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?
Two
On this day in 1847, Yerba Buena became what North American city?
Three
Charles I, king of England, Scotland, and Ireland, was executed in London. In what decade did this occur?
Four
Oliver Cromwell was one of the regicides responsible for Charles I’s execution. What happened to Cromwell two years after his own death?
Five
On this day in 1931 City Lights premiered. The film was written, produced, directed by, and starred whom?
Some astrologers believed that a 1997 planetary alignment with the Sun and Moon, which had not occurred since 1475, indicated the beginning of a new age. What age?
In 1229, Pope Gregory IX first mentioned the town of Aboa in his bull; Aboa is the Latin name of Turku. This date is increasingly considered the founding of Turku. In what modern country is Turku?
Answer: Finland
Turku, Finland’s oldest city, is the regional capital of Southwest Finland. With a population of approximately 207,000, it is the country’s third-most populous urban area. Turku, a bilingual municipality, is a significant business and cultural centre, known for its rich history, vibrant food scene, and as a major port city.
Three
In 1957, American inventor Walter Frederick Morrison sold the rights to his disc to the Wham-O toy company. What did they later rename it?
Answer: Frisbee
A frisbee, also known as a flying disc, is a gliding toy used for recreational and competitive throwing and catching. It is typically made of plastic and has a pronounced lip, allowing it to fly with reduced drag and increased lift.
Four
In 1998, which corporation announced the creation of Mozilla, a free software community?
Answer: Netscape Communications Corporation
Netscape announced its Communicator browser software would be free and open-source in 1998, leading to the creation of the Mozilla project. Initially a technology provider, Mozilla later focused on developing independent applications like Firefox and Thunderbird, and expanded into mobile platforms and other projects.
Five
In 1977, the television miniseries Roots debuted in the United States. The series was an adaptation of whose best-selling novel, and what was that novel’s full title?
Answer: Alex Haley
Roots is a 1977 American television miniseries based on Alex Haley’s novel, Roots: The Saga of an American Family. The series, which aired on ABC, received critical acclaim and numerous awards, including nine Primetime Emmy Awards. It was followed by a sequel, Roots: The Next Generations, and a remake commissioned by the History Channel in 2016.
Some astrologers believed that a 1997 planetary alignment with the Sun and Moon, which had not occurred since 1475, indicated the beginning of a new age. What age?
Two
In 1229, Pope Gregory IX first mentioned the town of Aboa in his bull; Aboa is the Latin name of Turku. This date is increasingly considered the founding of Turku. In what modern country is Turku?
Three
In 1957, American inventor Walter Frederick Morrison sold the rights to his disc to the Wham-O toy company. What did they later rename it?
Four
In 1998, which corporation announced the creation of Mozilla, a free software community?
Five
In 1977, the television miniseries Roots debuted in the United States. The series was an adaptation of whose best-selling novel, and what was that novel’s full title?
Confluence of Blue Nile and White Nile at Khartoum, Sudan. Image Pinterest
One
On mainland South America what countries do NOT border Brazil?
Answer: Chile and Ecuador
Brazil borders ten South American countries, namely Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, Venezuela, and French Guiana, which is an overseas region of France.
Two
Europe: what seven-letter word gives a name to both an Irish province and a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany?
Answer: Munster
Munster is the largest province in Ireland, situated in the southwest, with a population of 1,373,346 in 2022. It serves as a provincial subdivision of the state without an official local government function. Münster is a major city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, renowned for its bicycle culture and historical importance, notably the Anabaptist rebellion and the Treaties of Westphalia.
Three
In Asia, what is the capital of Mongolia?
Answer: Ulaanbaatar
Mongolia, a landlocked country in East Asia, is the world’s most sparsely populated sovereign state. It has a rich history, having been ruled by various nomadic empires and later becoming a satellite state of the Soviet Union. Today, Mongolia is a democratic country with a nomadic culture and a majority Buddhist population.
Four
This quote from Wikipedia refers to what Australian city?
The city has been almost entirely rebuilt four times, following devastation caused by a cyclone in 1897, another one in 1937, Japanese air raids during World War II, and Cyclone Tracy in 1974
— Wikipedia
Answer: Darwin
Darwin, the capital of Australia’s Northern Territory, is the smallest, wettest, and most northerly capital city. With a population of 139,902, it serves as a key link to Southeast Asia and has a tropical climate with a wet and dry season.
Five
Of the two major tributaries of Africa’s River Nile, which is the longer?
Answer: White Nile
The Nile has two major tributaries: the 3,700-kilometre White Nile and the 1,450-kilometre Blue Nile. Traditionally, the longer White Nile is considered the headwaters, but the Blue Nile, which supplies 80% of the water and silt downstream, is actually the main source. The White Nile begins at Lake Victoria and flows through Uganda and South Sudan. The Blue Nile originates at Lake Tana in Ethiopia and flows southeast into Sudan. The two rivers converge in Khartoum, the Sudanese capital.
Confluence of Nile at Khartoum, Sudan. Image Pinterest
One
On mainland South America what countries do NOT border Brazil?
Two
Europe: what seven-letter word gives a name to both an Irish province and a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany?
Three
In Asia, what is the capital of Mongolia?
Four
This quote from Wikipedia refers to what Australian city?
The city has been almost entirely rebuilt four times, following devastation caused by a cyclone in 1897, another one in 1937, Japanese air raids during World War II, and Cyclone Tracy in 1974
— Wikipedia
Five
Of the two major tributaries of Africa’s River Nile, which is the longer?
The International Car Registration Code for the United Kingdom is what?
Answer: GB
With a history dating to 1909, International vehicle registration codes, also known as VRI codes, indicate the country of registration. These codes, maintained by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, are used in international traffic and are often based on ISO codes. The Geneva Convention on Road Traffic mandates that vehicles from signatory countries display their country’s distinguishing sign on the rear.
Two
Jules Verne’s novel Around the World in Eighty Days, which was first published in French, was originally published in what decade?
Answer: 1870s
Jules Verne’s 1872 adventure novel, Around the World in Eighty Days, follows Phileas Fogg and his valet Passepartout’s attempt to circumnavigate the globe in eighty days.
Three
What canal joins the Ionian Sea to the Aegean Sea?
Answer: Corinth Canal
The Corinth Canal, completed in 1893, connects the Gulf of Corinth with the Saronic Gulf in Greece. Despite its historical significance, the canal’s narrowness and navigational challenges limit its economic importance, making it primarily a tourist attraction.
Four
Who was the first human in outer space, and from which present-day country was his historic space flight launched?
Answer: Yuri Gagarin; Kazakhstan
Vostok 1, the first human orbital spaceflight, launched on 12 April 1961 with Yuri Gagarin aboard. Launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, the 108-minute flight completed a single orbit around Earth.
Five
What is the correct title of the song often called Starry Starry Night, and who wrote it?
Answer: Vincent; Don McLean
Vincent is a song by Don McLean, written as a tribute to Vincent van Gogh. The song, released in 1971, topped the UK Singles Chart and peaked at No. 12 in the United States.
Which tennis player fills in the gap in this list of Wimbledon Men’s Champions from the early nineties: Edberg — … — Agassi — Sampras — Sampras
Answer: Michael Stich
In the list shown Edberg vein in 1990 and Stich in 1991. Michael Stich, a former German professional tennis player, achieved a career-high ranking of world No. 2 in singles and No. 9 in doubles. He won 18 singles titles, including Wimbledon and the ATP Tour World Championships, and ten doubles titles, including Wimbledon and the Olympic gold medal.
Two
What is the capital of Lithuania?
Answer: Vilnius
Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, is known for its well-preserved Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was a multicultural centre during the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and is now a financial centre and important fintech hub.
Three
Who created the fictional detective Lord Peter Wimsey?
Answer: Dorothy L. Sayers
Lord Peter Wimsey, a gentleman detective created by Dorothy L. Sayers, solves mysteries for amusement, often assisted by his valet, a police detective, and later, his wife.
Four
What word does the ‘U’ in U-boat actually refer to?
Answer: Unterseeboot
U-boats, German naval submarines, were used in unrestricted submarine warfare during both World Wars to disrupt UK merchant traffic. While initially successful, improved Allied tactics, particularly during the Battle of the Atlantic, led to significant U-boat losses, culminating in ‘Black May’ 1943.
Five
The title of Pink Floyd’s debut album The Piper at the Gates of Dawn derived from what children’s novel?
Answer: The Wind in the Willows
The Piper at the Gates of Dawn is Pink Floyd’s debut album, released in 1967. It was recorded at EMI Studios and produced by Norman Smith, blending improvisational pieces with Syd Barrett’s pop songs and psychedelia. The Wind in the Willows was a childhood favourite of Barrett.
Born in Florida, USA, on this day in 1941, with a film debut in The Happening (1967), one of the stars of Bonnie and Clyde (also 1967), is whom?
Answer: Faye Dunaway
Faye Dunaway is an acclaimed American actress with a career spanning Broadway and film. She rose to fame in the 1960s and 1970s with notable films like Bonnie and Clyde and Chinatown, earning an Academy Award for Network. Dunaway later transitioned to mature character roles in independent films and stage performances.
Two
In 1939, Queen Maud Land was claimed and named. Which country made this claim on this 1.0-million-square-mile area of Antarctica?
Answer: Norway
Queen Maud Land is a 2.7 million square kilometre region of Antarctica claimed by Norway. It is a demilitarised zone within the Antarctic Treaty System, with no permanent population but 12 active research stations. The region is divided into five coasts and is bordered by the British and Australian Antarctic Territories. It is named after the Norwegian Queen Maud (1869–1938).
Three
In 1970, The Supremes performed their final concert with whom?
Answer: Diana Ross
The Supremes, an American girl group formed in Detroit in 1959, were the most commercially successful act of Motown Records during the 1960s. With Diana Ross as lead singer and Holland-Dozier-Holland as their songwriting and production team, they achieved mainstream success with twelve number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100. The group disbanded in 1977 after numerous lineup changes.
Four
In 2005, which organisation developed the probe that became the first spacecraft to land on a celestial body beyond Mars, and on which moon of Saturn did it touch down?
Answers: European Space Agency; Titan
The Huygens probe spent over two hours descending through Titan’s thick, orange, nitrogen-rich atmosphere before landing, sending back the first-ever images and sounds from the surface of a moon in the outer Solar System.
Five
In 2024, Queen Margrethe II abdicated after 52 years on the throne. Her eldest son, the Crown Prince, succeeded her as king. Who was the new king, and in which country did this happen?
Answer: King Frederick X; Denmark
Margrethe, Queen of Denmark, is a talented scenographer and costume designer, having designed costumes for the Royal Danish Ballet and films like The Wild Swans and Ehrengard: The Art of Seduction. She has also designed sets and costumes for numerous ballets, including The Nutcracker and The Snow Queen. Additionally, Margrethe is an accomplished painter and has illustrated works like Prince Henrik’s poetry collection and Danish editions of The Lord of the Rings.
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