S. B-29Enola Gay, resulted in around 70,000 instant deaths, with tens of thousands more dying in subsequent years from burns and radiation poisoning. The B-29 Superfortress Enola Gay was named after Enola Gay Tibbets by the pilot, her son, Colonel Paul Tibbets.
Two
Scottish bacteriologist Alexander Fleming, who was born on on the 6 August 1881, revolutionised antibiotics in 1928 with the discovery of…
Answer: Penicillin
Alexander Fleming, who was born on 6 August 1881 at Lochfield Farm, Darvel, Ayrshire, was a Scottish bacteriologist best known for discovering penicillin in 1928, which revolutionised antibiotics and earned him the Nobel Prize in 1945.
Three
This actor, who was born 6 August 1917, portrayed Sheriff J.P. Harrah in the 1966 western El Dorado and was Charles Shaughnessy in Ryan’s Daughter (1970). Who is he?
Answer: Robert Mitchum
Robert Mitchum, an American actor known for his antihero roles and film noir appearances, received numerous accolades including an Academy Award nomination and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He starred in numerous films, including Out of the Past and Cape Fear, and was praised by critics for his deep voice and weary eyes.
Four
The Old Man of Hoy, a 449-foot sea stack, was first climbed by three mountaineers including Chris Bonnington, born on 6 August 1934. This sea stack is located in which British archipelago?
Answer: Orkney
The Old Man of Hoy is a 449-foot sea stack on Hoy, in the Orkney archipelago, Scotland. Formed from Old Red Sandstone, it is popular with climbers and may soon collapse. It was first climbed in 1966 by mountaineers Chris Bonington, Rusty Baillie and Tom Patey.
Five
A poet born on this day in 1809, penned the lines quoted
Someone had blundered. Theirs not to make reply, Theirs not to reason why, Theirs but to do and die. Who was the poet and what poem are the lines from?
Answer: Alfred, Lord Tennyson and The Charge of the Light Brigade
Alfred Tennyson, 1st Baron Tennyson, was an English poet and Poet Laureate during Queen Victoria’s reign. He is known for his short lyrics, classical mythological themes, and blank verse, with many of his phrases becoming commonplace in the English language. The lines quoted were from The Charge of the Light Brigade which is a narrative poem by Tennyson (The full poem is shown bellow). It describes the Charge of the Light Brigade, a disastrous British cavalry attack against heavily defended Russian troops at the Battle of Balaklava in October 1854 during the Crimean War. The suicidal assault placed the British light horse brigade, commanded by the Earl of Cardigan, against a Russian infantry and cavalry defence supported by heavy artillery batteries that commanded three sides of a narrow valley.
I Half a league, half a league, Half a league onward, All in the valley of Death Rode the six hundred. “Forward, the Light Brigade! Charge for the guns!” he said. Into the valley of Death Rode the six hundred.
II “Forward, the Light Brigade!” Was there a man dismayed? Not though the soldier knew Someone had blundered. Theirs not to make reply, Theirs not to reason why, Theirs but to do and die. Into the valley of Death Rode the six hundred.
III Cannon to right of them, Cannon to left of them, Cannon in front of them Volleyed and thundered; Stormed at with shot and shell, Boldly they rode and well, Into the jaws of Death, Into the mouth of hell Rode the six hundred.
IV Flashed all their sabres bare, Flashed as they turned in air Sabring the gunners there, Charging an army, while All the world wondered. Plunged in the battery-smoke Right through the line they broke; Cossack and Russian Reeled from the sabre stroke Shattered and sundered. Then they rode back, but not Not the six hundred.
V Cannon to right of them, Cannon to left of them, Cannon behind them Volleyed and thundered; Stormed at with shot and shell, While horse and hero fell. They that had fought so well Came through the jaws of Death, Back from the mouth of hell, All that was left of them, Left of six hundred.
VI When can their glory fade? O the wild charge they made! All the world wondered. Honour the charge they made! Honour the Light Brigade, Noble six hundred!
On 6 August 1945, the United States dropped an atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. Firstly, what was the name of the bomb, and secondly, what name did the pilot of the aircraft which dropped the bomb give to that aircraft?
Two
Scottish bacteriologist Alexander Fleming, who was born on on the 6 August 1881, revolutionised antibiotics in 1928 with the discovery of…
Three
This actor, who was born 6 August 1917, portrayed Sheriff J.P. Harrah in the 1966 western El Dorado and was Charles Shaughnessy in Ryan’s Daughter (1970). Who is he?
Four
The Old Man of Hoy, a 449-foot sea stack, was first climbed by three mountaineers including Chris Bonnington, born on 6 August 1934. This sea stack is located in which British archipelago?
Five
A poet born on this day in 1809, penned the lines quoted
Someone had blundered. Theirs not to make reply, Theirs not to reason why, Theirs but to do and die.
Who was the poet and what poem are the lines from?
Joseph Merrick, c 1889. See #2 below. Image Wikipedia
One
Marilyn Monroe was found dead on the morning of 5 August 1962 in her Los Angeles home. Where was she born?
Answer: Los Angeles, California
Marilyn Monroe, born Norma Jeane Mortenson, was an American actress and model who became a popular sex symbol in the 1950s and early 1960s. Known for her ‘blonde bombshell’ characters, she starred in numerous successful films, including Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and Some Like It Hot. Despite her success, Monroe’s personal life was troubled, and she died of a barbiturate overdose at the age of 36.
Two
Joseph Merrick, born on 5 August 1862, was renowned for his severe physical deformities and was exhibited in freak shows for a period. A film about Merrick’s life was made by David Lynch in 1980. In this film, who portrayed Joseph Merrick?
Answer: John Hurt
Joseph Carey Merrick, known as ‘The Elephant Man’ was an English man born in 1862 who suffered from a rare disorder causing severe physical deformities, possibly Proteus syndrome. After being exhibited in freak shows, he lived at the London Hospital under the care of Sir Frederick Treves. There he became well-known in London society and received visits from prominent individuals. Merrick died at age 27 from accidental suffocation. A film The Elephant Man starring John Hurt as Merrick was made about his life.
Three
On 5 August 2010, thirty-three miners became trapped in a mine collapse for a prolonged period of time, attracting international attention. In what desert area was the mine situated?
Answer: Atacama Desert
In 2010, a collapse at the San José copper-gold mine in Chile‘s Atacama Desert trapped 33 miners underground for 69 days. Despite the mine’s history of safety violations and geological instability, the miners were successfully rescued after a global effort involving multiple organisations and governments.
Four
On this day in 1974, President Richard Nixon released subpoenaed tapes after being ordered to do so by the US Supreme Court. One tape, recorded on 23 June 1972, clearly showed the president’s connection to the Watergate burglaries from shortly after they occurred. This tape is known by what two-word term?
Answer: Smoking Gun (tape)
The US Supreme Court ordered President Nixon to release tapes of conversations, including the ‘Smoking Gun’ tape, which revealed his involvement in the Watergate coverup. This led to the loss of his political support and imminent impeachment, prompting his resignation on August 8, 1974.
Five
Vitus Bering, born on 5 August 1681, led two Russian expeditions to explore the northeast Russian coast and the western coast of North America. Despite being an officer in the Russian Navy, in what country was he born?
Answer: Denmark
Vitus Bering, a Danish-born Russian explorer, led two expeditions exploring the north-eastern coast of Russia and the western coast of North America. He discovered the Bering Strait, proving that Asia and America were not connected by land. Bering died of scurvy on Bering Island in 1741, along with 28 of his men.
Marilyn Monroe was found dead on the morning of 5 August 1962 in her Los Angeles home. Where was she born?
Two
Joseph Merrick, born on 5 August 1862, was renowned for his severe physical deformities and was exhibited in freak shows for a period. A film about Merrick’s life was made by David Lynch in 1980. In this film, who portrayed Joseph Merrick?
Three
On 5 August 2010, thirty-three miners became trapped in a mine collapse for a prolonged period of time, attracting international attention. In what desert area was the mine situated?
Four
On this day in 1974, President Richard Nixon released subpoenaed tapes after being ordered to do so by the US Supreme Court. One tape, recorded on 23 June 1972, clearly showed the president’s connection to the Watergate burglaries from shortly after they occurred. This tape is known by what two-word term?
Five
Vitus Bering, born on 5 August 1681, led two Russian expeditions to explore the northeast Russian coast and the western coast of North America. Despite being an officer in the Russian Navy, in what country was he born?
One of the regular characters in the television series Cheers has the first name Hilary. Who is that?
Answer: Norm (Hilary Norman Peterson)
Norm Peterson, a regular at Cheers, is known for his witty remarks and love of beer. His enormous tab at the bar is a running gag, with jokes about its size and his occasional attempts to pay it off. Despite his unemployment, Norm remains the bar’s best customer, receiving a complimentary beer on his birthday.
Two
George Clinton, Fourth Vice-President of the United States, Portrait by Ezra Ames, 1814. Image Wikipedia
Born on 26 July 1739, the fourth vice president of the United States and the first governor of New York was…
Answer: George Clinton
George Clinton was an American soldier, statesman and Democratic-Republican. He served as the fourth vice president, first governor of New York, and holds the record for the second-longest gubernatorial tenure in U.S. history. He was also the first vice-president to die in office, and the first of two to hold office under two consecutive presidents, Thomas Jefferson (1805–1809) and James Madison (1809–1812).
Three
Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay. Image Wikipedia
Best known for an achievement with Norgay in 1953, he later became New Zealand’s High Commissioner to India and Bangladesh, and Ambassador to Nepal. What is his first and last name, and where did the 1953 achievement take place?
Answer: Edmund Hillary, Mount Everest
Sir Edmund Hillary, a New Zealand mountaineer and explorer, who with Sherpa Tenzing Norgay were the first confirmed climbers to reach the summit of Mount Everest in 1953. He later served as New Zealand’s High Commissioner to India and Bangladesh and Ambassador to Nepal, and founded the Himalayan Trust to assist the Sherpa people.
Elected in 1986, this well-known entertainment figure served as the mayor of Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, for a two-year term. Can you identify this individual?
Answer: Clint Eastwood (Clinton Eastwood)
Clint Eastwood is an American actor and film director known for his roles in Westerns and action films. He served as the mayor of Carmel-by-the-Sea, California from 1986 to 1988 and has received numerous awards, including four Academy Awards and four Golden Globe Awards.
The author of the historical novel The Mirror & the Light, the concluding instalment in a trilogy and the author’s final novel published during their lifetime, is who?
Answer: Hilary Mantel
Hilary Mantel was a British writer known for historical fiction, personal memoirs, and short stories. She won the Booker Prize twice for the first and second novels in her Cromwell trilogy, Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies, and sold over 5 million copies.
On July 26, 2016, Hillary Clinton was officially nominated as the Democratic presidential candidate. Today’s questions revolve around people named Hillary, Hilary, or Clinton, whether as a first or last name.
One of the regular characters in the television series Cheers has the first name Hilary. Who is that?
Two
Born on 26 July 1739, the fourth vice president of the United States and the first governor of New York was…
Three
Best known for an achievement with Norgay in 1953, he later became New Zealand’s High Commissioner to India and Bangladesh, and Ambassador to Nepal. What is his first and last name, and where did the 1953 achievement take place?
Four
Elected in 1986, this well-known entertainment figure served as the mayor of Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, for a two-year term. Can you identify this individual?
Five
The author of the historical novel The Mirror & the Light, the concluding instalment in a trilogy and the author’s final novel published during their lifetime, is who?
On July 25, 1984, Soviet cosmonaut Svetlana Yevgenyevna Savitskaya (pictured) made history as the first woman to walk in space. Is this statement true or false?
Answer: True
Svetlana Savitskaya, a Russian former aviator and Soviet cosmonaut, made history as the second woman in space in 1982 when she flew aboard Soyuz T-7. She further broke barriers in 1984, becoming the first woman to fly twice and perform a spacewalk on Soyuz T-12.
Is it true or false that today, in 1866, in the United States, Brigadier General Bel Riose was the first person to be promoted to General of the Army?
Answer: False
On this day, future president Ulysses S. Grant became the first person to be promoted to this rank after the United States Congress passed the necessary legislation authorising it. General Bel Riose, a fictional character in Isaac Asimov’s Foundation series, is the last great general of the declining Galactic Empire. In the 1945 novella Dead Hand, Riose targets the Foundation, but is outmanoeuvred by its agents.
Three
Cooke and Wheatstone’s five-needle telegraph from 1837. Image Wikipedia
Today in 1837, Abraham Samson and Stewart Cuthbertson successfully demonstrated the first commercial use of an electrical telegraph; this demonstration took place in New York, US. Is this statement true or false?
Answer: False
The William Cooke and Charles Wheatstone telegraph, invented in the 1830s, was the first commercial telegraph system. It employed electromagnetic coils to move needles that indicated letters on a board, catering to users who preferred a visual representation over codes. On 25 July 1837, Cooke and Wheatstone demonstrated their telegraph system, with Cooke stationed at Camden Town and Wheatstone at Euston, both London, UK. Wheatstone transmitted the inaugural message, to which Cooke responded.
Four
Robert Edwards and Louise Brown celebrating 25 years of in vitro fertilization (IVF). Image Encyclopædia Britannica
Is it true that Louise Joy Brown, the first human born after conception by in vitro fertilisation (IVF), was born in Greater Manchester, UK, on this day in 1978?
Answer: True
Louise Joy Brown, born in 1978, was the first human conceived through in vitro fertilisation (IVF) after her parents struggled with infertility. Her sister, Natalie, also conceived through IVF, was the first IVF baby to give birth naturally. In 2010, Robert Edwards, surviving member of the development team, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.
Five
On this date in 1909, Louis Blériot embarked on a historic flight from Le Touquet, France. This marked the inaugural crossing of the English Channel in a heavier-than-air aircraft, with the landing occurring near Hastings, England. Is this true or false?
Answer: False
It was correct in a lot of detail, the date, pilot and the English Channel but he did not fly from Le Touquet to Hastings. On 25 July 1909, Louis Blériot became the first person to fly across the English Channel by aeroplane, winning a £1,000 prize from Lord Northcliffe. Despite poor navigation and challenging weather conditions, Blériot successfully completed the 24-mile journey from Les Baraques, near Calais, France, to near Dover Castle, above the cliffs of Dover, England, in just over 30 minutes.
On July 25, 1984, Soviet cosmonaut Svetlana Yevgenyevna Savitskaya (pictured) made history as the first woman to walk in space. Is this statement true or false?
Two
Is it true or false that today, in 1866, in the United States, Brigadier General Bel Riose was promoted to General of the Army?
Three
Today in 1837, Walter Samson and Stewart Cuthbertson successfully demonstrated the first commercial use of an electrical telegraph; this demonstration took place in New York, US. Is this statement true or false?
Four
Is it true that Louise Joy Brown, the first human born after conception by in vitro fertilisation (IVF), was born in Greater Manchester, UK, on this day in 1978?
Five
On this date in 1909, Louis Blériot embarked on a historic flight from Le Touquet, France. This marked the inaugural crossing of the English Channel in a heavier-than-air aircraft, with the landing occurring near Hastings, England. Is this true or false?
The answers to my earlier post are shown highlighted below.
Diana Rigg and George Lazenby. On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, 1969. Image Wikipedia
One
The actress who played Countess Teresa ‘Tracy’ di Vicenzo in the Bond film On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969) was born 20 July 1938. Who was she?
Diana Rigg
Jill St. John
Shirley Eaton
Answer: Diana Rigg
Dame Enid Rigg was an English actress known for roles in The Avengers, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, and Game of Thrones. She won a Tony Award for her role in Medea and received numerous accolades for her contributions to drama.
All three were Bond Girls with Jill St John appearing as Tiffany Case in Diamonds Are Forever and Shirley Eaton as Jill Masterson in Goldfinger.
Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay. Image Wikipedia
Two
Edmund Hillary, one of the first two men to reach the summit of Mount Everest, was born 20 July 1919. In what city was he born?
Auckland, New Zealand
Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
Canberra, Australia
Answer: Auckland, New Zealand
In 1953, Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay of the 1953 British Mount Everest expedition became the first to reach the summit of Mount Everest using the South Col route. The news of their success reached London on the morning of Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation.
Claus von Stauffenberg, a German army officer, is most renowned for his unsuccessful attempt on 20 July 1944, to assassinate Adolf Hitler. At which of Hitler’s headquarters was this attempt executed?
Felsennest, (Rocky Eyrie), Bad Münstereifel
Kehlsteinhaus (Eagle’s Nest), above Obersalzberg near Berchtesgaden, Bavaria
Wolfsschanze (Wolf’s Lair), East Prussia
Answer: Wolfsschanze (Wolf’s Lair), East Prussia
On 20 July 1944, German resistance members, led by Claus von Stauffenberg, attempted to assassinate Adolf Hitler and overthrow the Nazi regime. The assassination attempt failed, and the subsequent coup d’état, codenamed ‘Operation Valkyrie’, was quickly suppressed by the Nazi regime, resulting in the execution of many conspirators including von Stauffenberg.
On 20 July 1992, Václav Havel resigned as president of…
Albania
Bulgaria
Czechoslovakia
Answer: Czechoslovakia
In 1990, Czechoslovakia held its first free elections in 44 years, resulting in a victory for Civic Forum and Public Against Violence. Despite increasing tensions and the Slovak Declaration of Independence, Václav Havel supported the retention of the Czech and Slovak Federative Republic and resigned as president in 1992. When the Czech Republic was created as one of two successor states, Havel successfully stood for election as its first president on 26 January 1993.
Aldrin next to the Passive Seismic Experiment Package with the Lunar Module Eagle in the background. Image Wikipedia
Five
On July 20, 1969, during the Apollo 11 mission, Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin (Buzz Aldrin) landed on the Moon in the Lunar Module Eagle. How long did they remain on the Moon between the Eagle’s landing and the ascent stage’s departure for their return journey?
21 hours and 36 minutes
24 hours and 3 minutes
32 hours and 28 minutes
Answer: 21 hours and 36 minutes
On 20 July 1969, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin descended to the Moon’s surface in the Eagle lunar module. During the descent, they encountered programme alarms and navigated through a boulder-strewn area. Armstrong successfully landed Eagle with only 216 pounds of fuel remaining, signalling to Mission Control, ‘Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed’.
After a longer-than-expected preparation period, Armstrong became the first human to step onto the Moon’s surface, famously declaring, ‘That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind’.
Armstrong and Aldrin deployed scientific instruments, collected rock samples, and planted a flag on the Moon and left behind memorial items, including a message disk with goodwill statements from world leaders. After a 21 hours and 36 minutes, they safely lifted off in the LM ascent stage to rejoin Michael Collins in lunar orbit.
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