Answers to Quiz - 108

1) Ug99 is a fungus that threatens to destroy wheat crop worldwide. Why is it called so?

From its country of origin (Uganda) and the year of naming (1999)

2) Three Gorges Dam is the world’s biggest hydroelectric project (22500 MW). Across which Chinese river is it constructed?

Yangtze

3) Name the three-headed dog that guards the gates to the underworld in Greek and Roman Mythology.

Cerberus

4) What is the name of the international medical humanitarian organization founded by doctors and journalists in France in 1971? It received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1999.

Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières)

5) What two countries did the Mandelbaum Gate separate till it was dismantled in 1967?

Israel and Jordan

6) What is the name of the first practical bicycle invented by a German baron in 1817?

Draisine named after Karl Christian Ludwig Drais von Sauerbronn

7) Name the Canadian professor of English and communication specialist who coined expressions like “Global Village” and “The Medium is the Message”.

Marshall McLuhan

8) What sport was born on Repack Road in California in 1976?

Mountain Biking

9) Panhellenic Games refers to the four sports festivals held in ancient Greece. One of them was the Olympic Games. What are the names of the other three games?

Pythian, Nemean and Isthmian Games

10) Which two nations resolved their border dispute by the Treaty of 1818?

United States of America and United Kingdom

QUIZ - 108

1) Ug99 is a fungus that threatens to destroy wheat crop worldwide. Why is it called so?

2) Three Gorges Dam is the world’s biggest hydroelectric project (22500 MW). Across which Chinese river is it constructed?

3) Name the three-headed dog that guards the gates to the underworld in Greek and Roman Mythology.

4) What is the name of the international medical humanitarian organization founded by doctors and journalists in France in 1971? It received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1999.

5) What two countries did the Mandelbaum Gate separate till it was dismantled in 1967?

6) What is the name of the first practical bicycle invented by a German baron in 1817?

7) Name the Canadian professor of English and communication specialist who coined expressions like “Global Village” and “The Medium is the Message”.

8) What sport was born on Repack Road in California in 1976?

9) Panhellenic Games refers to the four sports festivals held in ancient Greece. One of them was the Olympic Games. What are the names of the other three games?

10) Which two nations resolved their border dispute by the Treaty of 1818?

Answers to Quiz - 107

1) Who lives in “The Lodge”?

Prime Minister of Australia

2) Who is the God of thunder in Celtic mythology?

Taranis

3) What famous organization has recently changed its name to “The Y”?

YMCA

4) What term describes the 19th century American belief that their country was destined to expand across the North American continent, from the Atlantic seaboard to the Pacific Ocean?

Manifest Destiny

5) What public transportation concept was pioneered by the French town of La Rochelle in 1974?

Bicycle Sharing System

6) Which country rules Galapagos Islands made famous by Charles Darwin?

Ecuador

7) Which country’s borders were dramatically redefined by the Treaty of Trianon signed in 1920 at the end of World War I?

Hungary

8) What organs of the human body are affected by the Zollinger – Ellison Syndrome?

Pancreas and / or Duodenum

9) What is JCVI-syn1.0?

World’s first artificial living organism created with a synthetic genome on 20th May 2010

10) Which country’s woman Prime Minister is referred to as “Tatra Tigress”?

Slovakia

QUIZ - 107

1) Who lives in “The Lodge”?

2) Who is the God of thunder in Celtic mythology?

3) What famous organization has recently changed its name to “The Y”?

4) What term describes the 19th century American belief that their country was destined to expand across the North American continent, from the Atlantic seaboard to the Pacific Ocean?

5) What public transportation concept was pioneered by the French town of La Rochelle in 1974?

6) Which country rules Galapagos Islands made famous by Charles Darwin?

7) Which country’s borders were dramatically redefined by the Treaty of Trianon signed in 1920 at the end of World War I?

8) What organs of the human body are affected by the Zollinger – Ellison Syndrome?

9) What is JCVI-syn1.0?

10) Which country’s woman Prime Minister is referred to as “Tatra Tigress”?

Answers to Quiz - 106

1) Pagophagia is regarded as a sign of anemia. What is Pagophagia?

Craving to eat ice

2) In which Indian state would you get to drink a local rice beer called Yu?

Manipur

3) Name the Filipino chieftain who engaged Ferdinand Magellan in the Battle of Mactan and eventually killed him

Lapu Lapu

4) Which is the only Indian company among the 8 sponsors of the FIFA World Cup 2010?

Mahindra Satyam

5) Which company is the official ball supplier for World Cup Football since 1970?

Adidas

6) What sporting record does Vicki Nelson and Jean Hepner hold?

Longest women’s tennis match lasting 391 minutes in 1984

7) In which country is petrol the cheapest?

Venezuela at Rs. 2.31 per litre.

8) He is known variously as Arquero, Portero, Guardavalla, Cuidapalos, Cancerbero in different parts of South America. Who is he?

The Goalkeeper

9) For what distinction are Lady Gaga and President Obama in neck to neck competition?

To reach 10 million fans on Facebook

10) Name the head of Mossad, who is embroiled in a controversy over the assassination of a Hamas commander in Dubai in January.

Meir Dagan

QUIZ - 106

1) Pagophagia is regarded as a sign of anemia. What is Pagophagia?

2) In which Indian state would you get to drink a local rice beer called Yu?

3) Name the Filipino chieftain who engaged Ferdinand Magellan in the Battle of Mactan and eventually killed him

4) Which is the only Indian company among the 8 sponsors of the FIFA World Cup 2010?

5) Which company is the official ball supplier for World Cup Football since 1970?

6) What sporting record does Vicki Nelson and Jean Hepner hold?

7) In which country is petrol the cheapest?

8) He is known variously as Arquero, Portero, Guardavalla, Cuidapalos, Cancerbero in different parts of South America. Who is he?

9) For what distinction are Lady Gaga and President Obama in neck to neck competition?

10) Name the head of Mossad, who is embroiled in a controversy over the assassination of a Hamas commander in Dubai in January

Answers to Quiz - 105

1) 16 year old girl Abby Sunderland attempting to sail solo around the world went missing in the Indian Ocean. What is the name of her boat?

Wild Eyes

2) Who scored the first goal of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa?

Siphiwe Tshabalala

3) What is Trichology?

Branch of medicine that deals with hair and scalp

4) India is poised to become a member of the SCO. What is SCO?

Shanghai Cooperation Organization

5) Whose autobiography is titled – Before Memory Fades?

Fali Nariman, the distinguished constitutional lawyer

6) Which 2 teams are currently battling it out for the NBA title?

LA Lakers and Boston Celtics

7) Which hormone is called the Love Hormone?

Oxytocin

8) In which airline is Kalanithi Maran, the CEO of Sun TV Network, taking a big stake?

SpiceJet

9) Who created the fictional character of Lisbeth Salander?

Stieg Larsson

10) What is WAG the acronym for in British tabloids?

Wives And Girlfriends of high profile football players

QUIZ - 105

1) 16 year old girl Abby Sunderland attempting to sail solo around the world went missing in the Indian Ocean. What is the name of her boat?

2) Who scored the first goal of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa?

3) What is Trichology?

4) India is poised to become a member of the SCO. What is SCO?

5) Whose autobiography is titled – Before Memory Fades?

6) Which 2 teams are currently battling it out for the NBA title?

7) Which hormone is called the Love Hormone?

8) In which airline is Kalanithi Maran, the CEO of Sun TV Network, taking a big stake?

9) Who created the fictional character of Lisbeth Salander?

10) What is WAG the acronym for in British tabloids?

Answers to Quiz - 104

1) Name the painting by S.H. Raza that was sold for $3.49 million at Christie’s, thereby becoming India’s priciest piece of modern art.

Saurashtra

2) The Orange prize is given for English language novels by women. Who is this year’s Orange prize winner and what’s the title of the novel?

Barbara Kingsolver, The Lacuna

3) Who is writing the foreword to Nelson Mandela’s new book – Conversations with Myself?

Barack Obama

4) What is the popular term for the South African national football team?

Bafana Bafana

5) A sub species of the bird that appears on the state flag of Louisiana is under severe threat because of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. What is this bird?

Brown Pelican

6) In which country has a leather shoe worn about 5500 years ago been discovered in a cave

Armenia

7) Fabio Capello, coach of the England football team is using ‘Victoria’ to ensure that his team’s training pitches are safe. What or who is ‘Victoria’?

A Falcon to ensure that the pitches are free of rodents and snakes

8) What is the name of the genetic condition that lowers the immunity level of the new born baby to such an extent that it has to be kept shielded in a sterile pouch?

Bubble Baby Syndrome

9) Who will captain the MCC team in a T20 match against the visiting Pakistanis later this month?

Saurav Ganguly

10) The man who developed the fingerprinting system was also the first to make rigorous weather maps. He was one of the great polymaths of the 19th Century. Who is he?

Francis Galton

QUIZ - 104

1) Name the painting by S.H. Raza that was sold for $3.49 million at Christie’s, thereby becoming India’s priciest piece of modern art.

2) The Orange prize is given for English language novels by women. Who is this year’s Orange prize winner and what’s the title of the novel?

3) Who is writing the foreword to Nelson Mandela’s new book – Conversations with Myself?

4) What is the popular term for the South African national football team?

5) A sub species of the bird that appears on the state flag of Louisiana is under severe threat because of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. What is this bird?

6) In which country has a leather shoe worn about 5500 years ago been discovered in a cave

7) Fabio Capello, coach of the England football team is using ‘Victoria’ to ensure that his team’s training pitches are safe. What or who is ‘Victoria’?

8) What is the name of the genetic condition that lowers the immunity level of the new born baby to such an extent that it has to be kept shielded in a sterile pouch?

9) Who will captain the MCC team in a T20 match against the visiting Pakistanis later this month?

10) The man who developed the fingerprinting system was also the first to make rigorous weather maps. He was one of the great polymaths of the 19th Century. Who is he?

Answers to Quiz - 103

1) What prestigious literary prize has been awarded this year to the former Czech President Vaclav Havel?

Franz Kafka Prize

2) What word has been coined as the slogan for World Cup Football by MTN, Africa’s largest mobile phone operator?

Ayoba

3) Name the Spanish fashion chain that is entering the Indian market this week without launching an advertising campaign?

Zara

4) Why is Moti Singh in the news these days?

He was the collector of Bhopal during the gas tragedy in December 1984

5) Name the former Zimbabwe fast bowler who was forced to flee the country following his black arm band protest during the 2003 World Cup. He is currently a singer.

Henry Olonga

6) Name the controversy ridden woman of Indian roots who has won the Republican nomination for the Governorship of South Carolina

Nikki Haley Randhawa

7) With an issue of $21.6 billion in 2006, which company holds the world record for the biggest IPO?

Industrial and Commercial Bank of China

8) Where will the Mr. Universe contest be held next week?

Miami

9) What is the name of the airport at Bhopal?

Raja Bhoj Airport

10) Who is the new President of Philippines?

Benigno Aquino III

QUIZ - 103

Yet another Quiz based on the day’s newspapers.


1) What prestigious literary prize has been awarded this year to the former Czech President Vaclav Havel?

2) What word has been coined as the slogan for World Cup Football by MTN, Africa’s largest mobile phone operator?

3) Name the Spanish fashion chain that is entering the Indian market this week without launching an advertising campaign?

4) Why is Moti Singh in the news these days?

5) Name the former Zimbabwe fast bowler who was forced to flee the country following his black arm band protest during the 2003 World Cup. He is currently a singer.

6) Name the controversy ridden woman of Indian roots who has won the Republican nomination for the Governorship of South Carolina.

7) With an issue of $21.6 billion in 2006, which company holds the world record for the biggest IPO?

8) Where will the Mr. Universe contest be held next week?

9) What is the name of the airport at Bhopal?

10) Who is the new President of Philippines?

Answers to Quiz - 102

1) By what popular moniker do we know the Brazilian footballer Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite?

Kaka

2) ‘World One’, world’s tallest residential building (117 storey, 450m) is planned to come up at Lower Parel, Mumbai. Where is the world’s current tallest residential building, Q1 (80 storey,323m) located?

Gold Coast, Australia

3) What is the name of the soon to be launched 24 hour Bengali news channel that will be the mouthpiece of Trinamool Congress?

Ekhon Samay

4) What is the medical term for the inability to speak?

Aphonia

5) What is the pixel density of the ‘Retina Display’ of iPhone4?

360 Pixels per inch

6) Name the 89 year old news correspondent called as “dean of the White House press corps” who resigned after her controversial comments on Israel and Palestine.

Hellen Thomas

7) What is the name of the space habitat planned for 2016 by the Bigelow Aerospace Company?

Sundancer

8) Name the volcano located close to the Philippines capital, Manila that is reportedly getting active.

Taal

9) After its acquisition of Zain, Bharti Airtel is poised to become world’s 5th largest mobile phone operator. Which company is the number 1 mobile phone operator in the world with a subscriber base of 522 million?

China Mobile

10) With a width of 2000 km and a depth of 8 km, which is the biggest impact crater on Mars?

Hellas Basin

QUIZ - 102

Another Quiz based on today’s newspapers.


1) By what popular moniker do we know the Brazilian footballer Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite?

2) ‘World One’, world’s tallest residential building (117 storey, 450m) is planned to come up at Lower Parel, Mumbai. Where is the world’s current tallest residential building, Q1 (80 storey,323m) located?

3) What is the name of the soon to be launched 24 hour Bengali news channel that will be the mouthpiece of Trinamool Congress?

4) What is the medical term for the inability to speak?

5) What is the pixel density of the ‘Retina Display’ of iPhone4?

6) Name the 89 year old news correspondent called as “dean of the White House press corps” who resigned after her controversial comments on Israel and Palestine.

7) What is the name of the space habitat planned for 2016 by the Bigelow Aerospace Company?

8) Name the volcano located close to the Philippines capital, Manila that is reportedly getting active.

9) After its acquisition of Zain, Bharti Airtel is poised to become world’s 5th largest mobile phone operator. Which company is the number 1 mobile phone operator in the world with a subscriber base of 522 million?

10) With a width of 2000 km and a depth of 8 km, which is the biggest impact crater on Mars?

Answers to Quiz - 101

1) Who is the new Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission?

Former Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan

2) Where is the International Tattoo Convention currently underway?

Bogota, Colombia

3) The Fragile X Syndrome is the most common genetic cause of what condition?

Autism

4) Government is currently auctioning BWA spectrum. What is BWA?

Broadband Wireless Access

5) What distinction has been conferred on the 160 m tall Capital Gate Tower in Abu Dhabi?

Guinness World Records has recognized it as the 'furthest leaning manmade tower'

6) Name the trumpet that is expected to be heard frequently during the World Cup Football matches in South Africa?

Vuvuzela

7) Which company’s steel plant is threatening to cause damage to Bapu Kuti, a heritage site associated with Mahatma Gandhi in Wardha District?

Uttam Galva Metalics Limited

8) The President of which African country is planning to fund a UNESCO sponsored prize for Life Sciences?

Equatorial Guinea

9) What rare blood group is named after an Indian city?

Bombay Blood Group

10) Where is Warren Anderson, CEO of Union Carbide at the time of Bhopal Tragedy, living now?

Long Island, New York

QUIZ - 101

Now that I have crossed the 100 mark, I can afford to shirk off my discipline and post randomly. This is the first such attempt. The answers to the following 10 questions can be found in today’s newspapers. Test yourself how sharply you read the morning papers.


1) Who is the new Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission?

2) Where is the International Tattoo Convention currently underway?

3) The Fragile X Syndrome is the most common genetic cause of what condition?

4) Government is currently auctioning BWA spectrum. What is BWA?

5) What distinction has been conferred on the 160 m tall Capital Gate Tower in Abu Dhabi?

6) Name the trumpet that is expected to be heard frequently during the World Cup Football matches in South Africa?

7) Which company’s steel plant is threatening to cause damage to Bapu Kuti, a heritage site associated with Mahatma Gandhi in Wardha District?

8) The President of which African country is planning to fund a UNESCO sponsored prize for Life Sciences?

9) What rare blood group is named after an Indian city?

10) Where is Warren Anderson, CEO of Union Carbide at the time of Bhopal Tragedy, living now?

Answers to Quiz - 100

1) Born in Lahore and studying in Madras, he went on to become a US citizen and received the Physics Nobel Prize in 1983 for his work on the structure and evolution of stars.

S Chandrasekhar

2) This British engineer invented the hovercraft.

Christopher Cockerell

3) This French naval officer, explorer and oceanographer co-developed the Aqualung for Scuba diving.


Jacques Cousteau

4) This Japanese director is regarded as one of the most influential filmmakers. Among his most important films are Seven Samurai, Ran, Rashomon and Yojimbo.

Akira Kurosawa

5) He co-invented the transistor along with John Bardeen and Walter Houser Brattain, for which they received the Nobel Prize in 1956.

William Shockley

6) Born in Taiwan, he became a Japanese citizen after World War II and invented Instant Noodles in response to the problem of food shortage.

Momofuku Ando

7) He designed the first working programmable computer, Z3 in 1941

Konrad Zuse

8) Known as Freddie among friends, this British philosopher is known for promoting Logical Positivism – a school of philosophy that combines Empiricism and Rationalism.

A J Ayer

9) She became part of a notorious criminal gang that looted small stores, gas stations and banks in the Central United States during the Great Depression. She and her partner went on to become cult figures and have been immortalized through a 1967 film bearing their names.

Bonnie Parker

10) A highly influential blues musician, he is widely regarded as the first to use the Electric Guitar.

T-Bone Walker

QUIZ - 100

To mark the 100th edition of this Quiz, I bring you a set of 10 questions built around the centenary theme. The answers to all these 10 questions are people who were born in 1910; so this is their centenary year. Hope you enjoy the Quiz.


1) Born in Lahore and studying in Madras, he went on to become a US citizen and received the Physics Nobel Prize in 1983 for his work on the structure and evolution of stars.

2) This British engineer invented the hovercraft.

3) This French naval officer, explorer and oceanographer co-developed the Aqualung for Scuba diving.

4) This Japanese director is regarded as one of the most influential filmmakers. Among his most important films are Seven Samurai, Ran, Rashomon and Yojimbo.

5) He co-invented the transistor along with John Bardeen and Walter Houser Brattain, for which they received the Nobel Prize in 1956.

6) Born in Taiwan, he became a Japanese citizen after World War II and invented Instant Noodles in response to the problem of food shortage.

7) He designed the first working programmable computer, Z3 in 1941

8) Known as Freddie among friends, this British philosopher is known for promoting Logical Positivism – a school of philosophy that combines Empiricism and Rationalism.

9) She became part of a notorious criminal gang that looted small stores, gas stations and banks in the Central United States during the Great Depression. She and her partner went on to become cult figures and have been immortalized through a 1967 film bearing their names.

10) A highly influential blues musician, he is widely regarded as the first to use the Electric Guitar.

Answers to Quiz - 99

1) What is the name of a crescent shaped water body formed when the bend of a river is cut off from the main river by forces of erosion?

Oxbow Lake

2) What is the term for a tributary that runs parallel to the main river before eventually joining it?

Yazoo

3) Water bodies that have excessive nutrients are called ‘Eutrophic’. What term describes nutrient deficient water bodies?

Oligotrophic

4) What is the name given to the thin layer in a large water body like ocean or lake, where the temperature changes more rapidly with depth than it does in the layers above or below?

Thermocline

5) Name the Greek historian who coined the term ‘Delta’ for the landform created at the mouth of a river because of it’s resemblance to the uppercase Greek letter Delta.

Herodotus

6) An estuary is a water body that forms a transition between a river environment and an ocean environment. Name the largest estuary in the world.

Gulf of Saint Lawrence

7) Over the edge of which mountain in Venezuela does the world’s highest waterfall, Angel Falls, drop?

Auyantepui

8) What term describes a watershed from which there is no outflow of water?
Endorheic Basin

9) What is the legendary water spirit of German mythology that assumes human form but constantly shifts shapes?

Nix

10) Named after a pioneering Norwegian oceanographer what unit is used to measure the volume of water transported by ocean currents?

Sverdrup after Harald Sverdrup

QUIZ - 99

Water, the final element in the 5 part series.


1) What is the name of a crescent shaped water body formed when the bend of a river is cut off from the main river by forces of erosion?

2) What is the term for a tributary that runs parallel to the main river before eventually joining it?

3) Water bodies that have excessive nutrients are called ‘Eutrophic’. What term describes nutrient deficient water bodies?

4) What is the name given to the thin layer in a large water body like ocean or lake, where the temperature changes more rapidly with depth than it does in the layers above or below?

5) Name the Greek historian who coined the term ‘Delta’ for the landform created at the mouth of a river because of it’s resemblance to the uppercase Greek letter Delta.

6) An estuary is a water body that forms a transition between a river environment and an ocean environment. Name the largest estuary in the world.

7) Over the edge of which mountain in Venezuela does the world’s highest waterfall, Angel Falls, drop?

8) What term describes a watershed from which there is no outflow of water?

9) What is the legendary water spirit of German mythology that assumes human form but constantly shifts shapes?

10) Named after a pioneering Norwegian oceanographer what unit is used to measure the volume of water transported by ocean currents?

Answers to Quiz - 98

1) What does an Arenophile collect?

Sand

2) What is the Geological term for grotesquely shaped rocks?

Hoodoos

3) Named after the Swedish Chemist Albert Atterberg, what does the Atterberg Limits classify?

Soil

4) What Geological term is used to describe an isolated rock formation or hill that abruptly rises from the surrounding plain ground, like the Ayers Rock in Australia?

Inselberg

5) What term describes ash and rocks that are ejected from a volcano and flies through the air?

Tephra

6) Green sand beaches are rare. What mineral imparts the green colour to this sand?

Olivine

7) What term in the Geological vocabulary defines a depression formed by the collapse of the cone of a volcano?

Caldera

8) Who proposed the Gaia Hypothesis, which views the Earth as a self- regulating organism?

James Lovelock

9) When is Earth Day celebrated each year and who founded it in 1970?

22nd April, Gaylord Nelson, a United States Senator

10) Name the 12 point scale used to measure the intensity of an Earthquake.

Mercalli intensity scale

QUIZ - 98

Earth, the fourth element in the 5 part series.


1) What does an Arenophile collect?

2) What is the Geological term for grotesquely shaped rocks?

3) Named after the Swedish Chemist Albert Atterberg, what does the Atterberg Limits classify?

4) What Geological term is used to describe an isolated rock formation or hill that abruptly rises from the surrounding plain ground, like the Ayers Rock in Australia?

5) What term describes ash and rocks that are ejected from a volcano and flies through the air?

6) Green sand beaches are rare. What mineral imparts the green colour to this sand?

7) What term in the Geological vocabulary defines a depression formed by the collapse of the cone of a volcano?

8) Who proposed the Gaia Hypothesis, which views the Earth as a self- regulating organism?

9) When is Earth Day celebrated each year and who founded it in 1970?

10) Name the 12 point scale used to measure the intensity of an Earthquake.

Answers to Quiz - 97

1) If Vulcan was the Roman God of Fire, who was the Greek God of Fire?

Hephaestus

2) What is the highest grade of sacred fire in Zoroastrian Temples?

Atash Behram

3) In 1667 Johann Joachim Becher postulated a scientific theory (now defunct) stating that all combustible substances contain within a fire-like element, which is released during the process of combustion. What name did he give to this fire-like element?

Phlogiston

4) What happened at the bakery of Thomas Farriner on Pudding Lane, shortly after midnight on 2nd September 1666?

The Great Fire of London

5) What term describes the property of a substance that will spontaneously ignite in air?

Pyrophoric

6) The Olympic flame commemorates the theft of fire from Greek God Zeus by Prometheus. In which modern Olympics was the practice of lighting the flame introduced?

1928 Amsterdam

7) What does Haines Index measure?

The potential for forest wildfire growth

8) What is Pyrolatry?

Worship of Fire

9) Fahrenheit 451, a cult science fiction by Ray Bradbury published in 1953 describes a futuristic American society. What is the significance of the number 451 in the book’s title?

Paper catches fire by itself at 451 degrees Fahrenheit. The protagonist in the novel is a fireman who burns books

10) What enzyme is responsible for the glow in fireflies?

Luciferase

QUIZ - 97

After Wind and Clouds (Sky), it is the turn of Fire this week.


1) If Vulcan was the Roman God of Fire, who was the Greek God of Fire?

2) What is the highest grade of sacred fire in Zoroastrian Temples?

3) In 1667 Johann Joachim Becher postulated a scientific theory (now defunct) stating that all combustible substances contain within a fire-like element, which is released during the process of combustion. What name did he give to this fire-like element?

4) What happened at the bakery of Thomas Farriner on Pudding Lane, shortly after midnight on 2nd September 1666?

5) What term describes the property of a substance that will spontaneously ignite in air?

6) The Olympic flame commemorates the theft of fire from Greek God Zeus by Prometheus. In which modern Olympics was the practice of lighting the flame introduced?

7) What does Haines Index measure?

8) What is Pyrolatry?

9) Fahrenheit 451, a cult science fiction by Ray Bradbury published in 1953 describes a futuristic American society. What is the significance of the number 451 in the book’s title?

10) What enzyme is responsible for the glow in fireflies?

Answers to Quiz - 96

1) First observed only in 1885, these are the highest cloud in earth’s atmosphere at altitudes of 80 km. They are normally too faint to be seen, and are visible only when illuminated by sunlight from below the horizon while the lower layers of the atmosphere are in the earth's shadow. What is the name of this not so well understood cloud?

Noctilucent Cloud

2) Name this cloud that has been often mistaken for UFO because of its characteristic lens like appearance and smooth saucer-like shape.

Lenticular Cloud

3) These clouds form when there are two parallel layers of air that are usually moving at different speeds and in difference directions. What is the name of this cloud that looks like a breaking wave in the ocean?

Kelvin-Helmholtz cloud

4) Name this extremely rare cloud that forms when a rush of moist air from the Gulf Stream gets trapped between layers of dry air.

Jellyfish Cloud

5) Name these thin wispy fair weather clouds

Cirrus Clouds

6) Name this smooth cloud that forms on the top of a major geographic feature, like a mountain

Pileus Cloud

7) Seen mostly during winter at high latitudes like Scandinavia, Iceland, Alaska and Northern Canada, these clouds are mostly visible within two hours after sunset or before dawn when they blaze unbelievably bright with vivid and slowly shifting iridescent colours. What are they called?

Nacreous clouds, sometimes called mother-of-pearl clouds

8) Name this low, horizontal tube-shaped cloud associated with a thunderstorm front

Roll Cloud

9) Very ominous in appearance these clouds are harmless and are usually seen after the worst of a thunderstorm has passed. What is the name of this cloud with its characteristic pouch like structures?

Mammatus Cloud

10) What is the name given to cloud-like vapour trail that forms behind an aircraft flying in cold, clear, humid air from the water vapor contained in the engine exhaust?

Contrail

QUIZ - 96

The idea for this Quiz on Clouds was planted in my head by a person whose twitter handle is Blue Sky (in translation). Since the last Quiz was on Wind, I decided to do a series on the 5 elements of nature – Wind, Sky (Clouds), Fire, Water and Earth. The Ash Cloud from the erupting volcano in Iceland is a curious coincidence and not the inspiration for this Quiz.

1) First observed only in 1885, these are the highest cloud in earth’s atmosphere at altitudes of 80 km. They are normally too faint to be seen, and are visible only when illuminated by sunlight from below the horizon while the lower layers of the atmosphere are in the earth's shadow. What is the name of this not so well understood cloud?

2) Name this cloud that has been often mistaken for UFO because of its characteristic lens like appearance and smooth saucer-like shape.

3) These clouds form when there are two parallel layers of air that are usually moving at different speeds and in difference directions. What is the name of this cloud that looks like a breaking wave in the ocean?

4) Name this extremely rare cloud that forms when a rush of moist air from the Gulf Stream gets trapped between layers of dry air.

5) Name these thin wispy fair weather clouds

6) Name this smooth cloud that forms on the top of a major geographic feature, like a mountain

7) Seen mostly during winter at high latitudes like Scandinavia, Iceland, Alaska and Northern Canada, these clouds are mostly visible within two hours after sunset or before dawn when they blaze unbelievably bright with vivid and slowly shifting iridescent colours. What are they called?

8) Name this low, horizontal tube-shaped cloud associated with a thunderstorm front

9) Very ominous in appearance these clouds are harmless and are usually seen after the worst of a thunderstorm has passed. What is the name of this cloud with its characteristic pouch like structures?

10) What is the name given to cloud-like vapour trail that forms behind an aircraft flying in cold, clear, humid air from the water vapor contained in the engine exhaust?

Answers to Quiz - 95

1) What is the name of the winds blowing from east to southeast in Canada and USA that bring with them extreme cold air, so cold that it freezes all that it touches including hair and beards.

The Barber

2) What is the name of the sudden violent cold gust of wind that descends from mountain to sea in the Straits of Magellan and is a constant threat to ships sailing around Cape Horn?

Williwaw

3) Derived from Greek mythology what is the name of the warm and gentle westerly breeze that blows during summer in the Northern Hemisphere?

Zephyr

4) Lasting as briefly as 20 minutes, this extremely hot dust laden wind blows across the deserts of Arabia. Named after the Arabic word for poison, it is responsible for reshaping the sand dunes of the desert in summer. What is it called?

Simoom

5) What is the name of the wind that funnels though the Strait of Gibraltar and is usually accompanied by a characteristic Banner Cloud on top of the Rock of Gibraltar?

Levanter

6) Named after the Arab word for wind, what is the name of the sand/dust storm that occurs on an average of 24 times in a year in Khartoum, Sudan?

Haboob

7) What is the generic term for a warm and very dry wind that descends on the leeward side of a mountain barrier?

Föhn Wind

8) Where would you expect to encounter ‘The Brickfielder’, a strong, hot, dry and dusty wind?

Southern Australia

9) With what sea would you associate the wind Meltemi?

Aegean Sea

10) What is the name of the warm dry wind that periodically occurs late afternoons in the Santa Barbara area of Southern California?

Sundowner

QUIZ - 95

Ten questions on Wind names

1) What is the name of the winds blowing from east to southeast in Canada and USA that bring with them extreme cold air, so cold that it freezes all that it touches including hair and beards.

2) What is the name of the sudden violent cold gust of wind that descends from mountain to sea in the Straits of Magellan and is a constant threat to ships sailing around Cape Horn?

3) Derived from Greek mythology what is the name of the warm and gentle westerly breeze that blows during summer in the Northern Hemisphere?

4) Lasting as briefly as 20 minutes, this extremely hot dust laden wind blows across the deserts of Arabia. Named after the Arabic word for poison, it is responsible for reshaping the sand dunes of the desert in summer. What is it called?

5) What is the name of the wind that funnels though the Strait of Gibraltar and is usually accompanied by a characteristic Banner Cloud on top of the Rock of Gibraltar?

6) Named after the Arab word for wind, what is the name of the sand/dust storm that occurs on an average of 24 times in a year in Khartoum, Sudan?

7) What is the generic term for a warm and very dry wind that descends on the leeward side of a mountain barrier?

8) Where would you expect to encounter ‘The Brickfielder’, a strong, hot, dry and dusty wind?

9) With what sea would you associate the wind Meltemi?

10) What is the name of the warm dry wind that periodically occurs late afternoons in the Santa Barbara area of Southern California?

Answers to Quiz - 94

1) What is the study of butterflies and moths called?

Lepidopterology

2) Name the smallest butterfly which has a wingspan of less than half an inch.

Western Pygmy Blue

3) When an adult butterfly emerges from the pupa it expels the metabolic waste product through the anal opening. What is the name given to this blood like red fluid?

Meconium

4) What metaphorical term in Chaos Theory attributed to mathematician and meteorologist Edward Norton Lorenz describes how small variations can affect giant and complex systems?

The Butterfly Effect

5) Name the collection of cells located at the base of the butterfly’s antennae that is responsible for maintaining its sense of balance and orientation during flight.

Johnston's organ

6) What is the term for a group of butterflies?

Rabble or Swarm

7) What is the term for modified wing scales on male butterflies that release pheromones to attract females?

Androconia

8) Which is the only butterfly known to make a two-way migration as birds do?

The Monarch

9) What is the significance of 86 degrees F in a butterfly’s life?

They can fly only if their body temperature is above 86 degrees F

10) What is the biggest butterfly of the world with a wingspan of up to one foot found in the forests of Papua New Guinea?

Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing

QUIZ - 94

1) What is the study of butterflies and moths called?

2) Name the smallest butterfly which has a wingspan of less than half an inch.

3) When an adult butterfly emerges from the pupa it expels the metabolic waste product through the anal opening. What is the name given to this blood like red fluid?

4) What metaphorical term in Chaos Theory attributed to mathematician and meteorologist Edward Norton Lorenz describes how small variations can affect giant and complex systems?

5) Name the collection of cells located at the base of the butterfly’s antennae that is responsible for maintaining its sense of balance and orientation during flight.

6) What is the term for a group of butterflies?

7) What is the term for modified wing scales on male butterflies that release pheromones to attract females?

8) Which is the only butterfly known to make a two-way migration as birds do?

9) What is the significance of 86 degrees F in a butterfly’s life?

10) What is the biggest butterfly of the world with a wingspan of up to one foot found in the forests of Papua New Guinea?

Answers to Quiz - 93

1) How many different types of flags are used by the race marshals to convey different messages?

Ten

2) Name the highly flame retardant material used for the overalls of drivers and pit crew that has revolutionized safety in Formula One racing.

Nomex

3) When and where was the first Formula One race held?

1950, Silverstone Circuit, England

4) Name the infamous corner on the Imola Circuit where on 1st May 1994, Ayrton Senna died in a horrific crash, an event which became a major turning point of Formula One sport.

Tamburello

5) What is the name given to the warm up lap before the start of the race?

Formation Lap

6) The tightest and the slowest corner in Formula One racing is a hairpin bend on the Monaco Circuit and is named after a hotel located nearby. What is its name?

The Loews Hairpin

7) What is the name given to the contract between Formula One teams and FIA, the governing body of the sport?

Concorde Agreement

8) Name the British engineer and founder of Lotus Engineering Company who revolutionized the design of Formula One car in 1950’s and 1960’s and whose influence can be felt even today.

Colin Chapman

9) What is common to the Formula One circuits in Istanbul, Sao Paolo, Singapore and Abu Dhabi?

They are the only ones to run in anticlockwise direction

10) Name the World War – I ace Italian fighter pilot from whose plane the prancing horse logo of Ferrari has been derived.

Francesco Baracca

QUIZ - 93

1) How many different types of flags are used by the race marshals to convey different messages?


2) Name the highly flame retardant material used for the overalls of drivers and pit crew that has revolutionized safety in Formula One racing.


3) When and where was the first Formula One race held?


4) Name the infamous corner on the Imola Circuit where on 1st May 1994, Ayrton Senna died in a horrific crash, an event which became a major turning point of Formula One sport.

5) What is the name given to the warm up lap before the start of the race?


6) The tightest and the slowest corner in Formula One racing is a hairpin bend on the Monaco Circuit and is named after a hotel located nearby. What is its name?


7) What is the name given to the contract between Formula One teams and FIA, the governing body of the sport?

8) Name the British engineer and founder of Lotus Engineering Company who revolutionized the design of Formula One car in 1950’s and 1960’s and whose influence can be felt even today.


9) What is common to the Formula One circuits in Istanbul, Sao Paolo, Singapore and Abu Dhabi?


10) Name the World War – I ace Italian fighter pilot from whose plane the prancing horse logo of Ferrari has been derived.

Answers to Quiz - 92

1) What is the Davie Brown Index used to measure?

A celebrity’s ability to influence brand

2) What does the Drake Equation calculate?

Potential number of extraterrestrial civilizations in our galaxy

3) What term describes the certification of a spacecraft as worthy of transporting human beings?

Man-Rating or Human-Rating

4) Name the Swedish American meteorologist who first explained large scale motions in the atmosphere in 1940’s

Carl-Gustaf Rossby

5) The Dead Sea Scrolls discovered between 1947 and 1956 are widely believed to be the library of which Jewish religious group?

Essenes

6) Established in 1930 with it’s headquarter in Basel, Switzerland name the international organization of central banks.

Bank for International Settlements

7) Named after a Swiss agricultural chemist, what law states that an animal’s metabolic rate is proportional to ¾ power of its mass?

Kleiber’s Law

8) What did the French men Émile Gagnan and Jacques-Yves Cousteau invent in 1943?

Aqua-Lung

9) The only silent film to win a ‘Best Picture’ Oscar is also the first Oscar winning film for the year 1927-28. Name the film.

Wings

10) Name the German women’s rights activist who conceived the first International Women’s day on 8th March 1911.

Clara Zetkin

QUIZ - 92

1) What is the Davie Brown Index used to measure?


2) What does the Drake Equation calculate?


3) What term describes the certification of a spacecraft as worthy of transporting human beings?


4) Name the Swedish American meteorologist who first explained large scale motions in the atmosphere in 1940’s


5) The Dead Sea Scrolls discovered between 1947 and 1956 are widely believed to be the library of which Jewish religious group?


6) Established in 1930 with it’s headquarter in Basel, Switzerland name the international organization of central banks.


7) Named after a Swiss agricultural chemist, what law states that an animal’s metabolic rate is proportional to ¾ power of its mass?


8) What did the French men Émile Gagnan and Jacques-Yves Cousteau invent in 1943?


9) The only silent film to win a ‘Best Picture’ Oscar is also the first Oscar winning film for the year 1927-28. Name the film.


10) Name the German women’s rights activist who conceived the first International Women’s day on 8th March 1911.

Answers to Quiz - 91

1) What do we call a person who repairs stringed musical instruments?

Luthier

2) Name the town in Northern Italy which has a distinguished history of manufacturing musical instruments, specially violins

Cremona

3) What is the name for the scientific method of dating past events through study of tree ring growth?

Dendrochronology

4) Atonal Music describes music that does not conform to the system of tonal hierarchies that characterizes classical European music between the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries. Who is regarded as the father of Atonal Music?

Arnold Schoenberg

5) What is philematology the study of?

Kissing

6) What cuisine would use ‘gomasio’, a dry condiment made from sesame seeds?

Japanese

7) The Aztecs did not have a written language. But what language did they speak?

Nahuatl

8) Homo floresiensis is a small brained primate that was discovered on the Indonesian island of Flores in 2003. By what more popular name do we know this species?

Hobbit

9) The Jewish scriptures were translated into Greek in Alexandria, Egypt between 300 – 200 BC. By what famous abbreviation do we know this translation?

LXX, after the 70 scholars who were commissioned for the translation

10) Derived from the Japanese word for cleverness, name the logical puzzle invented in 2004 by the Japanese math teacher Tetsuya Miyamoto

KenKen

QUIZ - 91

1) What do we call a person who repairs stringed musical instruments?

2) Name the town in Northern Italy which has a distinguished history of manufacturing musical instruments, specially violins

3) What is the name for the scientific method of dating past events through study of tree ring growth?

4) Atonal Music describes music that does not conform to the system of tonal hierarchies that characterizes classical European music between the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries. Who is regarded as the father of Atonal Music?

5) What is philematology the study of?

6) What cuisine would use ‘gomasio’, a dry condiment made from sesame seeds?

7) The Aztecs did not have a written language. But what language did they speak?

8) Homo floresiensis is a small brained primate that was discovered on the Indonesian island of Flores in 2003. By what more popular name do we know this species?

9) The Jewish scriptures were translated into Greek in Alexandria, Egypt between 300 – 200 BC. By what famous abbreviation do we know this translation?

10) Derived from the Japanese word for cleverness, name the logical puzzle invented in 2004 by the Japanese math teacher Tetsuya Miyamoto

Answers to Quiz - 90

1. What term describes birds that have two toes projecting forwards and two projecting backwards?

Zygodactyl

2. Measuring 2.5 inches long and weighing 1.6 grams, what is the smallest bird in the world?

Bee Hummingbird

3. Many birds have a gland located at the base of their tail, which secretes an oil that the birds use for preening themselves. What is the name of this gland?

Uropygial Gland

4. What term is used to describe birds that have their eyes open at hatching and leave the nest almost immediately after hatching to find food for themselves?

Precocial

5. With cruising speeds of 65-90 km/hr which is the fastest bird on earth?

Peregrine Falcon

6. What is Warbler Neck?

A sore neck following staring at the tops of trees for hours looking for warblers

7. What term is used to describe birdwatchers who travel long distances to see a rare bird that can then be ticked off a list?

Twitchers

8. Which bird lays the largest egg weighing as much as 1.4 kg?

Ostrich

9. What is the name of the vocal organ of birds located at the base of the windpipe?

Syrinx

10. Name the bird order that accounts for more than half of all bird species

Passeriformes