Quizology.Online

“There is much pleasure to be gained from useless knowledge.”

— Bertrand Russell

Tag: geography

  • Superlatives — Answers

    Here are the answers to today’s questions.

    Inaugural Transatlantic Telegram.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    The first question is connected to today, 16 August. The subsequent questions are not date-related but continue a Superlative’s theme which moves on from first, to furthest, heaviest, furthest (again) and finally shortest.

    One

    In 1858, Queen Victoria sent the U.S. President the first message via the Transatlantic telegraph. How long did the transmission of the message take:

    1. 7 minutes 
    2. 9 hours
    3. 16 hours

    Answer: 3. 16 hours

    On this day in 1858, the first successful transatlantic telegraph exchange between heads of state took place. Queen Victoria sent the initial message to U.S. President James Buchanan. Although nearly instantaneous by 19th-century standards, the transmission required more than 16 hours. Unfortunately, the cable failed on 1 September, and a functioning line was not restored until 1866.

    Two

    The summit of what stratovolcano is the furthest point from the centre of the Earth?

    1. Chimborazo, Ecuador
    2. Eyjafjallajökull, Iceland
    3. Kogajajima, Japan

    Answer: 1. Mount Chimborazo, Ecuador.

    Chimborazo, an inactive volcano which sits between Guayaquil and Quito, wins due to Earth’s oblate spheroid shape, placing Whymper — the tallest of its four summits — 7,096 feet (2,163 m) farther from the centre of the Earth than Everest. 

    Three

    Which species is the heaviest living monkey?

    1. Mandrill
    2. Nepal Grey Langur
    3. Olive Baboon 

    Answer: 1. Mandrill

    Mandrills (Mandrillus sphinx), is a colourful, sexually dimorphic Old World monkey from west central Africa, closely related to the drill and white-eyelid mangabeys. Active by day on the ground, it eats fruit, seeds and animals in large female-centred hordes; dominant males are solitary outside breeding.

    Four

    On 15 August 2026, how far was Voyager 1 from Earth?

    1. 8.7 billion miles (14.0 billion km)
    2. 11.3 billion miles (18.2 billion km)
    3. 15.9 billion miles (25.6 billion km)

    Answer: 3. 15.9 billion miles.

    Voyager 1 was launched on the 5 September 1977 16 days after Voyager 2. 

    On Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2026, at 2:16:07 a.m. PST, NASA’s Voyager 1 spacecraft will be 16,094,799,096 miles (25,902,068,356 kilometers) away from Earth — or, the distance light travels in 24 hours, also known as one light-day.  
    Voyager 1 will be the first human-made object to reach this distance from Earth, adding to a long list of historic firsts for the mission. Voyager 1 and its twin, Voyager 2, are the only spacecraft to ever operate outside the heliosphere, or the protective bubble of particles and magnetic fields generated by the Sun.
    — NASA

    Five

    What is the fastest time taken to complete the world’s shortest domestic scheduled flight?

    1. 53 seconds
    2. 97 seconds
    3. 131 seconds

    Answer: 1. 53 seconds.

    The shortest domestic scheduled flight is 2.74 km (1.7 miles) between the Orkney islands of Westray and Papa Westray. The flight takes two minutes (including taxiing) and is operated by Loganair which has been flown with Britten-Norman Islander eight-seat aircraft since September 1967. The total distance is less than either of the runways at Heathrow Airport, London, UK. Stuart Linklater announced his retirement as airplane pilot on the record route and between Stronsay, Sanday, North Ronaldsay and Eday in May 2013. He flew the routes 12,000 time over more than 24 years, clocking up 1.3 million miles. Loganair reported that he had set the fastest time for the Westray and Papa Westray route, with 53 seconds.
    — Guinness World Records

  • Superlatives

    Inaugural Transatlantic Telegram.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    The first question is connected to today, 16 August. The subsequent questions are not date-related but continue a Superlative’s theme which moves on from first, to furthest, heaviest, furthest (again) and finally shortest.

    One

    In 1858, Queen Victoria sent the U.S. President the first message via the Transatlantic telegraph. How long did the transmission of the message take:

    1. 7 minutes 
    2. 9 hours
    3. 16 hours

    Two

    The summit of what stratovolcano is the furthest point from the centre of the Earth?

    1. Chimborazo, Ecuador
    2. Eyjafjallajökull, Iceland
    3. Kogajajima, Japan

    Three

    Which species is the heaviest living monkey?

    1. Mandrill
    2. Nepal Grey Langur
    3. Olive Baboon 

    Four

    On 15 August 2026, how far was Voyager 1 from Earth?

    1. 8.7 billion miles (14.0 billion km)
    2. 11.3 billion miles (18.2 billion km)
    3. 15.9 billion miles (25.6 billion km)

    Five

    What is the fastest time taken to complete the world’s shortest domestic scheduled flight?

    1. 53 seconds
    2. 97 seconds
    3. 131 seconds

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • No Man is an Island — Answers

    Here are the answers to my earlier questions.

    See question two.
    Ursus arctos middendorffi aka Kodiak Bear.
    Image Wildlife Trip.

    The first date-related question sets a theme for the subsequent questions and/or answers.

    One

    Napoleon Bonaparte was strongly linked to three islands: (i) where he was born on 15 August 1769; (ii) where he was exiled in 1814 and subsequently escaped; and (iii) where he was exiled in 1815 and subsequently died. What are these islands and in what seas or oceans are they found?

    Answers: (i) Corsica, Mediterranean Sea; (ii) Elba, Mediterranean Sea and (iii) Saint Helena, South Atlantic Ocean (or Atlantic Ocean).

    Corsica is a French island in the Mediterranean Sea, known for its mountainous terrain and historical ties to Italy it has a population of 355,528. Napoleon was born in Ajaccio, Corsica in 1769. Elba is a Mediterranean island in Tuscany, Italy, known for being the site of Napoleon’s first exile from 1814 to 1815. It is the largest island in the Tuscan Archipelago and the third largest in Italy. Saint Helena is a remote volcanic island in the South Atlantic Ocean, part of a British overseas territory. It was uninhabited until the 16th century and served as a crucial stopover for ships between Europe and Asia before the Suez Canal opened. The island is also known for being Napoleon Bonaparte’s second place of exile from 1815 until his death in 1821.

    Two

    Ursus arctos middendorffi, the largest brown bear species, has a common name derived from an archipelago; which archipelago is it, and in what sea or ocean is it located?

    Answer: Kodiak (Archipelago); North Pacific Ocean (or Pacific Ocean).

    The Kodiak bear inhabits the Kodiak Archipelago and is among the largest bears, averaging 1.5 to 2 times larger than other brown bears. Human interactions include hunting and protection efforts; the Alaska Department of Fish and Game and United States Fish and Wildlife Service monitor the population.

    Three

    Puerto Ayora, also called Santa Cruz, is the largest town in which island group, and these islands are part of which country?

    Answers: Galápagos Islands; Ecuador.

    Puerto Ayora, the most populous Galápagos town with 12,696 people, sits on Santa Cruz Island’s southern shore as the seat of Santa Cruz Canton and honours former president, Isidro Ayora.

    Four

    Leaving in about 982 from Snæfellsjökull, one of the westernmost points of …, Erik and a small group of men reached land on the opposite shore of …, a land that had been skirted by the Norwegian Gunnbjörn Ulfsson earlier in the 10th century.
    — Encyclopædia Britannica 

    The above quote from Encyclopædia Britannica has had two island countries removed from it. What are these two countries?

    Answers: Iceland; Greenland.

    Exiled from Iceland around 980, Erik explored and named Greenland, settling at Brattahlid. Returning in 985 or 986, he led 14 ships to Eystribygd, Norse Greenland, establishing a colony of up to 3,000 that lasted until the mid-15th century.

    Five

    What is the second-largest Canadian island, and in what ocean is it found?

    Answers; Victoria Island; Arctic Ocean.

    Victoria Island, Canada’s second-largest landmass, spans Nunavut and the Northwest Territories, supporting 2,168 residents in Cambridge Bay and Ulukhaktok. It lies off the northern coast within the Arctic Ocean, east of the Beaufort Sea. Known in Inuinnaqtun as Kitlineq, the island was named for Queen Victoria and charted by Europeans beginning in 1826.

  • No Man is an Island

    See question two.
    Ursus arctos middendorffi.
    Image Wildlife Trip.

    The first date-related question sets a theme for the subsequent questions and/or answers.

    One

    Napoleon Bonaparte was strongly linked to three islands: (i) where he was born on 15 August 1769; (ii) where he was exiled in 1814 and subsequently escaped; and (iii) where he was exiled in 1815 and subsequently died. What are these islands and in what seas or oceans are they found?

    Two

    Ursus arctos middendorffi, the largest brown bear species, has a common name derived from an archipelago; which archipelago is it, and in what sea or ocean is it located?

    Three

    Puerto Ayora, also called Santa Cruz, is the largest town in which island group, and these islands are part of which country?

    Four

    Leaving in about 982 from Snæfellsjökull, one of the westernmost points of …, Erik and a small group of men reached land on the opposite shore of …, a land that had been skirted by the Norwegian Gunnbjörn Ulfsson earlier in the 10th century.
    — Encyclopædia Britannica 

    The above quote from Encyclopædia Britannica has had two island countries removed from it. What are these two countries?

    Five

    What is the second-largest Canadian island, and in what ocean is it found?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • Seconds Out: Round Two — Answers

    Here are the answers to today’s questions.

    Uranus.
    Image science.nasa.gov

    As with yesterday’s questions these are not date-related but follow a theme mentioned in the title.

    One

    Who, in 1965, became the second cricket player to hit six sixes in an over, and whose record did he equal?

    Answers: Ravi Shastri; Gary Sobers.

    On 31 August 1968, Sobers became the first man to hit six sixes off a single six-ball over in first-class cricket, off the bowling of Malcolm Nash in Nottinghamshire’s first innings against Glamorgan at St Helen’s in Swansea. Nash, a seam bowler, decided to try his arm at spin bowling, and this achievement was caught on film. On 10 January 1985, Shastri equalled Sobers’ record by hitting six sixes in an over, off the bowling of Baroda’s Tilak Raj.

    Two

    Which planet in our solar system is an ice giant and the second farthest from the Sun?

    Answer: Uranus.

    Uranus, the seventh planet from the Sun, is one of the two ice giants in our solar system, the other being Neptune. Its interior is thought to consist largely of high-pressure water, ammonia and methane. Uranus has the coldest planetary atmosphere in the Solar System, with minimum temperatures of about −224 °C (−371 °F), and an axial tilt of about 97.8°, causing retrograde rotation. It has a dark ring system, 29 known moons and unusually low internal heat. Discovered by William Herschel in 1781, it was visited by Voyager 2 in 1986, and a dedicated Uranus mission remains a major priority for future planetary exploration.

    Three

    The active volcano Popocatépetl is which country’s second-highest peak? 

    Answer: Mexico.

    Popocatépetl is an active stratovolcano on the borders of the Mexican states of Puebla, Morelos and the State of Mexico, reaching 5,393 m (17,694 ft) and linked to Iztaccíhuatl by the Paso de Cortés. It is Mexico’s second-highest mountain after Citlaltépetl (Pico de Orizaba) at 5,636 m (18,491 ft). Its summit glaciers largely disappeared by 2001 owing to a combination of volcanic activity and climatic warming, and its eruptions primarily produce magnesium-rich andesite and dacite.

    Four

    No Need to Argue (1994) was what band’s second album?

    Answer: The Cranberries.

    No Need to Argue, released on 3 October 1994 via Island Records, is the Cranberries’ best-selling album with over 17 million copies sold by 2014. It includes “Zombie” and is darker than their debut.

    Five

    Jacqueline Roque was the muse and second wife, from 1961, of which artist? 

    Answer: Pablo Picasso.

    Jacqueline Picasso, also known as Jacqueline Roque, Pablo Picasso’s muse and second wife. Their marriage spanned 12 years until his death, during which he produced more than 400 portraits of her—a greater number than for any other partner.

  • Seconds Out: Round Two

    See question 2.
    Image science.nasa.gov

    As with yesterday’s questions these are not date-related but follow a theme mentioned in the title.

    One

    Who, in 1965, became the second cricket player to hit six sixes in an over, and whose record did he equal?

    Two

    Which planet in our solar system is an ice giant and the second farthest from the Sun?

    Three

    The active volcano Popocatépetl is which country’s second-highest peak? 

    Four

    No Need to Argue (1994) was what band’s second album?

    Five

    Jacqueline Roque was the muse and second wife, from 1961, of which artist? 

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • Oddities II — Answers

    Here are the answers to today’s questions.

    Michael’s Gate and tower, Bratislava, Slovakia.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    Continuing from yesterday with some more ‘Oddities’ which are described as such as they are only connected by being ‘Odds and Ends’. Similar to yesterday, these are all true or false questions.

    One

    Is it true or false that although an estimated 90% of bird species partner up for life, only 20 to 25% of all mammal species do?

    Answer: False.

    Only a small percentage of mammals, approximately 3% to 5%, form lifelong monogamous relationships, often driven by practical needs rather than romantic notions. Notable examples of mammals that mate for life include those with various relationship types. Monogamous: Wolves —Alpha pairs mate for life, leading the pack and raising pups together. Socially monogamous: Beavers — Pairs collaborate to build and maintain their lodges, sharing parenting duties. Long-term monogamous: Gibbons — Known for their duet singing, which strengthens their bond and territory claims.

    Two

    Is it true or false that Gregory Peck portrayed infamous Nazi and Auschwitz doctor Josef Mengele in the 1978 film The Boys from Brazil?

    Answer: True.

    Josef Mengele, known as the ‘Angel of Death’, was a German physician and Nazi officer at Auschwitz during the Holocaust. He conducted inhumane experiments on prisoners. After the war, he fled to South America, evading capture until his death in 1979. His remains were identified in 1985 and 1992.

    Three

    Is it true or false that a bat mitzvah is a coming-of-age ritual in Judaism?

    Answer: True

    In Judaism Bat Mitzvah is the feminine equivalent of Bar mitzvah. These occur at 13 for boys and bat mitzvah at 12 for girls in Orthodox communities, or 13 for both in most others, it marks Jewish coming of age and accountability. The ceremony usually occurs on the first Shabbat after the birthday.

    Four

    Is it true or false that Michael’s Gate, pictured above, is in Bratislava, Slovakia?

    Answer: True.

    Michael’s Gate in Bratislava, Slovakia, is the only preserved medieval city gate, dating back to around 1300. Baroque reconstructions in 1758 added the statue of St. Michael and the Dragon. It houses the Exhibition of Weapons of Bratislava City Museum. The town once had four fortified gates.

    Five

    Is it true or false that the largest member of the dolphin family (Delphinidae) is an apex predator?

    Answer: True.

    The orca (Orcinus orca), or killer whale, is the largest oceanic dolphin, known for its black and white pigmentation. Apex predators with diverse diets, they form matrilineal pods and exhibit unique cultures. Conservation status is data deficient; some populations are endangered. Revered by indigenous peoples in Australia, Peru and the Pacific Northwest of North America.

  • Oddities II

    Michael’s Gate and tower.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    Continuing from yesterday with some more ‘Oddities’ which are described as such as they are only ‘Odds and Ends’. Similar to yesterday, these are all true or false questions.

    One

    Is it true or false that although an estimated 90% of bird species partner up for life, only 20 to 25% of all mammal species do?

    Two

    Is it true or false that Gregory Peck portrayed infamous Nazi and Auschwitz doctor Josef Mengele in the 1978 film The Boys from Brazil?

    Three

    Is it true or false that a bat mitzvah is a coming-of-age ritual in Judaism?

    Four

    Is it true or false that Michael’s Gate, pictured above, is in Bratislava, Slovakia?

    Five

    Is it true or false that the largest member of the dolphin family (Delphinidae) is an apex predator?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • Gallimaufry XIII — Answers

    Here are the answers to today’s questions.

    United Nations Building, New York City.
    See question five.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    Five unassociated questions.

    One

    Travelling west along the Trans-Canada Highway (TCH) from its western terminus, how many provincial and territorial capitals do you pass through, and what, in geographical order, are their names along with their respective province or territory?

    Answers: Six; Victoria, British Columbia; Regina, Saskatchewan; Winnipeg, Manitoba; Québec City, Quebec; Fredericton, New Brunswick; St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador.

    The Trans-Canada Highway is a transcontinental highway system spanning all ten Canadian provinces, with its main route covering 7,821 kilometres from Victoria, British Columbia, to St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador. Construction began in 1950, the highway officially opened in 1962, and the final section was completed in 1971. The entire system, including routes such as the Yellowhead Highway, totals about 12,800 kilometres. Design standards vary along its length, although most sections remain two-lane, undivided highways. The longest continuous divided section extends for about 1,500 kilometres from the Rocky Mountains to the Manitoba–Ontario border. Although the network does not extend into Canada’s three territories or to the U.S. border, it forms part of the National Highway System. In addition to passing through six provincial capitals, the Trans-Canada Highway also serves Canada’s national capital, Ottawa.

    Two

    A fictitious error deliberately placed in a reference work is a what?

    • Ballicatter
    • Frauendienst
    • Mountweazel

    Answer: Mountweazel.

    A fictitious entry is a deliberate error in reference works used as a copyright trap. Types include Mountweazel, trap street, and paper town. Henry Alford coined “Mountweazel” after a fake entry in the 1975 New Columbia Encyclopaedia. These entries are also known as nihilartikel.

    Three

    The title of a 2017, single by Drake shares its name with a fruit, the flower of which is shown above. What was the title of the single?

    Answer: Passionfruit.

    Passionfruit by Drake, featuring Zoë Kravitz, is a tropical house, R&B, pop, and dancehall song from his 2017 mixtape More Life. It peaked at number 8 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 2 on the Canadian Hot 100.

    Four

    Three questions based the standard UK and US editions of monopoly. 

    • What on the UK edition is the equivalent of the American Marvin Gardens?
    • The British Leicester Square is the equivalent of what on the American edition?
    • What colour are these properties on both the British and American versions?

    Answers

    • Piccadilly
    • Atlantic Avenue
    • Yellow

    Monopoly, derived from Lizzie Magie’s 1903 game, involves moving tokens to buy properties and bankrupt opponents. Parker Brothers published it in 1935; Hasbro acquired it in 1991. It has sold 275 million copies across 113 countries.

    Five

    In this post, No. 3 was appointed on 30 November 1962. The first, Gladwyn Jebb, serving in an ‘acting’ capacity and therefore unnumbered, held the post for 101 days in 1945/46. Nos. 1 and 2 were Scandinavian, while No. 3 was the first non-European. What is this post, who was No. 3, and what was his nationality?

    Answers: Secretary-General of the United Nations; U Thant and Burmese.

    The secretary-general of the United Nations oversees the Secretariat under Chapter XV of the Charter, appointed by the General Assembly after a Security Council recommendation, with any permanent member able to veto. Precedent excludes permanent members’ citizens, favours regional rotation and gender equality, and all appointees are career diplomats. Since 1971, five-year terms are standard, with reselection common. The secretary-general’s duties include advocacy, diplomacy, and civil service, with informal powers for dispute prevention.

  • Gallimaufry XIII

    United Nations Building, New York City.
    See question five.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    Five unassociated questions.

    One

    Travelling west along the Trans-Canada Highway (TCH) from its western terminus, how many provincial and territorial capitals do you pass through, and what, in geographical order, are their names along with their respective province or territory?

    Two

    A fictitious error deliberately placed in a reference work is a what?

    • Ballicatter
    • Frauendienst
    • Mountweazel

    Three

    The title of a 2017, single by Drake shares its name with a fruit, the flower of which is shown above. What was the title of the single?

    Four

    Three questions based the standard UK and US editions of monopoly. 

    • What on the UK edition is the equivalent of the American Marvin Gardens?
    • The British Leicester Square is the equivalent of what on the American edition?
    • What colour are these properties on both the British and American versions?

    Five

    In this post, No. 3 was appointed on 30 November 1962. The first, Gladwyn Jebb, serving in an ‘acting’ capacity and therefore unnumbered, held the post for 101 days in 1945/46. Nos. 1 and 2 were Scandinavian, while No. 3 was the first non-European. What is this post, who was No. 3, and what was his nationality?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.