Quizology.Online

Tag: space

  • The Truth is Out There — Answers

    Here are today’s answers.

    Aerial photo taken over Lake Cote, Costa Rica, by Sergio Loaiza (1971)
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    The first question is related to today’s date, while the remainder are not alienated from question one..

    One

    On 8 July 1947, U.S. Army Air Force personnel issued a press release regarding a flying disc which had landed on a ranch. The ranch was near what city, and in what state is that city?

    Answer: Roswell, New Mexico.

    On 8 July, Roswell Army Air Field’s public information officer, Walter Haut, issued a press release.

    The many rumors regarding the flying disc became a reality yesterday when the intelligence office of the 509th Bomb group of the Eighth Air Force, Roswell Army Air Field, was fortunate enough to gain possession of a disc through the cooperation of one of the local ranchers and the sheriff’s office of Chaves County.
    The flying object landed on a ranch near Roswell sometime last week. Not having phone facilities, the rancher stored the disc until such time as he was able to contact the sheriff’s office, who in turn notified Maj. Jesse A. Marcel of the 509th Bomb Group Intelligence Office.
    — Associated Press (July 8, 1947)

    The press release was refuted within a day. The official position changed to the debris coming from a weather balloon.

    Two

    In The X-Files, FBI agent Fox Mulder had a poster featuring a UFO above trees on the wall of his office. What four words were written on the lower part of the poster?

    Answer: I Want to Believe.

    Mulder acquired multiple versions of the ‘I Want to Believe’ poster, starting with a flat UFO design and evolving to a fatter UFO. The poster, a constant in his office, survived a fire and was swapped out for newer versions over the years. In 2016, a fifth version appeared in his Virginia office, and a similar one was seen in the FBI office, with Scully claiming it as hers.

    Three

    What fictional spacecraft shares its name with a 1904 Joseph Conrad novel, and in what did this spacecraft first appear?

    Answer: Nostromo; Alien.

    Joseph Conrad’s 1904 novel, Nostromo, is set in the fictional South American republic of Costaguana. It is considered Conrad’s best work and was ranked 47th on the Modern Library 100 Best Novels list. Alien (1979), directed by Ridley Scott, is a seminal sci-fi horror film about the Nostromo, named after Conrad’s novel, crew encountering a deadly alien. It won an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects and its iconic design, suspense, and Sigourney Weaver’s performance made it a classic, spawning a successful franchise.

    Four

    Elvis Presley found working as a bar singer on an alien planet in a novel which is part of a comedy science fiction franchise. What is the title of both the novel and the comedy science fiction franchise?

    Answer: Mostly Harmless; The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.

    In the novel Mostly Harmless, Elvis is discovered by Ford Prefect and Arthur Dent working as a bar singer on an alien planet, and owning a large pink spaceship. Ford, having become a huge fan of Elvis while he was stranded on Earth, watched the performance intently for its entire duration. Presley is not actually named, but his identity is easy to determine from the facts that the bar is called ‘The Domain of The King’, the ‘EP’ initials in the pink spaceship which Ford and Arthur buy from him, and the accent in which he sings. He tells Ford that, contrary to popular belief, he was not abducted by aliens; he went with them of his own free will.

    Five

    ‘Na-Nu Na-Nu’ was an alien greeting used in a sitcom which was a Happy Days spin-off. What alien character said ‘Na-Nu Na-Nu’, what planet was he from, and who played him in the sitcom?

    Answer: Mork; Ork; Robin Williams.

    Mork, played by Robin Williams, first appeared in Happy Days in 1978. The character’s popularity led to the spin-off Mork & Mindy, set in Boulder, Colorado. Mork, an alien from the planet Ork, arrives on Earth to observe human behaviour and befriends Mindy, who helps him adjust to life on Earth, resulting in humorous situations as Mork struggles to understand human customs. The show, which was Robin Williams’s first major acting role, was extremely popular in its first season but later faced declining ratings after being moved to a less favourable time slot.

    The Truth is Out There

    Was the tagline for the majority of the episode of The X-Files.

  • The Truth is Out There

    Aerial photo taken over Lake Cote, Costa Rica, by Sergio Loaiza (1971)
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    The first question is related to today’s date, while the remainder are not alienated from question one..

    One

    On 8 July 1947, U.S. Army Air Force personnel issued a press release regarding a flying disc which had landed on a ranch. The ranch was near what city, and in what state is that city?

    Two

    In The X-Files, FBI agent Fox Mulder had a poster featuring a UFO above trees on the wall of his office. What four words were written on the lower part of the poster?

    Three

    What fictional spacecraft shares its name with a 1904 Joseph Conrad novel, and in what did this spacecraft first appear?

    Four

    Elvis Presley found working as a bar singer on an alien planet in a novel which is part of a comedy science fiction franchise. What is the title of both the novel and the comedy science fiction franchise?

    Five

    ‘Na-Nu Na-Nu’ was an alien greeting used in a sitcom which was a Happy Days spin-off. What alien character said ‘Na-Nu Na-Nu’, what planet was he from, and who played him in the sitcom?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • Is there any tea on this spaceship? — Answer

    Here are the answers to my earlier questions.

    Concept picture: Heart of Gold, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.
    Image © Touchstone Pictures IMDB (cropped)

    Today’s questions are a random mix, which are neither date-related nor themed.

    One

    Whose house is scheduled for demolition at the beginning of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy?

    Answer: Arthur Dent.

    Arthur wakes to be informed by a council official that his house has to be demolished that morning to make way for a bypass. While he tries to prevent this happening, his friend Ford Prefect arrives and insists on taking him to the pub. As they do this, a Vogon spaceship appears, and an announcement is made that Earth has to be demolished that morning to make way for an interstellar bypass. Ford manages to get both himself and Arthur onto the spaceship before Earth is destroyed.

    Two

    Established in the year 324, this city was built on the site of an existing one and initially known as New Rome. Three questions:

    1. What was the name of the existing city?
    2. What name very quickly superseded New Rome?
    3. What name is this city known as today?

    Answers

    1. Byzantium
    2. Constantinople
    3. Istanbul
      Istanbul, originally Byzantium, became a pivotal city, serving as the capital of four empires over 16 centuries: Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman. It advanced Christianity before becoming an Islamic stronghold in 1453. Istanbul’s historic centre remains a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

    Three

    Starting in the 1970s, an actor who connected Lawrence of Arabia and Doctor Zhivago dedicated much of his time to bridge. He published books, videos, video games, and a syndicated column all about the card game. Who is this?

    Answer: Omar Sharif.

    Omar Sharif, born Michel Yusef Dimitri Chalhoub, was an Egyptian actor famed for roles in Lawrence of Arabia and Doctor Zhivago. He starred in over 100 films and won three Golden Globes and a César Award. A multilingual bridge and horse racing enthusiast, he received prestigious honours and passed away in 2015.

    Four

    Rhea and Tethys are two major moons of a planet in the solar system. Here are three questions:

    1. Which planet are they moons of?
    2. Rhea and Tethys are what in Greek mythology?
    3. Approximately how many moons does this planet have in total, to the nearest ten?

    Answers

    1. Saturn
    2. Titans
    3. 270 (274)

    Saturn has 274 confirmed moons in its orbit, far more than any other planet in our solar system. In March 2025, astronomers confirmed the discovery of 128 small moons around Saturn — adding to the already large moon count.

    Saturn’s moons range in size, from one that is larger than the planet Mercury — the giant moon Titan — to others as small as a sports arena. The small moon Enceladus has a global ocean under a thick, icy shell. Scientists have identified both moons as high-priority science destinations for future deep-space missions.

    — NASA

    Five

    The 2008 film and 2019 musical The Curious Case of Benjamin Button are both adaptations of a short story. Who wrote it?

    Answer: F. Scott Fitzgerald.

    The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a satirical short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald, published in Collier’s Magazine on 27 May 1922. It features reverse ageing and was included in Tales of the Jazz Age. The story inspired a 2008 Oscar-nominated film and an Olivier Award-winning musical.

    Title

    The post title ‘Is there any tea on this spaceship?’ is a quote by Arthur Dent in Douglas Adams’ The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.

  • Is there any tea on this spaceship?

    Concept picture: Heart of Gold, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.
    Image © Touchstone Pictures IMDB (cropped)

    Today’s questions are a random mix, which are neither date-related nor themed.

    One

    Whose house is scheduled for demolition at the beginning of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy?

    Two

    Established in the year 324, this city was built on the site of an existing one and initially known as New Rome. Three questions:

    1. What was the name of the existing city?
    2. What name very quickly superseded New Rome?
    3. What name is this city known as today?

    Three

    Starting in the 1970s, an actor who connected Lawrence of Arabia and Doctor Zhivago dedicated much of his time to bridge. He published books, videos, video games, and a syndicated column all about the card game. Who is this?

    Four

    Rhea and Tethys are two major moons of a planet in the solar system. Here are three questions:

    1. Which planet are they moons of?
    2. Rhea and Tethys are what in Greek mythology?
    3. Approximately how many moons does this planet have in total, to the nearest ten?

    Five

    The 2008 film and 2019 musical The Curious Case of Benjamin Button are both adaptations of a short story. Who wrote it?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • Originality Consists in Returning to the Origin — Answers

    Here are the answers to today’s questions.

    Exterior view of Casa Vicens, Barcelona, Antoni Gaudí, 1883–85.
    Image Encyclopædia Britannica

    Today the questions all relate to June 25th

    One

    The building above is Casa Vicens, Barcelona, Spain, which was designed and built starting in 1883. Who was the architect who designed it?

    Answer: Antoni Gaudí.

    Antoni Gaudí, born 25 June 1852, began his architectural studies in Barcelona in 1869/70, graduating in 1878. He worked as a draughtsperson for architects like Francisco de Paula del Villar and Joan Martorell, who secured the Sagrada Família project for him in 1883. Gaudí dedicated much of his career to the Sagrada Família, which remained unfinished at his death in 1926. Known for his innovative structural systems and artistic projects like Park Güell, Casa Milà, and Casa Batlló, Gaudí is a candidate for sainthood, with Pope Francis declaring him ‘Venerable’ in April 2025.

    Two

    In 2024, China’s Chang’e 6 lunar probe returned from the Moon carrying samples collected on the lunar surface. What was unique about these samples, and from what does the craft’s name ‘Chang’e’ originate?

    Answer: Samples were first from the far side of the Moon; Named after a Goddess.

    Chang’e, a goddess from Chinese legend who flew from Earth to the Moon, inspired the name of Chang’e 6, a lunar sample return mission. This mission launched on 3 May 2024, landed on the lunar far side on 1 June, and returned the first far-side samples to Earth on 25 June.

    Three

    The ballet, The Firebird, premiered in 1910. Who composed the ballet, and at what venue did it premiere?

    Answer: Igor Stravinsky; Paris Opéra.

    The Firebird, a ballet by Igor Stravinsky, premiered in Paris on June 25, 1910, marking his international success. Commissioned by Serge Diaghilev for the Ballets Russes, Stravinsky, then 27, drew from Russian legend and the ballet’s originality earned Stravinsky immediate international acclaim.

    Four

    In 1876, George Armstrong Custer made his last stand with his U.S. 7th Cavalry Regiment at the Battle of Little Bighorn. In what U.S. state are the Battle of Little Bighorn National Monument and the Indian Memorial located?

    Answer: Montana.

    George Armstrong Custer, a U.S. Army officer, graduated last from West Point in 1861 but became a brevet brigadier general by 23. He played key roles in the Civil War and Indian Wars, dying at the Battle of the Little Bighorn in 1876. His legacy was shaped by his wife, Libbie.

    Five

    St. George Island was discovered in 1786 by Russian sea captain Gavriil Pribylov. The group of islands now known as the Pribilof Islands is named after Pribylov. In what body of water is St. George Island located?

    Answer: Bering Sea.

    The Pribilof Islands, discovered by Gavril Pribylov in 1786, include St. Paul and St. George. Inhabited by Aleuts in 1788, they became U.S. territory with the Alaska Purchase in 1867. Known for 800,000 northern fur seals, commercial sealing was banned in 1973 and 1985. The islands host diverse wildlife and nearly three million migratory birds.

    Originality Consists in Returning to the Origin

    Today the post title has no hidden meanings and is simply a quote by Antoni Gaudí, the answer to question one. It is sometimes quoted with ‘of’ instead of ‘in’, ‘Originality Consists of Returning to the Origin’.

  • Originality Consists in Returning to the Origin

    Exterior view of Casa Vicens, Barcelona (1883–85).
    Image Encyclopædia Britannica

    Today the questions all relate to June 25th

    One

    The building above is Casa Vicens, Barcelona, Spain, which was designed and built starting in 1883. Who was the architect who designed it?

    Two

    In 2024, China’s Chang’e 6 lunar probe returned from the Moon carrying samples collected on the lunar surface. What was unique about these samples, and from what does the craft’s name ‘Chang’e’ originate?

    Three

    The ballet, The Firebird, premiered in 1910. Who composed the ballet, and at what venue did it premiere?

    Four

    In 1876, George Armstrong Custer made his last stand with his U.S. 7th Cavalry Regiment at the Battle of Little Bighorn. In what U.S. state are the Battle of Little Bighorn National Monument and the Indian Memorial located?

    Five

    St. George Island was discovered in 1786 by Russian sea captain Gavriil Pribylov. The group of islands now known as the Pribilof Islands is named after Pribylov. In what body of water is St. George Island located?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.  

  • Sausages — Answers

    Here are the answers to today’s questions.

    Sausages, The Covered Market, Oxford, U.K.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    There is a simple theme running through today’s questions, which I’m sure you will work out very quickly.

    One

    What five-letter word means sausages and an area of, for example, St. Andrew’s, Scotland?

    Answer: Links.

    Sausages in a chain are links, as is a seaside golf course on ‘linksland’. The Oxford English Dictionary definition of the golf variety is shown below.

    links /lɪŋks /
    ▸ plural noun [treated as singular or plural] (also golf links) a golf course, especially one on grass-covered sandy ground near the sea: a couple of days’ golf on a sunny Spanish links. ▪ another term for linksland

    – ORIGIN Old English  hlinc ‘rising ground’, perhaps related to lean1.

    — Oxford English Dictionary

    Two

    What eight-letter word relates to all of these: Joe Gilmore, a barman at the Savoy Hotel, London in 1969; Apollo 11, 1969; Mr Bean, 1969; Michael Jackson, 1983?

    Answer: Moonwalk.

    Joe Gilmore created the Moonwalk cocktail to celebrate Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin’s landing on the Moon in Apollo 11 and their moonwalks. Mr. Bean was Apollo 12’s Alan Bean who, along with his colleague Pete Conrad, also walked on the Moon a few months later. Michael Jackson’s famous Moonwalk was first publicly performed in 1983.

    Three

    What connects Fort Providence to the Beaufort Sea?

    Answer: Mackenzie River.

    The Mackenzie River, in Canada’s Northwest Territories, is, with the Slave, Peace and Finlay Rivers, the longest river system in Canada, with the second-largest drainage basin of any North American river after the Mississippi. The Mackenzie’s main stem flows 1,738 km (1,079 miles) from Great Slave Lake at Fort Providence to the Arctic Ocean at the Beaufort Sea, in the Inuvik Region. Historically significant, it supports limited economic development, including oil, minerals, and agriculture.

    Four

    Dr. John Watson; Bilbo Baggins; Lester Nygaard; Chris Carson. Who is the connection?

    Answer: Martin Freeman.

    English actor Martin Freeman has won two Emmy Awards, a BAFTA Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Award. He portrayed Dr. John Watson in Sherlock (2010–2017); a young Bilbo Baggins in the The Hobbit film trilogy (2012–2014); Lester Nygaard in Fargo (2014), and Chris Carson in The Responder (from 2022).

    Five

    What one title is shared by these: a 1956 film about Vincent van Gogh; an Iggy Pop album from 1977; a 2017 Lana Del Rey album?

    Answer: Lust for Life.

    Lust for Life is a 1956 biographical film about Vincent van Gogh, directed by Vincente Minnelli and starring Kirk Douglas. Lust for Life was also the title of Iggy Pop’s second solo album, released in 1977. Finally, Lust for Life is Lana Del Rey’s fifth studio album, released in 2017.

    Sausages

    As explained in the first answer sausages in a chain are links and today’s questions are all about links.

  • Sausages

    Sausages, The Covered Market, Oxford, U.K.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    There is a simple theme running through today’s questions, which I’m sure you will work out very quickly.

    One

    What five-letter word means sausages and an area of, for example, St. Andrew’s, Scotland?

    Two

    What eight-letter word relates to all of these: Joe Gilmore, a barman at the Savoy Hotel, London in 1969; Apollo 11, 1969; Mr Bean, 1969; Michael Jackson, 1983?

    Three

    What connects Fort Providence to the Beaufort Sea?

    Four

    Dr. John Watson; Bilbo Baggins; Lester Nygaard; Chris Carson. Who is the connection?

    Five

    What one title is shared by these: a 1956 film about Vincent van Gogh; an Iggy Pop album from 1977; a 2017 Lana Del Rey album?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • First II — Answer

    Here are the answers to today’s questions.

    Valentina Tereshkova, 1963.
    Image Encyclopædia Britannica

    Today’s first question is about a pioneering ‘first’, the rest follow a theme of ‘firsts’ rather than the letters of ’first’.

    One

    On this day in what year did Valentina V. Tereshkova become the first woman in space, and on what spacecraft did she travel?

    Answers: 1963; Vostok 6.

    On this day in 1963, Valentina V. Tereshkova, a Soviet cosmonaut, made history as the first woman to travel in space. She launched into orbit aboard Vostok 6 completing 48 orbits in just 71 hours. To date, she is the only woman to have flown in space solo and is the youngest, being 26 years of age at the time of Vostok 6.

    Two

    Who won the first of his three Wimbledon singles titles in 1934, and in what other sport was he a world champion?

    Answers: Fred Perry; Table tennis.

    Fred Perry was a British tennis and table tennis player, achieving significant success in both sports. In table tennis, he became the World Champion in 1929. Perry began his tennis career aged 21, seven years after taking up the sport. He won 10 Majors in tennis, including eight Grand Slam singles titles and two Pro Slam singles titles, as well as six Major doubles titles. Perry was the first player to achieve a ‘Career Grand Slam’ by winning all four singles titles, completing this feat at the 1935 French Championships at age 26. He remains the only British player to do so. Perry won three consecutive Wimbledon Championships from 1934 to 1936 and was the world amateur No. 1 during those years. Perry also played a crucial role in Great Britain’s Davis Cup victories from 1933 to 1936. Disillusioned with the Lawn Tennis Club of Great Britain’s class-conscious nature, he turned professional in 1936, moved to the United States, and became a naturalised U.S. citizen in 1939. After retiring, he founded the Fred Perry clothing label in 1952 and worked as a tennis broadcaster for BBC Radio. Despite his contributions, Perry was not fully recognised by tennis authorities until later in life, but in 1984, a statue was unveiled at Wimbledon.

    Three

    In what year did the Wright Brothers achieve the first controlled, sustained flight of an engine-powered, heavier-than-air aircraft, and which of the brothers was the pilot?

    Answer: 1903; Orville Wright.

    The Wright brothers, Orville and Wilbur, were American aviation pioneers credited with inventing the first successful airplane. They achieved the first controlled, sustained flight of an engine-powered aircraft, the Wright Flyer, on December 17, 1903, near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. Their innovation was a three-axis control system, crucial for fixed-wing flight. Unlike others, they focused on pilot control over engine power. Their mechanical skills, honed through bicycle work, were pivotal in their success.

    Four

    Absolute primogeniture is a form of primogeniture in which gender is irrelevant for inheritance. 

    1. What country became the first modern European monarchy to adopt this system in 1980?
    2. What two European monarchies still (June 2026) have male-preference primogeniture?

    Answers.

    1. Sweden.
    2. Spain and Monaco (have male-preference primogeniture).
      Sweden adopted absolute primogeniture in 1980, displacing Prince Carl Philip for Princess Victoria. Other monarchies followed: Netherlands (1983), Norway (1990), Belgium (1991), Denmark (2009), and Luxembourg (2011). In 2011, the realms within the Commonwealth, with Queen Elizabeth II as a common monarch, agreed to adopt absolute primogeniture; it became effective in 2015.

    Five

    In The Lord of the Rings who is/are the first to leave the Company of the Ring?

    Answer: Gandalf.

    The Company of the Ring consists of nine members: Legolas (Elf), Gimli (Dwarf), Aragorn and Boromir (Men), Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin (Hobbits), and Gandalf (Wizard). Led by Gandalf, they begin their journey at the start of winter, travelling south through Eriador. After failing to cross the Misty Mountains, they enter the mines of Moria, where Gandalf falls battling a Balrog, allowing the others to escape.

  • First II

    Valentina Tereshkova.
    Image Encyclopædia Britannica

    Today’s first question is about a pioneering ‘first’, the rest follow a theme of ‘firsts’ rather than the letters of ’first’.

    One

    On this day in what year did Valentina Tereshkova become the first woman in space, and on what spacecraft did she travel?

    Two

    Who won the first of his three Wimbledon singles titles in 1934, and in what other sport was he a world champion?

    Three

    In what year did the Wright Brothers achieve the first controlled, sustained flight of an engine-powered, heavier-than-air aircraft, and which of the brothers was the pilot?

    Four

    Absolute primogeniture is a form of primogeniture in which gender is irrelevant for inheritance. 

    1. What country became the first modern European monarchy to adopt this system in 1980?
    2. What two European monarchies still (June 2026) have male-preference primogeniture?

    Five

    In The Lord of the Rings who is/are the first to leave the Company of the Ring?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.