Quizology.Online

Tag: science fiction

  • Gallimaufry IX — Answers

    Here are today’s answers.

    No theme today, just five general knowledge questions.

    Statue of Helvetia on the Federal Palace of Switzerland, Bern.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    One

    The image shown is that of ‘Statue of Helvetia on the Federal Palace of …’. What country finishes the previous statement, and in what city is the Federal Palace located?

    Answers: Switzerland; Bern.

    Helvetia, the national personification of Switzerland, is depicted with flowing clothing, with the Swiss flag, braided hair, and often with shield and a wreath. The name derives from the Helvetii, a Gaulish tribe.

    Two

    The …, or boreal forest, is the world’s largest land biome. In North America, it covers most of inland Canada, Alaska, and parts of the northern contiguous United States. In Eurasia, it covers most of Sweden, Finland, much of Russia from Karelia in the west to the Pacific Ocean (including much of Siberia), much of Norway and, some of the Scottish Highlands, some lowland/coastal areas of Iceland, and areas of northern Kazakhstan, northern Mongolia, and northern Japan (on the island of Hokkaido).

    The above quote from Wikipedia describes a biome whose name has been omitted. What is that missing name?

    Answer: Taiga.

    taiga /ˈtʌɪɡə /
    ▸ (the taiga) noun [mass noun] the swampy coniferous forest of high northern latitudes, especially that between the tundra and steppes of Siberia: the coniferous forest of the taiga.

    – ORIGIN late 19th century: from Russian taĭga, from Mongolian.
    — Oxford English Dictionary

    Three

    What word completes the title of this 1957 sci-fi novel: The Midwich …; and who wrote it?

    Answers: Cuckoos; John Wyndham.

    The Midwich Cuckoos, a 1957 sci-fi novel by John Wyndham, explores moral ambiguities in an English village where women become pregnant by aliens.

    Four

    What calendar was replaced in England by the Gregorian in 1752?

    Answer: Julian.

    The Julian calendar, proposed by Julius Caesar in 46 BC, is a solar calendar with a leap year every four years. It gained one day every 128 years compared to the solar year, leading to a drift against the solar year. The Gregorian calendar, introduced in 1582, corrected this by eliminating occasional leap days, reducing the average year length to 365.2425 days. Although introduced in 1582 it took a lot longer to be adopted by individual nations. As stated in the question England adopted it in 1752 but Greece and turkey did not adopt until the 1920s and Saudi Arabia’s adoption of it was not until 2016.

    Five

    Who played the Hulk in The Incredible Hulk television series which originally aired between 1978 and 1982?

    Answer: Lou Ferrigno.

    The Incredible Hulk is a CBS series starring Bill Bixby as Dr. David Banner and Lou Ferrigno as the Hulk. Banner, a scientist transformed by gamma radiation, travels the U.S. helping others while pursued by reporter Jack McGee. The series aired 80 episodes from 1978 to 1982, starting with a pilot on November 4, 1977. In 1988, New World Television acquired filming rights from MCA/Universal for TV movies to conclude The Incredible Hulk series, with NBC broadcasting. They produced three films: The Incredible Hulk Returns, The Trial of the Incredible Hulk, and The Death of the Incredible Hulk, directed by Nicholas J. Corea and Bill Bixby.

  • Gallimaufry IX

    No theme today, just five general knowledge questions.

    Statue of Helvetia on the Federal Palace of ….
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    One

    The image shown is that of ‘Statue of Helvetia on the Federal Palace of …’. What country finishes the previous statement, and in what city is the Federal Palace located?

    Two

    The …, or boreal forest, is the world’s largest land biome. In North America, it covers most of inland Canada, Alaska, and parts of the northern contiguous United States. In Eurasia, it covers most of Sweden, Finland, much of Russia from Karelia in the west to the Pacific Ocean (including much of Siberia), much of Norway and, some of the Scottish Highlands, some lowland/coastal areas of Iceland, and areas of northern Kazakhstan, northern Mongolia, and northern Japan (on the island of Hokkaido).

    The above quote from Wikipedia describes a biome whose name has been omitted. What is that missing name?

    Three

    What word completes the title of this 1957 sci-fi novel: The Midwich …; and who wrote it?

    Four

    What calendar was replaced in England by the Gregorian in 1752?

    Five

    Who played the Hulk in The Incredible Hulk television series which originally aired between 1978 and 1982?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • May the Fourth Be With You — Answers

    Here are the answers to my earlier questions.

    See Question Three. Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, 1974.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    The first question concerns today, May 4th. The rest follow a theme related to the first. 

    One

    On 4 May, Napoleon landed on an island to begin his first exile. What island and in what year?

    Answers: Elba; 1814.

    Napoleon escaped Elba in February 1815 and embarked on his ‘Hundred Days’ before ultimately being defeated at Waterloo and exiled to Saint Helena.

    The first question related to ‘exile’ so we will continue with that theme for the remainder.

    Two

    Which band released the double album Exile on Main St on this day in 1972?

    The Rolling Stones.

    This double album was the band’s tenth studio album and was recorded at various locations including Mick Jagger’s country house in England and a villa in the south of France, which was rented by Keith Richards.

    Three

    After eight years in a labour camp and a year of internal exile, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn was finally permitted to receive cancer treatment in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, in 1954. Which 1966 Solzhenitsyn novel specifically depicts this period?

    Answer: Cancer Ward.

    Cancer Ward, a semi-autobiographical novel by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, explores the moral responsibility of those implicated in Stalin’s Great Purge. The story, set in a Tashkent hospital in 1955, follows a group of patients, including the protagonist Oleg Kostoglotov, who reflect on their roles and the lasting impact of Stalinism. Kostoglotov ultimately realises that healing after Stalin is impossible, likening the situation to cancer. Aleksandr Isayevich Solzhenitsyn (1918–2008) was a Soviet and Russian author and dissident renowned for exposing Soviet political repression, particularly the Gulag system. Awarded the 1970 Nobel Prize in Literature, his work The Gulag Archipelago challenged the Soviet state and sold millions. Born into a devout Orthodox family, he initially embraced atheism and Marxism–Leninism. Arrested during WWII for criticising Stalin, he served eight years in the Gulag, leading to his conversion to Orthodox Christianity. Released during the Khrushchev Thaw, he published One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich in 1962. Exiled in 1974, he settled in the U.S. before returning to Russia in 1994.

    Four

    Dante Alighieri, known as Dante, poet, writer and philosopher who was the author of Divine Comedy was, in the early 14th century, exiled from his native city for life. What was that city?

    Answer: Florence.

    Dante Alighieri, while serving as Florence’s city prior in 1300, was accused of corruption by the Black Guelphs. Still in Rome in 1302, he was considered an absconder by Florence. Dante refused to pay the fine, believing in his innocence and having his assets seized. Condemned to perpetual exile, he risked execution if he returned. In 2008, Florence rescinded his sentence.

    Five

    Five music questions spread over the past fifty years?

    1. King Crimson’s song Exiles was featured on their 1973 album …’ Tongues in Aspic. What word completes the album title?
    2. Irish singer Enya’s song Exile was from her 1988 album Water…. What four letters complete the album’s one-word title?
    3. Exile, a track from the 1997 album also titled Exile, was performed by a man considered a pioneer of electronic music. Who was this singer?
    4. Exile featured on Slayer’s 2001 album … Hates Us All. What word is missing from the start of the album name? 
    5. In 2020, Bon Iver featured on whose song Exile?

    Answers

    1. Larks. Larks’ Tongues in Aspic was the full title of King Crimson’s 1973 album.
    2. Mark. Watermark was the 1988 album by Enya.
    3. Gary Numan. Numan was the 1997 exile who was a pioneer of electronic music.
    4. God. Slayer’s Exile came from God Hates Us All (2001).
    5. Taylor Swift. The Exile featuring Bon Iver was by none other than Ms Swift, who Wikipedia describes as ‘the highest-grossing live music artist, the wealthiest female musician, and one of the best-selling music artists of all time’.

    May the Fourth Be With You

    Star Wars Day is celebrated annually on May 4, originating from the pun ‘May the Fourth be with you’. Though not officially declared by Lucasfilm, it began in 1977 and has since been embraced by fans, Lucasfilm and Disney as a celebration of the Star Wars franchise.

  • May the Fourth Be With You

    See Question Three. Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, 1974.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    The first question concerns today, May 4th. The rest follow a theme related to the first. 

    One

    On 4 May, Napoleon landed on an island to begin his first exile. What island and in what year?

    The first question related to ‘exile’ so we will continue with that theme for the remainder.

    Two

    Which band released the double album Exile on Main St on this day in 1972?

    Three

    After eight years in a labour camp and a year of internal exile, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn was finally permitted to receive cancer treatment in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, in 1954. Which 1966 Solzhenitsyn novel specifically depicts this period?

    Four

    Dante Alighieri, known as Dante, poet, writer and philosopher who was the author of Divine Comedy was, in the early 14th century, exiled from his native city for life. What was that city?

    Five

    Five music questions spread over the past fifty years?

    1. King Crimson’s song Exiles was featured on their 1973 album …’ Tongues in Aspic. What word completes the album title?
    2. Irish singer Enya’s song Exile was from her 1988 album Water…. What four letters complete the album’s one-word title?
    3. Exile, a track from the 1997 album also titled Exile, was performed by a man considered a pioneer of electronic music. Who was this singer?
    4. Exile featured on Slayer’s 2001 album … Hates Us All. What word is missing from the start of the album name? 
    5. In 2020, Bon Iver featured on whose song Exile?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • Rocket Man — Answers

    Here’s the answers to the questions I posted earlier.

    The first question relates to today’s date, April 12th, and the answer begins with the letter ‘V. The remaining questions are not date-related but follow the ‘V’ theme.

    Yuri Gagarin on 12 April 1961.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    One

    What ‘V’ was the spaceflight that carried the first human into space on this day in 1961?

    Answer: Vostok 1.

    Vostok 1, launched on 12 April 1961 from Baikonur Cosmodrome, was the first human orbital spaceflight. Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human to orbit Earth, completing a single orbit at 169 km altitude in 108 minutes and parachuting to the ground separately from his capsule. Gagarin, a Soviet pilot and cosmonaut, made history as the first person in space aboard Vostok 1. Tragically, he died in a MiG-15 crash in 1968.

    The following questions are not date-related but continue with the ‘V’ theme.

    Two

    What ‘V’, an island country in Melanesia, is an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean about 1,090 miles (1,750 km) east of northern Australia?

    Answer: Vanuatu.

    Vanuatu, officially the Republic of Vanuatu, is an island nation in Melanesia, South Pacific Ocean, consisting of volcanic islands. Located 1,090 miles east of Australia and 340 miles northeast of New Caledonia, it was first visited by Europeans in 1606 by Spanish navigator Fernandes de Queirós. France and the UK claimed parts in the 1880s, managing them as the New Hebrides from 1906. Vanuatu gained independence in 1980 and joined the UN and Commonwealth.

    Three

    What ‘V’ is missing from the following statement about a relative and mentor of Britain’s King Charles III?

    Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten was a British statesman, naval leader, and the last … of India.

    — Encyclopædia Britannica

    Answer: Viceroy.

    Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten, was a British statesman and naval leader, born on June 25, 1900. He served as the last viceroy of India, overseeing its independence and partition into India and Pakistan in 1947. Mountbatten held significant naval commands during World War II and was supreme allied commander for Southeast Asia. He later served as chief of the UK Defence Staff. Mountbatten was assassinated by the Provisional Irish Republican Army in August 1979.

    Four

    What ‘V’ was the Russian-born author of the 1955 novel Lolita, which relates Humbert Humbert’s obsession with 12-year-old Dolores Haze?

    Answer: Vladimir Nabokov.

    Lolita, a 1955 novel by Vladimir Nabokov, follows Humbert Humbert, a French literature professor, and his obsession with 12-year-old Dolores Haze, whom he calls ‘Lolita’. Published in Paris due to censorship fears, the novel explores controversial themes. Despite public backlash, it has received critical acclaim and is featured on numerous best book lists. It was adapted into films by Stanley Kubrick in 1962 and Adrian Lyne in 1997, and several times for the stage.

    Five

    What ’V’, in The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, is an alien race who arrive at the Earth to destroy it to make way for an intergalactic bypass?

    Answer: Vogon.

    The Vogons, from Douglas Adams’ The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, are a fictional alien race from Vogsphere. They destroy Earth for an intergalactic highway. Slug-like and humanoid, they are bulkier than humans with green skin. Known for their unpleasant, bad-tempered, and bureaucratic nature, they lack empathy and write the third-worst poetry in the universe. As galactic bureaucrats and poor marksmen, their strict rule adherence makes them a formidable presence in the galaxy.

  • Rocket Man

    The first question relates to today’s date, April 12th, and the answer begins with the letter ‘V. The remaining questions are not date-related but follow the ‘V’ theme.

    Yuri Gagarin on 12 April 1961.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    One

    What ‘V’ was the spaceflight that carried the first human into space on this day in 1961?

    The following questions are not date-related but continue with the ‘V’ theme.

    Two

    What ‘V’, an island country in Melanesia, is an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean about 1,090 miles (1,750 km) east of northern Australia?

    Three

    What ‘V’ is missing from the following statement about a relative and mentor of Britain’s King Charles III?

    Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten was a British statesman, naval leader, and the last … of India.

    — Encyclopædia Britannica

    Four

    What ‘V’ was the Russian-born author of the 1955 novel Lolita, which relates Humbert Humbert’s obsession with 12-year-old Dolores Haze?

    Five

    What ’V’, in The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, is an alien race who arrive at the Earth to destroy it to make way for an intergalactic bypass?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • From Island to Island — Answers

    Here are the answers to my earlier questions.

    Today’s questions are all about literature.

    One

    What geographic feature is the third word in the title of a 1973 work by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn?

    Answer: Archipelago.

    The Gulag Archipelago: An Experiment in Literary Investigation, a three-volume non-fiction series by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, explores life in the Soviet labour camp system. Initially smuggled out of Russia and published in Paris, it circulated underground until the Soviet Union’s collapse after which it became more available.

    See question two. William Blake: Christian Reading in His Book, The Pilgrim’s Progress.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    Two

    In what century was The Pilgrim’s Progress first published?

    Answer: 17th century.

    The Pilgrim’s Progress, a 1678 Christian allegory by John Bunyan, is a significant work of Protestant devotional literature. Written during Bunyan’s imprisonment, it has been translated into over 200 languages and remains influential, cited as the first novel written in English.

    Three

    Digital Fortress (1998) and Deception Point (2001) were the early novels of an author better known for a series of books, some of which have been made into films, featuring an academic protagonist. Who is this author, who is the academic protagonist, what novel published in 2000 is the first in the series, and what, published in 2025, is the most recent?

    Answer: Dan Brown; Robert Langdon; Angels & Demons and The Secret of Secrets.

    American writer Dan Brown is best known for his thriller novels, particularly the Robert Langdon series (Angels & Demons, The Da Vinci Code, The Lost Symbol, Inferno, Origin and The Secret of Secrets) which often centre on cryptography, art, and conspiracy theories. His books have sold over 200 million copies and have been adapted into films and a television series.

    Four

    What author’s work includes a Mr. and Mrs. Maggot who live at Bamfurlong?

    Answer: J.R.R. Tolkien.

    In The Lord of the Rings Frodo, Frodo, Sam and Pippin visited Maggot’s farm, where Farmer Maggot recognised them and shared his story about a stranger inquiring about Bilbo’s treasure. Maggot and his wife gave them refreshments and he offered them a ride to the Ferry, which they accepted.

    Five

    HARI SELDON … born in the 11,988th year of the Galactic Era: died 12,069. The dates are more commonly given in terms of the current Foundational Era as -79 to the year 1 F.E.
    The Psychohistorians, which is part I of a book published in 1951, opens its first chapter with the quote shown. What is the title of the book, and who was its author? 

    Answer: Foundation by Isaac Asimov.

    Foundation is the first book of Isaac Asimov’s Foundation series, originally a trilogy, which explores the fall of a Galactic Empire and the efforts of Hari Seldon to shorten the ensuing dark age through the new science of psychohistory. The series, which includes sequels and prequels, won the Hugo Award for ‘Best All-Time Series’ in 1966.

    From Island to Island

    The post title is from a quote by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn in The Gulag Archipelago…

    Thin strands of human lives stretch from island to island of the Archipelago.

    — The Gulag Archipelago

  • From Island to Island

    Today’s questions are all about literature.

    One

    What geographic feature is the third word in the title of a 1973 work by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn?

    See question two. William Blake: Christian Reading in His Book, The Pilgrim’s Progress.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    Two

    In what century was The Pilgrim’s Progress first published?

    Three

    Digital Fortress (1998) and Deception Point (2001) were the first novels of an author better known for a series of books, some of which have been made into films, featuring an academic protagonist. Who is this author, who is the academic protagonist, what novel published in 2000 is the first in the series, and what, published in 2025, is the most recent?

    Four

    What author’s work includes a Mr. and Mrs. Maggot who live at Bamfurlong?

    Five

    HARI SELDON … born in the 11,988th year of the Galactic Era: died 12,069. The dates are more commonly given in terms of the current Foundational Era as -79 to the year 1 F.E.

    The Psychohistorians, which is part I of a book published in 1951, opens its first chapter with the above quote. What is the title of the book, and who was its author?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • Every Picture Tells a Story — Answers

    The answers to my earlier questions are shown below.

    Five pictures and some questions all of which are related to today’s date, March 24th.

    One

    Brandenburg Gate, Berlin.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    In 1721, a collection of six instrumental works—the composer’s own title was Six Concerts Avec plusieurs Instruments (Six Concertos With several Instruments)—were presented by Johann Sebastian Bach to Christian Ludwig, a marquess and younger brother of King Frederick I of Prussia. Using the above picture as a clue, by what name is this collection commonly known today?

    Answer: Brandenburg Concertos

    Johann Sebastian Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos, now his most popular work, were likely never performed during his lifetime. Bach sent the original manuscript to the Margrave (Marquess) of Brandenburg in 1721, possibly as a job application, but the Margrave never acknowledged the gift. The concertos were forgotten for over a century until they were rediscovered and published in the 19th century.

    Two

    James VI and I.
    Image Wikimedia Commons
    Elizabeth I.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    The male monarch pictured above succeeded the female one on her death in 1603. 

    1. Who is the queen?
    2. Who was the king?
    3. What was the familial relationship between them?

    Answers

    1. Queen Elizabeth I
    2. King James VI and I
    3. Cousins.

    Queen Elizabeth I’s death in 1603 ended her reign of England and Ireland, leading to her cousin King James VI of Scotland’s succession as King of England and Ireland. Now both James VI and I, his reign saw the beginning of the Plantation of Ulster and English colonisation of the Americas.

    Three

    From Jules Verne’s novel Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea.
    Image Wikimedia Commons
    From the Earth to the Moon by Jules Verne
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    The two illustrations above are from novels by an author, ‘the father of science fiction’, who died in 1905, aged 77. Since 1979, he has been the second most translated author.

    1. Who was the author?
    2. From what novel is the first illustration?
    3. From what novel is the second illustration?

    Answers

    1. Jules Verne 
    2. Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea
    3. From the Earth to the Moon

    Jules Verne was a French novelist, poet, and playwright, best known for his adventure novels like Journey to the Centre of the Earth and Around the World in Eighty Days His work, often set in the 19th century, incorporated contemporary scientific knowledge and technological advances. Verne is considered an important author in Europe and has been the second most-translated author in the world since 1979.

    Four

    Harry Houdini, performing The Chinese Water Torture Cell.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    Erik Weisz, who was born in 1874, is pictured above during one of his acts, although he’s better known by his stage name.

    1. In what European city was he born?
    2. Who is he better known as?

    Answers

    1. Budapest
    2. Harry Houdini.

    Harry Houdini, a Hungarian-American escapologist, gained fame for his daring escape acts, including freeing himself from handcuffs, chains, and straitjackets. He also pursued a crusade against fraudulent spiritualists and was a pioneer aviator.

    Five

    Stalag Luft III.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    The prisoner of war camp above was made famous by a 1963 film which features the inmates attempts to leave it on the night of 24 March 1944.

    1. By what name is this POW camp commonly known?
    2. What was the 1963 film?
    3. In what modern country is the site of the camp today?

    Answers

    1. Stalag Luft III
    2. The Great Escape
    3. Poland

    Stalag Luft III (in full Stammlager Luft III; literally meaning Main Camp, Air, III) was a World War II POW camp for Allied airmen, known for escape plots including the Great Escape. Of the 76 men who escaped that night, 73 were recaptured, and fifty of those were executed. The camp, which was liberated in 1945 and is now a museum, was the subject of two feature films about the escape attempts that were made: The Wooden Horse (1950) and The Great Escape (1963).

  • Every Picture Tells a Story

    Five pictures and some questions all of which are related to today’s date, March 24th.

    One

    Image Wikimedia Commons

    In 1721, a collection of six instrumental works—the composer’s own title was Six Concerts Avec plusieurs Instruments (Six Concertos With several Instruments)—were presented by Johann Sebastian Bach to Christian Ludwig, a marquess and younger brother of King Frederick I of Prussia. Using the above picture as a clue, by what name is this collection commonly known today?

    Two

    Image Wikimedia Commons
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    The male monarch pictured above succeeded the female one on her death in 1603. 

    1. Who is the queen?
    2. Who was the king?
    3. What was the familial relationship between them?

    Three

    First illustration.
    Image Wikimedia Commons
    Second illustration.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    The two illustrations above are from novels by an author, ‘the father of science fiction’, who died in 1905, aged 77. Since 1979, he has been the second most translated author.

    1. Who was the author?
    2. From what novel is the first illustration?
    3. From what novel is the second illustration?

    Four

    Eric Weisz.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    Erik Weisz, who was born in 1874, is pictured above during one of his acts, although he’s better known by his stage name.

    1. In what European city was he born?
    2. Who is he better known as?

    Five

    Image Wikimedia Commons

    The prisoner of war camp above was made famous by a 1963 film which features the inmates attempts to leave it on the night of 24 March 1944. 

    1. By what name is this POW camp commonly known?
    2. What was the 1963 film?
    3. In what modern country is the site of the camp today?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.