Tag: nature

Ring of Fire—Answers

Chinstrap penguin (Pygoscelis antarctica),
Deception Island, South Shetland Islands.
Image Wikipedia

One

How old, in years, was Stevie Wonder when Little Stevie Wonder – The Twelve Year Old Genius topped the US album charts in 1963?

  • 11
  • 12
  • 13

Answer: 13

Stevie Wonder was  13 years 3 months old when his album Little Stevie Wonder – The Twelve Year Old Genius (1963) topped the US charts.
— Guinness World Records

Two

What’s is a species of penguin?

  • Backstrap
  • Bootstrap
  • Chinstrap

Answer: Chinstrap

The chinstrap penguin (Pygoscelis antarcticus) is a penguin species that inhabits various islands and shores in the Southern Pacific and the Antarctic Oceans. Its name stems from the narrow black band under its head, which makes it appear as if it were wearing a black helmet. Due to its loud, harsh call, other common names include ringed penguin, bearded penguin, and stonecracker penguin. — Wikipedia

Three

Johnny Cash’s family once blocked advertisers using Ring of Fire, what did they want to promote?

  • Pacific ring sea cruises
  • Haemorrhoid preparations
  • Propane gas products

Answer: Haemorrhoid preparations

…the 1963 classic “Ring of Fire”, was to be used in a commercial for a haemorrhoid ointment. The Cash family blocked the deal immediately. Johnny Cash’s daughter Rosanne, also a singer, explained that the family would never allow the song to be demeaned in this way. When she hears the lines “And it burns, burns, burns, that ring of fire” she is in no doubt that “it is about the transformative power of love. That is what it will always mean to us”.
— The Independent

Four

Which city was the birthplace of former Israeli prime minister Golda Meir?

  • Kyiv, Ukraine
  • Ljubljana, Slovenia
  • Minsk, Belarus

Answer: Kyiv, Ukraine

Meir was born Golda Mabovitch on 3 May 1898 into a Jewish family in downtown Kiev, Ukraine, then part of the Russian Empire. Her parents were Blume Neiditch (died 1951) and Moshe Yitzhak Mabovitch (died 1944), a carpenter. Meir wrote in her autobiography that her earliest memories were of Moshe boarding up the front door in response to rumours of an imminent pogrom. She was named after Blume’s paternal grandmother, Golde. She had two sisters, Sheyna (born 1889) and Tzipke (later known as Clara; born 1902), as well as five other siblings who died in infancy. — Wikipedia

Five

It’s a Hap-Hap-Happy Day is a song which was originally featured in what 1939 film?

  • Beauty and the Beast
  • Gulliver’s Travels
  • Sleeping Beauty

Answer: Gulliver’s Travels

“It’s a Hap-Hap-Happy Day” is a popular song with words by Sammy Timberg & Winston Sharples and music by Al J. Neiburg. It was featured in the animated feature film Gulliver’s Travels in 1939. It was a hit in the UK in 1940 during the Battle of Britain, having been played heavily on BBC radio. — Wikipedia

Ring of Fire

One

How old, in years, was Stevie Wonder when Little Stevie Wonder – The Twelve Year Old Genius topped the US album charts in 1963?

  • 11
  • 12
  • 13

Two

What’s is a species of penguin?

  • Backstrap
  • Bootstrap
  • Chinstrap

Three

Johnny Cash’s family once blocked advertisers using Ring of Fire, what did they want to promote?

  • Pacific ring sea cruises
  • Haemorrhoid preparations
  • Propane gas products

Four

Which city was the birthplace of former Israeli prime minister Golda Meir?

  • Kyiv, Ukraine
  • Ljubljana, Slovenia
  • Minsk, Belarus

Five

It’s a Hap-Hap-Happy Day is a song which was originally featured in what 1939 film?

  • Beauty and the Beast
  • Gulliver’s Travels
  • Sleeping Beauty

Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

Five for Twenty-five—Answers

The answers to my earlier post are shown below.

Never Say Never Again.
Image Pinterest

One

Who was the actor born on 25 August 1930 who played James Bond in a 1980s film directed by Irvin Kershner?
Sean Connery
George Lazenby
Roger Moors

Answer: Sean Connery

Irvin Kershner directed the 1983 non-Eon Productions Never Say Never Again, the seventh and final Bond film starring Sean Connery. The film‘s title referenced Connery’s 1971 declaration that he would never play the role again. The storyline follows Bond as he investigates the theft of nuclear weapons by SPECTRE. It is based on Ian Fleming’s 1961 novel Thunderball, which was originally written by Kevin McClory, Jack Whittingham, and Fleming. The novel had previously been adapted into the 1965 film Thunderball.

Two

On 25 August 1916, US President Woodrow Wilson signed the … Act, which established the National Park Service. What word completes the name of the act?
Operational
Organic
Oversight

Answer: Organic Act

Stephen Mather, worried about the condition of national parks, was instrumental in founding the National Park Service (NPS) with his assistant Horace Albright through the Organic Act of 1916. They consolidated NPS properties, marketed the parks, and facilitated the establishment of many new parks and monuments. The act sought to preserve and enhance the enjoyment of national parks, monuments, and reservations.

Three

On 25 August 1530, Ivan IV Vasilyevich, commonly known as Ivan the Terrible, was born. He became the Tsar and Grand Prince of all Russia. Was he the… person to hold this position. What word completes the previous sentence?
First
Fifth
Fourteenth

Answer: First

Ivan the Terrible, first Tsar of Russia, transformed Russia into an empire but at a great cost. His later years were marked by paranoia, violence and the massacre of Novgorod, leading to the end of the Rurik dynasty.

Four

On this date in 1825, the Thirty-three Orientals, a revolutionary group, began an insurrection against…
Benin
Bhutan
Brazil

Answer: Brazil

The Treinta y Tres Orientales, led by Lavalleja and Oribe, fought for the independence of Oriental Province from Brazil in 1825, leading to the foundation of modern Uruguay.

Neptune image taken by Voyager 2, August 1989.
Image NASA via Wikipedia

Five

On 25 August 1989, the first human-made object to fly by Neptune made its closest approach to the planet. Which spacecraft was it?
Viking 1 Voyager 2 Vulcan 3

Answer: Voyager 2

Voyager 2 is the only spacecraft to visit Uranus and Neptune. The probe is now in interstellar space, the region outside the heliopause, or the bubble of energetic particles and magnetic fields from the Sun.
— NASA

Five for Twenty-five

All these questions are related to today, August 25th.

Yellowstone Lake showing geyser, Yellowstone National Park.
Image Wikipedia

One

Who was the actor born on 25 August 1930 who played James Bond in a 1980s film directed by Irvin Kershner?
Sean Connery
George Lazenby
Roger Moore

Two

On 25 August 1916, US President Woodrow Wilson signed the … Act, which established the National Park Service. What word completes the name of the act?
Operational
Organic
Oversight

Three

On 25 August 1530, Ivan IV Vasilyevich, commonly known as Ivan the Terrible, was born. He became the Tsar and Grand Prince of all Russia. Was he the… person to hold this position. What word completes the previous sentence?
First
Fifth
Fourteenth

Four

On this date in 1825, the Thirty-three Orientals, a revolutionary group, began an insurrection against…
Benin
Bhutan
Brazil

Five

On 25 August 1989, the first human-made object to fly by Neptune made its closest approach to the planet. Which spacecraft was it?
Viking 1 Voyager 2 Vulcan 3

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

Fire from the Earth—Answers

The answers to my earlier post are shown below.

Krakatoa, East of Java.
Image The Movie DB

One

In 1883, a significant volcanic eruption took place in the Sunda Strait. However, a 1968 Hollywood film title incorrectly located the volcano. Which volcano was it, and what was the film’s title?

Answer: Krakatoa and Krakatoa, East of Java

Krakatoa is west of Java not east! Apparently the film’s producers thought ‘West’ was more atmospheric than ‘East’. The eruption in 1883 destroyed over 70% of the island and its surrounding archipelago, collapsing into a caldera. The eruption, heard 3,000 miles (4,800 kilometres) away, caused at least 36,417 deaths and had significant global effects.

Eruption of Kilauea, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii, 1983.
Image Encyclopædia Britannica

Two

Which archipelago contains two active volcanoes, one of which, Kīlauea, is considered one of the most active in the world?

Answer: Hawaiian Islands

Kilauea, an active shield volcano on Hawaii’s Big Island, is known for its frequent eruptions, notably the Pu’u ‘Ō’ō eruption, which created new land. Located on the island’s southeastern shore, it is between 210,000 and 280,000 years old and emerged above sea level about 100,000 years ago. Kilauea is the most active of the five volcanoes forming the island and among the most active globally. The most recent eruption began in December 2024, continuing into 2025. Historically, it was thought to be a satellite of Mauna Loa. From 2008 to 2018, Halemaʻumaʻu hosted an active lava lake. Eruptions from 1983 to 2018 caused significant property damage, including the destruction of Kalapana and Kaimū in 1990. Since 2020, eruptions have occurred within the enlarged Halemaʻumaʻu crater and along the southwest and east rift zones. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, established in 1961, houses two active volcanoes, Mauna Loa and Kilauea.

Mount Fuji from the International Space Station.
Image NASA/Wikipedia

Three

In what century was the last eruption of Japan’s Mount Fuji?

Answer: 18th century (December 16, 1707)

Mount Fuji, Japan’s highest mountain and a cultural icon, is an active stratovolcano with a symmetrical cone. Situated in central Honshu, it is a UNESCO World Heritage site and a prominent feature of Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park.

Devil’s Tower, Wyoming.
Image Wikipedia

Four

Geologists agree that a geological feature featured in a 1977 Steven Spielberg film began as magma, or molten rock, buried beneath the Earth’s surface. Please name the Spielberg film and identify the geological feature?

Answer: Close Encounters of the Third Kind and Devils Tower (National Monument, Wyoming)

Close Encounters of the Third Kind is a 1977 science fiction film by Steven Spielberg about a man whose life changes after a UFO encounter and a single mother whose son is abducted. The film’s climax is at Devil’s Tower. The film was a critical and financial success, grossing over $300 million worldwide and receiving numerous awards and nominations. It was preserved in the National Film Registry and has been released in multiple editions, including a Director’s Cut.

Hekla and an Icelandic horse.
Image Wikipedia

Five

Known to medieval Europeans as the ‘Gateway to Hell’, Hekla has erupted more than 20 times. In what country is Hekla?

Answer: Iceland

Hekla, Iceland’s most active volcano, is characterised by a 3.4-mile-long fissure and has erupted over 20 times since 1104. Its eruptions, including a major one in 1766, have caused significant damage and loss of life.

Fire from the Earth

Mount Vesuvius rising above the ruins of Pompeii.
Image Encyclopædia Britannica

August 24th is traditionally believed to be the date of the catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 CE, which destroyed Pompeii and Herculaneum. Pliny the Younger witnessed and wrote about the eruption, while his uncle, Pliny the Elder, tragically died while on a seaborne rescue effort. Today’s questions are all connected to volcanic activity,

One

In 1883, a significant volcanic eruption took place in the Sunda Strait. However, a 1968 Hollywood film title incorrectly located the volcano. Which volcano was it, and what was the film’s title?

Two

Which archipelago contains two active volcanoes, one of which, Kīlauea, is considered one of the most active in the world?

Three

In what century was the last eruption of Japan’s Mount Fuji?

Four

Geologists agree that a geological feature featured in a 1977 Steven Spielberg film began as magma, or molten rock, buried beneath the Earth’s surface. Please name the Spielberg film and identify the geological feature?

Five

Known to medieval Europeans as the ‘Gateway to Hell’, Hekla has erupted more than 20 times. In what country is Hekla?

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

Animal Magic—Answers

The answers to my earlier post are shown below.

Hippopotimus cow and calf.
Image Wikipedia

One

Is it true or false that in 1910, the US Congress debated importing hippopotami as a solution to a national meat crisis?

Answer: True

In 1910, the US Congress considered importing hippopotamuses from Africa to address a national meat crisis caused by corporate beef monopolies and rising prices. The proposal, which involved free-ranging hippos in Louisiana, was ultimately rejected.

Asian palm civet, which is the source of Kopi luwak.
Image Wikipedia

Two

Kopi luwak, the most expensive coffee in the world, is made by feeding coffee beans to small mammals called lemurs. These lemurs then excrete the undigested beans, which are collected and processed to make the coffee. Is this true or false?

Answer: False

Kopi luwak, or civet coffee, is made from coffee cherries eaten and defecated by Asian palm civets in Southeast Asia, particularly Indonesia. However, lemurs are endemic to Madagascar.
Civets have been subjected to intensive farming, where cages and battery farming methods, including force feeding, have been used.

Camels in Texas, by Thomas Lovell, courtesy of the Abell-Hanger Foundation and the Permian Basin Petroleum Museum, Library and Hall of Fame of Midland, Texas.
Image The Army Historical Foundation

Three

Is it true or false that the US Army used camels in the American West during the mid-19th century?

Answer: True

In the 1830s, the US Army struggled with westward expansion due to challenging terrain. In 1855, Secretary of War Jefferson Davis funded an experiment to import camels for military use, led by Major Henry C. Wayne. The expedition brought 33 camels from the Mediterranean to Texas, where they demonstrated superior carrying capacity, speed, and endurance over horses and mules. Despite initial skepticism about their temperament and odour, camels adapted well to the Southwest’s harsh conditions. Although successful, Congress denied further funding, and the Civil War ended the experiment. The camels were sold at auction, eventually being released into the wild.

Dung beetle rolls the ball of dung with its hind legs.
Image Wikipedia

Four

African dung beetles can navigate and orient themselves using only the stars in the Milky Way. Is this true or false?

Answer: True

African dung beetles can orient themselves to the bright stripe of light generated by our galaxy, and move in a line relative to it. This was witnessed during experiments in South Africa.

A raft of sea otters.
Chillin’ by Ray Bulson.
Image Pinterest

Five

Is it true or false that sea otters gather and socialise in groups called rafts?

Answer: True

Sea otters, once hunted extensively for their fur, saw their population drop to 1,000–2,000 individuals. Conservation efforts, including an international hunting ban and reintroduction programs, have helped their numbers rebound, allowing them to occupy about two-thirds of their former range. Despite these successes, sea otters remain endangered due to recent regional declines. They often gather in large groups called rafts while resting on their backs.

Animal Magic

All about animals today but are the following statements true or false?

One

Is it true or false that in 1910, the US Congress debated importing hippopotami as a solution to a national meat crisis?

Two

Kopi luwak, the most expensive coffee in the world, is made by feeding coffee beans to small mammals called lemurs. These lemurs then excrete the undigested beans, which are collected and processed to make the coffee.

Three

Is it true or false that the US Army used camels in the American West during the mid-19th century?

Four

African dung beetles can navigate and orient themselves using only the stars in the Milky Way. Is this true or false?

Five

Is it true or false that sea otters gather and socialise in groups called rafts?

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

Roanoke—Answers

Virginia Dare by Maria Louisa Lander, 1859. Imaginatively portrayed as an adult Indian princess.
Elizabethan Gardens, Manteo, NC, US.
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?

— Answer: Sir Walter Raleigh

The Roanoke Colony, established by Sir Walter Raleigh, refers to two attempts to found a permanent English settlement in North America. The first colony, established in 1585, was abandoned due to supply shortages and strained relations with local tribes. The second colony, known as the ‘Lost Colony’, was established in 1587 but found abandoned in 1590, with the word ‘CROATOAN’ carved into a palisade. Virginia Dare was never seen again, and her fate remains unknown.

Two

Which Elton John song, released in 1997, remained in the Canadian Singles Charts for three years. What was that song?

— Answer: Candle in the Wind 1997

Elton John and Bernie Taupin, who had originally written Candle in the Wind as a tribute to Marilyn Monroe, rewrote it for the 1997 funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales. 

Three

Zupaysaurus. Image Wikipedia

Zupaysaurus, ‘devil lizard’ from the Queshua word supay meaning ‘devil’ and sauros, ‘lizard’, is an early theropod dinosaur. In what country was this discovered?

— Answer: Argentina

Zupaysaurus (/ˌzuːpeɪˈsɔːrəs/; “ZOO-pay-SAWR-us”) is an extinct genus of early theropod dinosaurliving during the Norian stage of the Late Triassic in what is now Argentina. Fossils of the dinosaur were found in the Los Colorados Formation of the Ischigualasto-Villa Unión Basin in northwestern Argentina. Although a full skeleton has not yet been discovered, Zupaysaurus can be considered a bipedalpredator, up to 4 metres (13 ft) long. It may have had two parallel crests running the length of its snout.

—Wikipedia 

Abel Tasman.
Image Wikipedia

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?

— Answer: Anthony van Diemen’s Land

Tasmania, named after Dutch explorer Abel Tasman, was originally called Anthony van Diemen’s Land after his sponsor. The British shortened it to Van Diemen’s Land, and it was officially renamed Tasmania in 1856.

Male Alpine ibex (Capra ibex).
Image Wikipedia

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?

—Answer: Goat

Ibex are wild goats with large, recurved horns, found in Eurasia, North and East Africa.

Roanoke

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?

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.