Quizology.Online

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

— Bertrand Russell

Tag: nature

  • What ‘*’… — Answers

    Today’s Answers

    African pygmy mouse, one of the world’s smallestt rodents. See question three.
    Image A-Z Animals

    Very straightforward today.

    One

    What ‘A’ best describes -273.15º C and −459.67º F?

    Answer: Absolute zero.

    Absolute zero is 0 K (−273.15 °C), the lowest theoretically possible temperature; it can’t be reached in practice.

    Two

    What ‘B’ is defined as ‘vision using two eyes with overlapping fields of view, allowing good perception of depth’?

    Answer: Binocular vision.

    Binocular vision is the brain’s ability to combine what both eyes see into one image, helping with depth perception and judging distance.

    Three

    What ‘C’ is the world’s largest living rodent, and on what continent are they endemic?

    Answer: Capybara; South America.

    Capybaras (Hydrochoerus) are large semiaquatic rodents ranging from Panama to Argentina; Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris is the largest living rodent, whereas the lesser capybara (H. isthmius) is smaller. Both are classified as least concern for endangerment, maintain a vegetarian diet, swim to evade predators, and serve as sources of food and leather.

    Four

    What ‘D’ is the first part of the small intestine?

    Answer: Duodenum.

    The duodenum is the shortest small intestine section in most vertebrates, including mammals, reptiles and birds, and may be the main iron absorption site in mammals. In humans, this hollow tube links the stomach to the jejunum and comprises four parts.

    Five

    What ‘E’ is Mozilla Thunderbird?

    Answer: E-mail client.

    Mozilla Thunderbird is a free, open-source personal information manager operated by MZLA Technologies Corporation and managed by the elected Thunderbird Council. It provides email, calendar, contacts, RSS, chat and news across multiple platforms and was modelled on Firefox.

  • What ‘*’…

    African pygmy mouse, one of the world’s smallestt rodents. See question three.
    Image A-Z Animals

    Very straightforward today.

    One

    What ‘A’ best describes -273.15º C and −459.67º F?

    Two

    What ‘B’ is defined as ‘vision using two eyes with overlapping fields of view, allowing good perception of depth’?

    Three

    What ‘C’ is the world’s largest living rodent, and on what continent are they endemic?

    Four

    What ‘D’ is the first part of the small intestine?

    Five

    What ‘E’ is Mozilla Thunderbird?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • For the Birds II — Answers

    Today’s Answers

    Cast and model of dodo.
    Oxford University Natural History Museum.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    Today’s questions have no date connection, but there is a theme.

    One

    This Sebastian Faulks novel published in 1993 is partly set during a major conflict. What is the novel and in what conflict is it partly set?

    Answer: Birdsong; First World War.

    Sebastian Faulks’s Birdsong follows Stephen Wraysford in the First World War and Elizabeth Benson in the 1970s. It explores trauma and historical recovery, earning acclaim and ranking 13th in the Big Read. Adaptations include radio, television and stage versions.

    Two

    Columbine, pertaining to the family Columbidae, refers to what?

    Answer: Doves (and/or) Pigeons.

    Columbine, pertaining to birds of the family Columbidae (doves and pigeons) from French Colombine, from Italian Colombina, feminine of colombino ‘dove-like’, from colombo ‘dove’.

    Three

    The dodo is an extinct flightless bird. To where was it native, and in what century was one last seen alive?

    Answer: Mauritius; 17th century.

    The dodo, native to Mauritius, was a flightless bird linked to the Rodrigues solitaire and the Nicobar pigeon. After 1598, hunting and habitat loss occurred, and the bird was last seen in 1662; the species has become a symbol of extinction. Although people often blame human hunting, the main cause was the introduction of cats, dogs, macaques, pigs, and rats, which raided nests and competed for scarce food.

    Four

    The UK’s Hawker Siddeley Harrier evolved from the Hawker P.1127 prototype and which evaluation aircraft? Which branch of the US military also took delivery of more than 100 of these V/STOL aircraft?

    Answer: Kestrel; US Marine Corps.

    The Hawker Siddeley Harrier GR.1/GR.3 and AV-8A were the first V/STOL close-support and reconnaissance aircraft, derived from the P.1127 and Kestrel. The GR.1 entered RAF service on 18 April 1969 at RAF Wittering; the USMC acquired 102 AV-8A and 8 TAV-8A between 1971 and 1976.

    Five

    Three birds feature on the Australian coat of arms; how many can you name?

    Answer: Emu, shrike & black swan.

    The Australian Commonwealth Coat of Arms features six animal figures representing five different types of animals: a kangaroo, an emu, two lions (representing New South Wales and Tasmania), an Australian piping shrike (South Australia), and a black swan (Western Australia).

  • For the Birds — Answers

    Today’s Answers

    The Birds.
    Image source here.

    There is no date connection today, but there is a theme.

    One

    This links Max Yasgur’s dairy farm to C. Brown’s dog?

    Answer: Woodstock.

    Woodstock in 1969 took place on Max Yasgur’s farm, while in the Peanuts cartoons Snoopy, Charlie Brown’s dog, has a bird companion called Woodstock.

    Two

    What is the name of the pet owl in Disney’s The Sword in the Stone (1963) and what character’s pet was he?

    Answer: Archimedes; Merlin.

    Archimedes is Merlin’s educated but grouchy pet owl who can speak. He is loyal to Merlin but frequently points out the wizard’s flaws. The character is based on the talking owl from the book The Sword in the Stone, where he also teaches Wart how to fly.

    Three

    In the Harry Potter stories, what is the name and species of Ron Weasley’s pet owl?

    Answers: Pigwidgeon; Scops owl.

    Pigwidgeon, nicknamed ‘Pig’, is a tiny, hyperactive Scops owl given to Ron Weasley by Sirius Black to replace his lost pet rat, Scabbers. Named by Ginny Weasley, Pigwidgeon is known for being loud, bothersome, and a bit of a show-off, often annoying other owls. Despite his small size, he was used to deliver letters, including heavy loads, and was borrowed by Harry Potter to communicate with Sirius during the Triwizard Tournament. He stayed at The Burrow when Ron left to hunt Horcruxes with Harry and Hermione.

    Four

    What 2016 film featured a kingfisher named Kiki?

    Answer: Robinson Crusoe (aka The Wild Life).

    Robinson Crusoe, released in North America as The Wild Life, is a 2016 3D animated film directed by Vincent Kesteloot and Ben Stassen. Based on Daniel Defoe’s novel from the animals’ perspective, it grossed $42.4 million against a $13 million budget despite negative reviews.

    Five

    What song gave Fleetwood Mac their only UK number one hit?

    Answer: Albatross.

    The Fleetwood Mac instrumental Albatross, composed by Peter Green and released in 1968, was the band’s only number-one single in the UK. It was later re-released in 1973, reaching number two.

  • Far Flung Fortifications Fit IX

    See question Forty-one. Image Wikimedia Commons

    Over the next nine days, 46 questions will be posed, one for each letter of the alphabet plus 20 others (There will be six one day). The 20 others appear as duplicate letters, and these duplicates spell out the name of the Roman Fortification which in CE 150 to 160 was the furthest boundary from the city of Rome, and the country that it was situated in. It is a three-word answer with eight letters in the first part of the name and four in the second part; the country has eight letters in its name. 
BTWFit, as used in the post title, is an archaic term meaning ‘a division of a song, ballad, or story’.

    Forty-one

    Bos grunniens, pictured, is commonly known as what?

    Forty-two

    The sixth Arrondissement of Paris is what?

    Forty-three

    The Battle of Otumba (1520) was fought between Spain and forces of which empire?

    Forty-four

    Losing a war to forces of the British Empire in 38 minutes, Sayyid Khalid bin Barghash was sultan of where?

    Forty-five

    What type of bird is a scaup?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers tomorrow.

  • Scene of Crime — Answer

    Today’s Answers

    Flag of Kenya.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    Analyse today’s scene of crime.

    One

    Roxane expresses her love for the title character at the end of which 1897 Edmond Rostand play?

    Answer: Cyrano de Bergerac.

    Edmond Rostand’s 1897 French play Cyrano de Bergerac blends the 17th-century Cyrano’s life with invention and myth; his large nose is real but usually exaggerated in performance.

    Two

    The order Lagomorpha contains the pika and two other animals. What one has a six-lettered name?

    Answer: Rabbit.

    Derived from Greek and meaning ‘hare-shaped’ Lagomorphs comprise Leporidae and Ochotonidae, with 109 extant species across twelve genera and one recently extinct genus. Found on all continents except Antarctica, they differ from rodents by having four upper incisors and more cheek teeth. They are almost exclusively herbivores with fur-covered feet. Great Britain alone is estimated to have about 36 million wild European rabbits.

    Three

    The principal activity of which Yokohama-headquartered company is the production, marketing and sale of commercial vehicles and diesel engines?

    Answer: Isuzu.

    Headquartered in Yokohama, Isuzu Motors Ltd. produces and sells commercial diesel vehicles and engines globally. Operations include subsidiaries such as UD Trucks and Jiangxi Isuzu Motors, with plants in Fujisawa, Tochigi and Hokkaido.

    Four

    Wikipedia describes the design of the Flag of Kenya as follows: ‘A horizontal tricolour of black, white-edged red, and green with two crossed white spears behind a red, white, and black … shield.’ What word has been omitted from the description?

    Answer: Maasai.

    The flag’s design draws from the banner of the Kenya African National Union (KANU), the movement that guided independence. KANU’s colours were woven into the national flag alongside the traditional Maasai shield and crossed spears to signal cultural heritage and defence. This adjustment ensured the flag captured both political history and the broader identity of the Kenyan people.

    Five

    What is the largest subtropical wilderness in the United States?

    Answer: Everglades.

    The Everglades, a flooded grassland from Lake Okeechobee to Florida Bay, suffered habitat loss through drainage and development. Conservation efforts resulted with Congress approval of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan in 2000.

  • Scene of Crime

    Flag of Kenya.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    Analyse today’s scene of crime.

    One

    Roxane expresses her love for the title character at the end of which 1897 Edmond Rostand play?

    Two

    The order Lagomorpha contains the pika and two other animals. What one has a six-lettered name?

    Three

    The principal activity of which Yokohama-headquartered company is the production, marketing and sale of commercial vehicles and diesel engines?

    Four

    Wikipedia describes the design of the Flag of Kenya as follows: ‘A horizontal tricolour of black, white-edged red, and green with two crossed white spears behind a red, white, and black … shield.’ What word has been omitted from the description?

    Five

    What is the largest subtropical wilderness in the United States?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • Sense Lapsang Souchong Meeting Laphroaig — Answers

    Today’s Answers

    Stegosaurus.
    Image Encyclopædia Britannica

    No more can be said than ‘sense lapsang souchong meeting Laphroaig’.

    One

    What dinosaur species is pictured?

    Answer: Stegosaurus.

    Stegosaurus, a Late Jurassic herbivorous quadruped from the western United States and Portugal, had kite-shaped plates and tail spikes likely used for display and defence although the plates may have regulated heat. Three species are recognised and remains exceed 80 individuals.

    Two

    Buonapart Ignace Gallia is the real name of which villain from an early James Bond novel by Ian Fleming?

    Answer: Mr. Big.

    Mr. Big serves as the alias for the central antagonist in the novel Live and Let Die and its 1973 film version. In the book, his actual name is Buonapart Ignace Gallia. Within Fleming’s narrative, Mr. Big acts as a SMERSH operative and leads the ‘Black Widow Voodoo Cult’, as it smuggles and launders 17th-century gold coins for the benefit of SMERSH.

    Three

    A highly poisonous plant of the dogbane family; an Australian wattle tree; and part of the title of a 2002 film featuring Billy Connolly. One eight-lettered word fits all three things above: what word?

    Answer: Oleander.

    Nerium oleander is native from the Mediterranean to southern Asia and cultivated widely. It is highly poisonous yet rarely ingested due to bitterness; ingestion causes gastrointestinal and cardiac effects, and sap causes irritation. Acacia neriifolia, known as oleander, silver or pechy wattle, is a tree native to north-eastern Australia and common in the Moonbi Ranges. The Billy Connolly film is White Oleander which also stars Michelle Pfeiffer and Renée Zellweger.

    Four

    What songwriter composed Help Me Make It Through the Night?

    Answer: Kris Kristofferson.

    Kristofferson claims that his inspiration for the song came from Frank Sinatra’s answer to an interview question asking what he believed in. Sinatra replied, ‘Booze, broads, or a bible…whatever helps me make it through the night.’ As well as Kristofferson’s recordings versions of the song has been released by several artists, including Sammi Smith, Brenda Lee, Gladys Knight, Elvis Presley, Tammy Wynette, Johnny Cash and many more.

    Five

    What links George Williams in 1844 London with a 1978 song written by Jacques Morali and Victor Willis?

    Answer: Y.M.C.A.

    Founded in London in 1844 by George Williams, YMCA is a Protestant parachurch federation based in Vernier, Switzerland, promoting Christian values through youth development. With 12,000 branches and 64 million beneficiaries, it follows principles known as the Paris Basis. Jacques Morali and Victor Willis were the songwriters who wrote the chart-topping Y.M.C.A. for the Village People.

    Sense Lapsang Souchong Meeting Laphroaig

    Lapsang souchong is a well-known black tea which originated from Fujian Province, China and Laphroaig is a malt whisky from the Scottish island of Islay. Both of these drinks share a smoky aroma and taste and that is a small clue to today’s answers which begin with the letters S, M, O, K and Y

  • Sense Lapsang Souchong Meeting Laphroaig

    Stegosaurus.
    Image Encyclopædia Britannica

    No more can be said than ‘sense lapsang souchong meeting Laphroaig’.

    One

    What dinosaur species is pictured?

    Two

    Buonapart Ignace Gallia is the real name of which villain from an early James Bond novel by Ian Fleming?

    Three

    A highly poisonous plant of the dogbane family; an Australian wattle tree; and part of the title of a 2002 film featuring Billy Connolly. One eight-lettered word fits all three things above: what word?

    Four

    What songwriter composed Help Me Make It Through the Night?

    Five

    What links George Williams in 1844 London with a 1978 song written by Jacques Morali and Victor Willis?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • Broils

    Image Wikimedia Commons

    Today’s questions are a mixed bag of trivia.

    One

    What kind of marine lizard appears in the above image?

    Two

    Which capital city in the continental Americas has the smallest population?

    Three

    When Robert H. Goddard launched the first liquid-fuelled rocket in 1926, from a location in Massachusetts, USA, what, along with gasoline, supplied the fuel?

    Four

    This quote from Wikipedia (August 2026) refers to which tennis player whose name has been removed:

    “… is the only player in the history of tennis (male or female) to have won titles on all court surfaces of his time (grass, clay, hard, carpet, wood).”

    Skellig Michael.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    Five

    Skellig Michael, a twin-peaked rock, served as a filming site for which 2017 production, and off which nation’s coast does it lie?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.