Tag: science

  • Hotchpotch II

    A mixture of questions for you to peruse.

    Plains zebra (Equus quagga).
    Image Wikipedia
    1. In which of these national parks are zebra a native breed?
      • Cairngorm National Park
      • Goonengerry National Park
      • Kruger National Park
    2. A light or westerly wind which was also a large car (Ford of Britain) replaced by the Granada in 1972, is a…
      • Chinook
      • Sirocco
      • Zephyr
    3. How many zeroes follow the digit ‘1’ (one) when writing the number known as a googol?
      • 10
      • 100
      • 1,000
    4. In Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet how old is Juliet?
      • Thirteen
      • Sixteen
      • Nineteen
    5. A 1964 film staring Rex Harrison and Jeanne Moreau was…
      • My Little Red Corvette
      • Ozzy, the Orange VW Camper
      • The Yellow Rolls-Royce

    Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

  • Americana | Answers

    The answers to my earlier post are shown in bold below. I have included the questions simply for your information.

    Jacques Cartier by Theophile Hamel, 1844.
    Image Wikipedia
    1. The first European to describe and map North America’s Saint Lawrence River was Jacques Cartier. He sailed into the river for the first time on 9 June 1534. Who was he?
      • Jacques Cartier—Jacques Cartier, commissioned by King Francis I of France, sailed into the St. Lawrence River in 1534 in search of gold, spices and a northern passage to Asia. He made contact with the Iroquois nation on Prince Edward Island and believed he had discovered a new seaway to Asia.
        Michael J. Fox, 2020.
        Image Wikipedia
    2. Michael J. Fox was born 9 June 1961, what role did he play in Spin City?
      • Mike Flaherty—Michael J. Fox, a Canadian-American actor and activist, rose to fame in the 1980s and 1990s through roles in Family Ties, Back to the Future and Spin City. After being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 1991, he became an advocate for finding a cure, founding The Michael J. Fox Foundation in 2000. Fox officially retired from acting in 2020 due to declining health.
        Lyndon. B Johnson, 1964.
        Image Wikipedia
    3. On this date, a US President declared a national day of mourning following the assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy. Which US president made this decision?
      • Lyndon B. Johnson—On 5 June 1968, Robert F. Kennedy, a US senator and presidential candidate, was shot and fatally wounded by Sirhan Sirhan at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles. Kennedy died on 6 June. Sirhan, a Palestinian Christian with anti-Zionist beliefs, was convicted and sentenced to death, later commuted to life in prison.
        Patricia Cornwall, 2016
        Image Wikipedia
    4. Best known for her Kay Scarpetta novels, which author was born today in 1956?
      • Patricia Cornwell—Kay Scarpetta, a fictional character inspired by Marcella Farinelli Fierro, is the protagonist in Patricia Cornwell’s crime novels. The name Scarpetta means ‘Little Shoe’ and is a pun on Caligula, meaning ‘Little Boot’.
        The US Navy ballistic missile submarine USS George Washington (SSBN-598) underway, circa in the 1970s. Image Wikipedia
    5. On 9 June 1959, the world’s first nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine was launched. Which of these was it?
      • USS George Washington (United States)—The world’s first functioning nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) was the USS George Washington, armed with 16 Polaris A-1 missiles. The Soviets, although having several SSBs, followed suit as part of the arms race, in developing a Soviet SSBN.
  • Americana

    Here are a few questions which are related to today’s date, June 9th.

    Grande Hermine with cameos of Jacques Cartier & Francis I, King of France in margins.
    Image US Library of Congress
    1. The first European to describe and map North America’s Saint Lawrence River sailed into the river for the first time on 9 June 1534. Who was he?
      • Jacques Cartier
      • Jacques Chirac
      • Jacques Cousteau
    2. Michael J. Fox was born 9 June 1961, what role did he play in Spin City?
      • Frank Bannister
      • Mike Flaherty
      • Ben Stone
    3. On this date, a US President declared a national day of mourning following the assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy. Which US president made this decision?
      • Gerald Ford
      • Lyndon B. Johnson
      • Richard Nixon
    4. Best known for her Kay Scarpetta novels, which author was born today in 1956?
      • Jane Adams
      • Patricia Cornwell
      • Sandra Brown
    5. On 9 June 1959, the world’s first nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine was launched. Which of these was it?
      • K-19 (Soviet Union)
      • HMS Resolution (United Kingdom)
      • USS George Washington (United States)

    Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

  • Finders keepers | Answers

    The answers to my earlier post are shown in bold below. I have included the question simply for your information.

    Image

    The Rolling Stones, 1965.
    Left to Right: Charlie Watts, Bill Wyman, Mick Jagger, Brian Jones, Keith Richards
    Image Wikipedia
    1. Brian Jones, born 1942, was a guitarist and founder member of what band?
      • Rolling Stones—Brian Jones, founder of the Rolling Stones, initially played slide guitar and later sang backing vocals and played various instruments. After developing alcohol and drug problems, his role in the band diminished, leading to his dismissal in 1969 and subsequent drowning at age 27.
        Shishapangma, Tibet.
        Image Wikipedia
    2. Which of these is NOT found in the Andes?
      • Shishapangma—aka Shishasbangma or Xixiabangma, is the 14th highest mountain in the world, standing at 26,335 feet (8,027 metres) above sea level. It is the lowest 8,000-metre peak and is entirely situated within the Tibetan Plateau. Notably, Shishapangma was the final eight-thousander to be conquered in 1964. Aconcagua and Cotopaxi are both in the Andes; Aconcagua is the highest mountain that is not in Asia, while Cotopaxi is a stratovolcano.
        Ferdinand von Wrangel.
        Image Wikipedia
    3. Of which of these was explorer Ferdinand von Wrangel founder?
      • Russian Geographic Society—Baron Ferdinand Friedrich Georg Ludwig von Wrangel was a Russian-German explorer and officer in the Imperial Russian Navy. He is known as the chief manager of the Russian-American Company and governor of Russian settlements in present-day Alaska.
        Icosagon.
        Image Wikipedia
    4. How many sides would be found on a polygon described as an icosagon?
      • 20—In geometry, an icosagon, or twenty-sided polygon, has a sum of 3240 degrees in its interior angles.
        Russell viper.
        Image Wikipedia
    5. The big four venomous snakes found on the Indian subcontinent are those responsible for causing the greatest number of medically significant snake bites on humans. Which of these is one of the big four?
      • Russell’s viper—The Big Four venomous snakes—Russell’s viper, common krait, Indian cobra and Indian saw-scaled viper—are responsible for the majority of medically significant snakebites on the Indian subcontinent. A 2020 study found Russell’s viper accounted for 43% of snakebites in India, followed by kraits (18%), cobras (12%), and other species. In 2023, the World Health Organisation published worldwide estimates showing that each year, 5.4 million people are bitten by snakes, resulting in 1.8 to 2.7 million envenomings and 81,410 to 137,880 deaths.
  • Finders keepers

    A few questions all of which simply feature either the word found or founder!

    Brian Jones.
    Image history.com
    1. Brian Jones, born 1942, was a guitarist and founder member of what band?
      • Fleetwood Mac
      • Rolling Stones
      • The Hollies
    2. Which of these are NOT found in the Andes?
      • Aconcagua
      • Cotopaxi
      • Shishapangma
    3. Which of these was explorer Ferdinand von Wrangel a founder of in 1845?
      • National Geographic Society
      • Russian Geographic Society
      • Swedish Geographic Society
    4. How many sides would be found on a polygon described as an icosagon?
      • 20
      • 25
      • 30
    5. The venomous snakes found on the Indian subcontinent that are responsible for causing the greatest number of medically significant snake bites on humans are known as the big four. Which of these is one of the big four?
      • Black mamba
      • Russell’s viper
      • Many-banded krait

    Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

  • Here, there and everywhere | Answers

    The answers to my earlier post are shown in bold below. I have included the question simply for your information.

    View SE from the top level of the Eiffel Tower: the Champ de Mars, with Montparnasse Tower in the distance. The École Militaire is one third down from the top of the picture.
    Image Wikipedia (Mattgirling)
    1. On 6 May 1889, the Eiffel Tower is officially opened to the public at the Universal Exposition, on the…
      • Champs de Mars, Paris—The Champ de Mars, a large public park in Paris, was originally a military parade ground. It hosted significant events during the French Revolution and later became a site for national expositions and world’s fairs.
        Coat of arms of Moravia.
        Image Wikipedia
    2. Sigmund Freud, a neurologist and psychoanalyst, was born in Freiberg in Mähren (now Příbor) on this day in 1856. His birthplace was in …
      • Moravia—Moravia, a historical region in the Czech Republic, was the centre of the medieval Great Moravian kingdom before becoming part of Bohemia in the 11th century. It later was part of the Austrian-Hungarian Empire and then became part of Czechoslovakia and the Czech Republic.
        Puente Nuevo de Ronda.
        Image Wikipedia
    3. Actor Orson Welles was born today in 1915. He passed away in Los Angeles, California, in 1985, and two years later his ashes were interred at the home of his long-time friend, bullfighter Antonio Ordóñez, in Ronda…
      • Spain—Ronda, a municipality in Málaga, Andalusia, is known for its cliffside location and deep canyon. It has a population of about 35,000 and is part of the Sierra de las Nieves National Park.
        The Grand Palace, Bangkok.
        Image Wikipedia
    4. Today in 1782, at the command of King Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke, construction began on the Grand Palace, the royal residence of the King of Siam. The palace was built in…
      • Bangkok—The Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand, is a complex of buildings built in 1782 as the official residence of the Thai kings. It covers 2.4 million square feet and includes over 100 buildings, the most notable being the Temple of the Emerald Buddha.
        Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland.
        Image Wikipedia
    5. Tony Blair, British prime minister from 1997 to 2007, was born 6 May 1953, in the city of …
      • Edinburgh, Scotland—Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, is a city known for its historic Old Town and Neoclassical New Town, both designated a UNESCO World Heritage site. The city’s complex character, blending reserved exterior with warmth and gaiety, is reflected in its rich history, including religious conflicts, riots and the influence of its intellectual elite during the Neoclassical period of the 18th and 19th centuries. Edinburgh remains a major centre for finance, law, tourism, education and cultural affairs.
  • Here, there and everywhere

    Eiffel Tower
    Image Wikipedia

    Here are a few questions which are related to today’s date, 6 May.

    1. On 6 May 1889, the Eiffel Tower is officially opened to the public at the Universal Exposition, on the…
      • Champs de Mars, Paris
      • Champs de Neptune, Paris
      • Champs de Venus, Paris
    2. Sigmund Freud, a neurologist and psychoanalyst, was born in Freiberg in Mähren (now Příbor) on this day in 1856. His birthplace was in …
      • Carinthia
      • Galicia
      • Moravia
    3. Actor Orson Welles was born today in 1915. He passed away in Los Angeles, California, in 1985, and two years later his ashes were interred at the home of his long-time friend, bullfighter Antonio Ordóñez, in Ronda…
      • Ecuador
      • Mexico
      • Spain
    4. Today in 1782, at the command of King Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke, construction began on the Grand Palace, the royal residence of the King of Siam. The palace was built in…
      • Amman
      • Bangkok
      • Colombo
    5. Tony Blair, British prime minister from 1997 to 2007, was born 6 May 1953, in the city of …
      • Cardiff, Wales
      • Edinburgh, Scotland
      • London, England

    Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

  • Cars, boats and telegraphy | Answers

    Here are some questions relating to today, 25 April.

    See #2. Aerial view of the Suez Canal at Suez.
    Image Wikipedia
    1. On 25 April 1901, New York became the first US state to mandate license plates with a law ordering automobiles and motorcycles to display “the separate initials of the owner’s name placed upon the back thereof in a conspicuous place.” But where was the first place to legally require a registration or licence plate?
      • France—France introduced registration plates in 1893, followed by Germany and the Netherlands. The US began requiring plates in 1903, with New York being the first state (this was after NY first requiring in 1901 that the owner’s initials be clearly visible on the back of the vehicle).
    2. Today in 1859, construction of the Suez Canal officially began. How many countries does it pass through?
      • One—Egypt. The Suez Canal, a 120-mile (193 km) artificial waterway in Egypt, connects the Mediterranean and Red Seas, providing a direct trade route between Europe and Asia. Constructed between 1859 and 1869, it is operated by the Suez Canal Authority and offers a significant shortcut for vessels, reducing travel time between the Arabian Sea and Europe. Utilising several lakes, it is one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes. The canal’s strategic importance has led to historical events like its nationalisation in 1956 and closure during the Six-Day War.
        The Great Lakes and Saint Lawrence Seaway.
        Image Wikipedia
    3. Today in 1959, exactly 100 years after work began on the Suez Canal (see #2 above), the Saint Lawrence Seaway opened, completing the link from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes and allowing ocean-going ships to reach the westernmost point of Lake Superior. What distance is the westernmost point of Lake Superior from the Atlantic Ocean?
      • 2,340 miles/3,766 km—The Saint Lawrence Seaway, a joint Canada-US project, connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes. It opened North America’s industrial and agricultural heartlands to deep-draft ocean vessels and forged the final link in a 2,340 miles/3,766 km long waterway from Duluth, Minnesota, to the Atlantic by clearing a throughway in an 186-mile/299 km stretch of the St. Lawrence River between Montreal and Lake Ontario.
        Guglielmo Marconi.
        Image Wikipedia
  • On this day in 1874, a physicist and Nobel Prize laureate (Physics, 1909) was born. He invented a successful system of radio telegraphy. Who was he?
    • Guglielmo Marconi—an Italian electrical engineer and physicist, invented the wireless telegraph, or radio, in 1896, and received the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1909. He later worked on shortwave wireless communication, the foundation of modern long-distance radio. Marconi’s early experiments in Italy led him to London, where he received support and filed his first radio patent in 1896. He founded the Marconi Company in the UK and was ennobled as a marquess in 1929.
  • On 25 April 1990, Violeta Barrios de Chamorro became Central America’s first female president. What country was she president of?
    • Nicaragua—Violeta Chamorro, became Central America’s first female president in 1990, serving until 1997. After her husband, Pedro Chamorro, was assassinated by the Somoza dictatorship in 1978, she took over his newspaper, La Prensa, and became a symbol of opposition against the Sandinista government that overthrew the Somozas. As president, Chamorro reversed Sandinista policies, privatised state industries and promoted national reconciliation. Her presidency was marked by economic strife and social unrest, but she successfully ended hyperinflation and re-established international banking relationships.
  • Flag of Nicaragua.
    Image Wikipedia
  • Cars, boats and telegraphy

    Here are some questions relating to today, 25 April.

    See #1. The first automobile license plate issued in the State of Minnesota, 1903.
    Image Wikipedia
    1. On 25 April 1901, New York became the first US state to mandate license plates with a law ordering automobiles and motorcycles to display “the separate initials of the owner’s name placed upon the back thereof in a conspicuous place.” But where was the first place to legally require a registration or licence plate?
      • Belgium
      • France
      • United Kingdom
    2. Today in 1859, construction of the Suez Canal officially began. How many countries does it pass through?
      • One
      • Two
      • Three
    3. Today in 1959, exactly 100 years after work began on the Suez Canal (see #2 above), the Saint Lawrence Seaway opened, completing the link from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes and allowing ocean-going ships to reach the westernmost point of Lake Superior. What distance is the westernmost point of Lake Superior from the Atlantic Ocean?
      • 1,230 miles/1,979 km
      • 1,785 miles/2,873 km
      • 2,340 miles/3,766 km
    4. On this day in 1874, a physicist and Nobel Prize laureate (Physics, 1909) was born. He invented a successful system of radio telegraphy. Who was he?
      • Alessandro Volta
      • Enrico Fermi
      • Guglielmo Marconi
    5. On 25 April 1990, Violeta Barrios de Chamorro became Central America’s first female president. What country was she president of?
      • Guatemala
      • Honduras
      • Nicaragua

    Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

  • Voyage of Discovery | Answers

    The answers to the questions I posted earlier are shown in bold below.

    Flag of Brazil.
    Image Wikipedia
    1. On 22 April 1500, Pedro Álvares Cabral, a Portuguese navigator, is credited as the first European to reach…
      • Brazil—Portuguese explorer Pedro Álvares Cabral sighted the mainland of South America near the present-day city of Pôrto Seguro, Brazil.
        Blue Marble photograph taken by the crew of Apollo 17.
        Image NASA/Wikipedia
    2. Earth Day was first celebrated today in…
      • 1970—Earth Day, celebrated annually on 22 April, is a global event that honours environmental achievements and promotes sustainability. It originated in the US in 1970, organised by Gaylord Nelson and Denis Hayes, involving 20 million Americans and leading to significant environmental legislation. Today, it is observed worldwide with various activities addressing environmental concerns like climate change, involving a billion people in over 193 countries, with notable milestones such as the signing of the Paris Agreement in 2016.
        The First German Gas Attack at Ypres by William Roberts.
        Image Wikipedia
    3. Where was modern chemical warfare initiated on 22 April 1915?
      • Belgium—Chemical weapons have a long history, dating back to ancient times when warring forces poisoned water supplies. However, they became true weapons of mass destruction during World War I with the introduction of modern chemical warfare by the German army by launching a chlorine attack at Ypres, Belgium, on 22 April 1915, killing 5,000 French and Algerian troops.
        Vladimir Nabokov.
        Image Wikipedia
    4. All of these Americans were born on 22 April, but who was born first?
      • Vladimir Nabokov, author—was born in 1899; Oppenheimer, 1904, and Nicholson, 1937. Vladimir Nabokov, a Russian-born American novelist and critic, wrote in both Russian and English, achieving international acclaim for his English-language works such as Lolita and Pale Fire.
        Hernán Cortés.
        Image Wikipedia
    5. On this day in 1519, a Spanish conquistador established a settlement at Veracruz, Mexico. Who was he?
      • Hernán Cortés—a Spanish conquistador, led an expedition from 1519 to 1521 that overthrew the Aztec Empire in Mexico, bringing much of mainland Mexico under Spanish rule. He strategically allied with local tribes, particularly the Tlaxcaltecs, who resented Aztec dominance, and used a native interpreter to aid his efforts. Despite defying orders from the governor of Cuba, Cortés’s leadership and the Aztecs’ internal conflicts resulted in the conquest of Tenochtitlán in 1521. For his achievements, he was awarded the title of marqués del Valle de Oaxaca.