Quizology.Online

Tag: space

  • Stand Trial — Answers

    Fossil of a coelacanth.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    The first question relates to today’s date, 21 July. The remainder are neither date-related nor themed.

    One

    The ‘Scopes Monkey Trial’, which came to a conclusion on 21 July 1925 centred on whether a high school teacher had violated a state law by teaching what scientific theory?

    Answer: The theory of evolution by natural selection.

    The Scopes Trial took place in Dayton, Tennessee, after teacher John T. Scopes was accused of violating the state’s Butler Act, which prohibited teaching human evolution in public schools. Although Scopes was found guilty and fined $100 (a conviction later overturned on ##a technicality), the trial became an international symbol of the clash between modern science and religious fundamentalism. It also featured a celebrated courtroom confrontation between prosecutor William Jennings Bryan and defence attorney Clarence Darrow.

    Two

    What was the first man-made object to reach the surface of the Moon, and in what year did it do so?

    Answer: Luna 2; 1959.

    The Soviet Union’s Luna 2 launched on 12 September 1959 became the following day the first spacecraft to impact the Moon, depositing Soviet emblems and detecting no magnetic field or radiation belts. Nikita S. Khrushchev gave a replica pennant to Dwight D. Eisenhower; it is held in his Presidential Library in Abilene, Kansas.

    Three

    A fish found off East Africa in 1938 was of a species which had existed from more than 410 million years ago until it was believed to have become extinct around 66 million years ago. What is this fish?

    Answer: Coelacanth.

    Coelacanths are an ancient group of lobe-finned fish (Sarcopterygii) in the class Actinistia. As sarcopterygians, they are more closely related to lungfish and tetrapods (the terrestrial vertebrates including living amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals) than to ray-finned fish. There is only a single living genus, Latimeria, with two described species. The name coelacanth originates from the Permian genus Coelacanthus. Thought extinct 66 million years ago, Latimeria chalumnae was found in 1938, and Latimeria menadoensis in the late 1990s. Despite being called ‘living fossils’, fossil studies show diverse ancient forms, challenging this status.

    Four

    Mel Gibson’s title character fights a motorcycle gang led by Toecutter in which 1979 film?

    Answer: Mad Max.

    In a near-future Australia, oil shortages and ecocide undermine order. Nightrider kills a Main Force Patrol officer and escapes in a Pursuit Special until Max Rockatansky forces a fatal crash, killing Nightrider and his girlfriend.

    Five

    What is the northernmost geographic location in the United States?

    Answer: Point Barrow.

    Point Barrow, or Nuvuk, is Alaska and the U.S.’S northernmost point. It is at 71°23′20″N 156°28′45″W and is 9 miles northeast of Utqiagvik and 1,122 nautical miles south of the North Pole. It separates the Chukchi and Beaufort seas.

  • Stand Trial

    Fossil of a ?
    See question three.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    The first question relates to today’s date, 21 July. The remainder are neither date-related nor themed.

    One

    The ‘Scopes Monkey Trial’, which came to a conclusion on 21 July 1925 centred on whether a high school teacher had violated a state law by teaching what scientific theory?

    Two

    What was the first man-made object to reach the surface of the Moon, and in what year did it do so?

    Three

    A fish found off East Africa in 1938 was of a species which had existed from more than 410 million years ago until it was believed to have become extinct around 66 million years ago. What is this fish?

    Four

    Mel Gibson’s title character fights a motorcycle gang led by Toecutter in which 1979 film?

    Five

    What is the northernmost geographic location in the United States?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • Pause for a Moment — Answers

    Today’s answers are shown below.

    Buzz Aldrin, Apollo 11, 20 July 1969.
    Image ABC News

    The first question relates to today’s date, 20 July. The remainder, which are not date-related, follow on a theme from the first.

    One

    I’d like to take this opportunity to ask every person listening in, whoever and wherever they may be, to pause for a moment and contemplate the events of the past few hours and to give thanks in his or her own way.
    — Buzz Aldrin, Apollo 11 on the Lunar surface, 20 July 1969

    Why did Buzz Aldrin choose not to mention over the radio that he was taking Holy Communion on the Moon before the first moonwalk?

    Answer: NASA was avoiding public religious broadcasts

    After controversy surrounding the Apollo 8 crew’s reading from the Book of Genesis, NASA was avoiding public religious broadcasts. Aldrin Consequently observed Communion privately without mentioning it on air; instead, prior to taking Communion, Aldrin invited everyone listening to ‘pause for a moment’ and ‘give thanks in his or her own way’. His Communion kit was prepared by his pastor at Webster Presbyterian Church in Texas, which still commemorates the event using the chalice which was used on the Moon each year on the Sunday closest to 20 July.

    Two

    The god Khnum was once regarded as the guardian of the source of which river?

    Answer: River Nile.

    Khnum, an early Egyptian deity from Upper Egypt, was linked to the Nile cataract and responsible for its annual inundation. Known as the creator of human bodies and the life force ka, he used a potter’s wheel. Worshipped from the First Dynasty, his main cult centre was Herwer, later Elephantine. Khnum, depicted with ram horns symbolising fertility and rebirth, evolved from horizontally spiralled to down-turned horns in the New Kingdom. His imagery includes a crocodile head, representing Nile dominion, and he wears the atef crown or the white crown of Upper Egypt.

    Three

    The Rehat Maryada is a code of conduct in which religion, founded in the late 15th century?

    Answer: Sikhism.

    Originating in the 15th century within the Punjab region, Sikhism is a monotheistic faith shaped by Guru Nanak and nine subsequent leaders. The tradition highlights belief in one creator, equality, selfless service, and honest behaviour. Since 1699, Sikhs have regarded the Guru Granth Sahib as their eternal guide.

    Four

    In ancient myth, what God was the father of Heracles?

    Answer: Zeus.

    Heracles, a divine Greek hero and son of Zeus, was the greatest of Greek heroes and ancestor of the Heracleidae. Known as Hercules in Rome, he championed the Olympian order against monsters. Roman emperors like Commodus and Maximian identified with him, and his cult was adapted to Rome.

    Five

    William and Catherine Booth established an organisation in 1865 that functions as both a Methodist Christian church and an international charity. What is this organisation, and what is its motto?

    Answer: Salvation Army; Blood and Fire.

    The Salvation Army, founded in 1865 by William and Catherine Booth, is a Methodist Christian church and international charity with over 1.7 million members in 133 countries. It provides physical and spiritual aid, operates charity shops, shelters, and disaster relief. General Lyndon Buckingham leads as of 2023.

  • Pause for a Moment

    Buzz Aldrin, Apollo 11, 20 July 1969.
    Image ABC News

    The first question relates to today’s date, 20 July. The remainder, which are not date-related, follow on a theme from the first.

    One

    I’d like to take this opportunity to ask every person listening in, whoever and wherever they may be, to pause for a moment and contemplate the events of the past few hours and to give thanks in his or her own way.
    — Buzz Aldrin, Apollo 11 on the Lunar surface, 20 July 1969

    Why did Buzz Aldrin choose not to mention over the radio that he was taking Holy Communion on the Moon before the first moonwalk?

    Two

    The god Khnum was once regarded as the guardian of the source of which river?

    Three

    The Rehat Maryada is a code of conduct in which religion, founded in the late 15th century?

    Four

    In ancient myth, what God was the father of Heracles?

    Five

    William and Catherine Booth established an organisation in 1865 that functions as both a Methodist Christian church and an international charity. What is this organisation, and what is its motto?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • The Earth is a very small stage in a vast cosmic arena — Answers

    Here’s are the answers on a day when the theme was ‘firsts’.

    Today’s first question relates to the date 16 July. The others aren’t date-related but share a common theme.

    Les Horribles Cernettes.
    Image Reddit

    One

    A picture of the band Les Horribles Cernettes taken on 18 July 1992 later led to what technological first?

    Answer: The first non-technical picture uploaded to the web.

    In 1992, Silvano de Gennaro started the Cern Hardronic Festival, leading to the first non-technical photo uploaded to the web: the Cernettes. The image, 120×50 pixels, took a minute to load. Now scattered globally, the Cernettes reunited in 2012, celebrating their iconic status and historical significance. It is recognised by Guinness World Records as the ‘First photo posted to the World Wide Web’ but it is more spcifically the ‘the first non-technical photo uploaded to the web’.

    Two

    Who is the first, and to date only, First Lady of the United States to have won an award at the Emmys?

    Answer: Jacqueline Kennedy.

    Jacqueline Kennedy received a Trustees Award at the 1962 Emmys, accepted by Lady Bird Johnson, for her television special A Tour of the White House with Mrs. John F. Kennedy, which aired on 14 February 1962. The broadcast, watched by over 100 million globally, highlighted a restoration. Kennedy’s award is housed at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum.

    Three

    In 1958, Billboard‘s Hot 100 premiered as an all-genre singles chart with Poor Little Fool being the first number one. Two questions:

    • What act achieved that first number one?
    • By 18 July 2026, to the nearest hundred, how many different number one entries has there been?

    Answers

    • Ricky Nelson
    • ≈ 1,200 (1,194 exactly)

    The Billboard Hot 100 is a U.S. music chart ranking songs based on sales, streaming, and radio airplay. Released weekly on Tuesdays, it reflects data from Friday to Thursday. Since July 2015, sales and streaming are tracked weekly, with radio airplay following the same cycle since July 2021. Poor Little Fool by Ricky Nelson was the first Billboard Hot 100 number-one song on August 4, 1958. By July 18, 2026, the chart had 1,194 different number-one entries. The current top song is Choosin’ Texas by Ella Langley.

    Four

    LHS 1480 b.
    Image NASA

    Astronomers announced in 2026 that they’d detected an atmosphere around an Earth-like planet in the habitable zone of another star for the first time. This planet, named LHS 1140 b, is how far away from Earth:

    • 49 light years
    • 76 light years
    • 127 light years

    Answer: 49 light years.

    Astronomers discovered an atmosphere on LHS 1140 b, an Earth-like planet in the habitable zone, marking a milestone in the search for alien life. The planet, 1.7 times Earth’s width and 5.6 times its mass, retains helium, suggesting potential water presence. Findings published in Science, based on 2024 observations, highlight atmospheric stability.

    Five

    Who was the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?

    Answer: Aretha Franklin.

    Lady Soul. The first woman inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Aretha Franklin was an artist of passion, sophistication and command, whose recordings remain anthems that defined soul music. Long live the Queen.
    — Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

    The Earth is a very small stage in a vast cosmic arena

    The post title, which was brought to mind by question four, is a quote by American scientist Carl Sagan –

    The Earth is a very small stage in a vast cosmic arena
    Carl Sagan
    — James Webb discovery

  • The Earth is a very small stage in a vast cosmic arena

    Today’s first question relates to the date 16 July. The others aren’t date-related but share a common theme.

    Les Horribles Cernettes.
    Image Reddit

    One

    A picture of the band Les Horribles Cernettes taken on 18 July 1992 later led to what technological first?

    Two

    Who is the first, and to date only, First Lady of the United States to have won an award at the Emmys?

    Three

    In 1958, Billboard‘s Hot 100 premiered as an all-genre singles chart with Poor Little Fool being the first number one. Two questions:

    • What act achieved that first number one?
    • By 18 July 2026, to the nearest hundred, how many different number one entries has there been?

    Four

    LHS 1480 b.
    Image NASA

    Astronomers announced in 2026 that they’d detected an atmosphere around an Earth-like planet in the habitable zone of another star for the first time. This planet, named LHS 1140 b, is how far away from Earth:

    • 49 light years
    • 76 light years
    • 127 light years

    Five

    Who was the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • 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.