1 answer
Today
by elvislennon
What is the fastest man-made object ever made?
[quote]That's fast enough to travel from New York to Tokyo in less than a minute.[/quote]
Here's a list of the eight fastest man-made objects ever:
https://www.wearethemighty.com/tech/the-8-fastest-man-made-objects-ever/ (wellenbrecher)
2 answers
May 04 24 by BigTriviaDawg
What literary series has titles that include "The Austere Academy" and "The Miserable Mill"?
A Series of Unfortunate Events! The Miserable Mill is the fourth book in the series and The Austere Academy is the fifth book in the series. The books were written for children and teens but can also be enjoyed by adults.
The whole storyline revolves around a brother and sister who lose their parents while they are still children. Their parents were very wealthy and their guardian Count Olaf has rather dubious motives for the kid's wellbeing.
The 13 books in order are (along with release date):
1) The Bad Beginning (1999)
2) The Reptile Room (1999)
3) The Wide Window (2000)
4) The Miserable Mill (2000)
5) The Austere Academy (2000)
6) The Ersatz Elevator (2001)
7) The Vile Village (2001)
8) The Hostile Hospital (2001)
9) The Carnivorous Carnival (2002)
10) The Slippery Slope (2003)
11) The Grim Grotto (2004)
12) The Penultimate Peril (2005)
13) The End (2006)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Series_of_Unfortunate_Events (BigTriviaDawg)
1 answer
May 04 24 by psnz
How many times is the word "Ewok" said altogether in the nine main Star Wars films?
Not one, Zero, Never.
[quote]Believe it or not, the word “Ewok” is never said in any of the nine Star Wars films that comprise the Skywalker Saga.
It’s quite a surprise to many Star Wars fans, but it’s true. While watching "Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi" (1983), not one character utters the word “Ewok” on screen.
It makes some measure of sense that none of the films from the prequel trilogy, sequel trilogy, and even the first two films from the original trilogy mention these fuzzy creatures. Still, it’s baffling to realize that the Ewoks are never named in "Return of the Jedi," which they prominently feature.[/quote]https://insidethemagic.net/2021/03/ewoks-never-named-al1/ (psnz)
1 answer
May 04 24 by BigTriviaDawg
In 18th century New York, what protein source was labelled "Albany Beef"?
Albany Beef was the flesh of the Atlantic sturgeon fish which was actually plentiful at the time. Sturgeon is the fish that caviar is primarily obtained from. Due to overfishing and habitat loss, the Atlantic sturgeon is considered to be threatened on the Endangered species list.
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Albany%20beef
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlantic_sturgeon (BigTriviaDawg)
1 answer
May 04 24 by psnz
What is the fastest man-made object ever made?
NASA's Parker Solar Probe. It seems that this space craft has broken its own record on more than one occasion.
[quote][It] reached a ferocious 394,736 miles per hour (635,266 km per hour) as it continues its mission hurtling around the Sun.
That's nearly 400 times faster than a fighter jet and 500 times faster than the speed of sound!
It set the new record on September 27, but scientists have only just been able to confirm it using data sent back from the probe.[/quote]https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/67132240
News item dated 18 October, 2023 (psnz)
2 answers
May 04 24 by BigTriviaDawg
1 answer
May 04 24 by apathy100
What is the plural form of "faux pas"?
The difference is in the pronuncuiation.
https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/eb/qa/The-Plural-of-Faux-Pas-#:~:text=The%20plural%20form%20of%20faux,form%20is%20pronounced%20%2F%CB%88fo%CA%8A%CB%8Cp%C9%91%CB%90z%2F. (sally0malley)
2 answers
May 04 24 by Thesuperyoshi
What title is used for the player picked last in the NFL draft?
Not every Mr. Irrelevant is irrelevant. Marty Moore, selected by the New England Patriots in 1994, helped the team to win Super Bowl XXXVI for the 2001 NFL season.
https://nesn.com/2010/03/mr-irrelevant-marty-moore-a-major-success-story-for-patriots/ (wellenbrecher)
2 answers
Apr 21 24 by psnz
What is the plural form of "faux pas"?
The plural form of "faux pas" is "faux pas". This term is originally French and remains the same in both singular and plural usage in English and in French. (wellenbrecher)
2 answers
May 04 24 by Thesuperyoshi
After orchestras, military bands, swing bands and big bands, popular music devolved into a group of usually 4 performers with guitars, a drummer and a vocalist. Which was the first such 'band'?
This is a difficult question to answer for sure. The first limiting factor to your question is the presence of a guitar in the band. The guitar did not really have a place in the big band because it was not a loud enough instrument. Les Paul and Leo Fender changed the use of the guitar by electrifying it making it louder. The popular music at the time to first really utilize the electric guitar were both Jazz and Rhythm and Blues.
So possibly the first band to have the structure we have come to know could have been Harlem Hamfats. They had six musicians including the four asked in the question along with a piano player and a clarinet player. Their first album "Oh! Red" was recorded in 1938.
[quote] Despite their name, the Hamfats were based in Chicago.[4] They were assembled by record producer and entrepreneur J. Mayo Williams for the purpose of making records - perhaps the first group to be so created. None of the members of the band were actually from New York. Kansas Joe McCoy (guitar, vocals) and his brother Papa Charlie McCoy (guitar, mandolin) were from Mississippi; Herb Morand (trumpet, vocals), John Lindsay (bass), and Odell Rand (clarinet; 1905 - 22 June 1960) were from New Orleans; Horace Malcolm (piano), Freddie Flynn (drums) and Pearlis Williams (drums) were from Chicago. [/quote]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harlem_Hamfats (BigTriviaDawg)
1 answer
May 03 24 by odo5435
1 answer
May 03 24 by pehinhota
About how many man-made satellites orbit around the Earth?
As of March 7, 2024, the number was quantified at 9,494 active satellites! Who would have thought that many?
https://nanoavionics.com/blog/how-many-satellites-are-in-space/
A few moments ago, the https://orbit.ing-now.com/ website was checked and under Active TLE (Two-Line Element(s)) the following data was available:
9921 Objects
Low Earth Orbit (LEO) : 8186
Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) : 207
HEO / Graveyard : 22
Geostationary Orbit : 549
: 931
Orbital Decay : 12
Reentry : 14
Goodness! The space around planet Earth really is busy. (psnz)
1 answer
May 03 24 by BigTriviaDawg
What does an artist do when painting a landscape "en plein air"?
When painting "en plein air" the artist is painting outdoors in the fresh air on location. One of the challenges historically with painting outside is the mixing of the paints often is a challenge and difficult to bring on location. The obvious advantage of painting landscapes on sight is the more accurate portrayal of the actual landscape. When this form started photographs did not exist.
[quote] The theory of 'En plein air' painting is credited to Pierre-Henri de Valenciennes (1750–1819), first expounded in a treatise entitled Reflections and Advice to a Student on Painting, Particularly on Landscape (1800), where he developed the concept of landscape portraiture by which the artist paints directly onto canvas in situ within the landscape. [/quote]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/En_plein_air (BigTriviaDawg)
1 answer
May 03 24 by psnz
In 1973, for what category did Charlie Chaplin win his first and only competitive Oscar?
Chaplain actually won 3 Oscars. The first was in 1929 as an honorary award for helping advance the motion picture industry. Sadly the Oscar was stolen and in 1972 the Academy gave him a second Oscar to replace the stolen one. Then in 1973, he was given a third and final Oscar for the musical score he created for the film "Limelight". This final Oscar for "Best Musical Score" was the only competitive one that he won.
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lifestyle/lifestyle-news/charlie-chaplins-first-oscar-stolen-771783/
(BigTriviaDawg)
1 answer
May 03 24 by psnz
What South Indian spice has been given the name "Queen of Spices"?
That would be cardamom.
Cardamom is prepared from the seeds of several plants in the Zingiberaceae family. The "Elettaria" and "Amomum" genera are the main sources and are native to both the Indian sub-continent and Indonesia. The two main types of the spice are black and true or green cardamom.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardamom
[quote]Put simply, the queen and king of spices, respectively, are cardamom and black pepper, both of which formed an intrinsic part of the early spice trade and, as such, have been labeled the queen and king of spices. As two of the most widely used spices, and with cardamom also the third most expensive spice in the world, this nickname has stuck and so it isn’t uncommon to see the term ‘queen of spices’ used to refer to cardamom even in the modern-day.[/quote]https://ayoubs.ca/blogs/news/what-is-cardamom-and-why-is-it-called-the-queen-of-spices (psnz)
1 answer
May 03 24 by BigTriviaDawg
The heart keeps the rest of the body working, but what makes the heart work?
The heart is electrically stimulated by a natural pacemaker known as the sinonatrial (or sinus, or S-A) node. The function of this node is to regularly (normally 60 to 100 times a minute) activate the atria which then pumps blood into the vascular system.
https://www.britannica.com/science/heart (odo5435)
1 answer
May 02 24 by Chavs
In the 1883 novel "Treasure Island", who was Captain Flint?
Long John Silver's parrot who was named after a dead pirate who had a buried treasure worth finding! Perhaps it is hidden on Oak Island... Captain Flint, the pirate, finds a place in several novels but his first appearance is in the passages of "Treasure Island".
[quote] Captain J. Flint: A pirate who was captain of a ship called the Walrus, and who is dead before the events of the novel begin. In life he was the leader of the pirates and they refer to him often. He was the original possessor of the treasure, and buried it on the island. Long John Silver's parrot is named after him. [/quote]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treasure_Island
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captain_Flint (BigTriviaDawg)
1 answer
May 02 24 by psnz
How do clownfish avoid the stinging cells of sea anemones?
Clownfish have an external mucus layer which protects them.
As the following New Scientist article somewhat indelicately puts it: "the secret's in the snot!"
[quote]Chemical changes in the mucus that coats a clownfish's body can blunt the sting of its symbiotic anemone partner.[/quote]https://www.newscientist.com/article/2421343-clownfish-avoid-the-sting-of-their-anemone-hosts-with-sugary-slime/
(psnz)
1 answer
May 02 24 by BigTriviaDawg
What was the first online multiplayer game?
Multi-User Dungeon or MUD dating from 1978.`
[quote]Eventually, though, multiplayer host-based games on networked computers began to be developed. One of the most important of these was MUD (1978), a program that spawned a genre and had significant input into the development of concepts of shared world design, having a formative impact on the evolution of MMORPGs.[/quote]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_online_games
MMORPGs: massively multiplayer online role-playing games (psnz)
1 answer
May 02 24 by BigTriviaDawg
Which major museum holds a fragment of the beard of the Great Sphinx of Giza?
That would be the British Museum which has countless treasures obtained from around the world. The Sphynx was buried up to its neck in the sand which was probably quite a sight in itself.
[quote] The British Museum has this small fragment - about one-thirtieth in total - of the Great Sphinx's beard. It was presented by Giovanni Battista Caviglia, who excavated at Giza in 1817 and cleared parts of the Sphinx, which was then buried in sand up to the neck. His expenses were covered by Henry Salt (British Consul-General) and other British businessmen, with an agreement that finds be presented to The British Museum. This was done according to a directive of Mohammed Ali Pasha, who was at that time virtually the ruler of Egypt. [/quote]
https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/fragment-of-the-beard-of-the-great-sphinx/zAGVAr3pKpV65Q?hl=en (BigTriviaDawg)
1 answer
May 02 24 by psnz
What is the largest lake in South America, Lake Titicaca or Lake Maracaibo?
Lake Maracaibo is actually larger in size; however, it cannot officially be classified as a lake since it is connected to the Caribbean Sea. Lake Titicaca also has the distinction of being the highest lake in the world, at an elevation of 12,500 feet above sea level.
https://quizlet.com/409196262/u13-l5-physical-features-of-south-america-flash-cards/ (pehinhota)
2 answers
May 02 24 by chabenao1
2 answers
May 02 24 by Thesuperyoshi
What is the largest lake in South America, Lake Titicaca or Lake Maracaibo?
Lake Maracaibo is the largest lake in South America. It is located in Venezuela and covers an area of approximately 13,210 square kilometres (5,100 square miles).
Lake Titicaca covers an area of approximately 8,372 square kilometres (3,232 square miles). It is located at a high altitude in the Andes, and parts of it extend into both Peru and Bolivia.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Titicaca
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Maracaibo (wellenbrecher)
2 answers
May 02 24 by chabenao1
What is the most populous French-speaking city in the world, Paris or Kinshasa?
Incredible but true, Paris is not the most French-speaking city in the world. That title goes to Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
More than 321 million people speak French across the globe on five continents.
Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo: 12.8 million inhabitants
Paris, France: 11 million inhabitants
Abidjan, Ivory Coast: 5.4 million inhabitants
Yaoundé, Cameroon: 4.6 million inhabitants
Casablanca, Morocco: 4.3 million inhabitants
Bamako, Mali: 4 million inhabitants
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso: 3.8 million inhabitants
Algiers, Algeria: 3.7 million inhabitants
Dakar, Senegal: 3.7 million inhabitants
Montreal, Quebec, Canada: 3.7 million inhabitants
Mbuji-Mayi, Democratic Republic of the Congo: 3.6 million inhabitants
Douala, Cameroon: 3.6 million inhabitants
Port-au-Prince, Haiti: 3.1 million inhabitants
Conakry, Guinea: 2.9 million inhabitants
Beirut, Lebanon: 2.8 million inhabitants
https://www.en-vols.com/en/inspirations-en/culture-en/most-french-speaking-city/#:~:text=Kinshasa%2C%20the%20most%20francophone%20city,Demographia%20World%20Urban%20Areas%20report.
(pehinhota)
1 answer
May 02 24 by chabenao1
In 1986, what record did 13-year-old Sandra Kim break that is unlikely to ever be broken?
Sandra Kim, at age 13, was the youngest person to win the Eurovision song contest. From Belgium, she represented herself as 15. Girls even younger in the late 1980s started entering the contest, so Eurovision changed the rules to require that contestants be 16 years old on the day of the competition. So, unless the rules change again, Kim's record will stand.
https://www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2023/0509/1295914-eurovision-controversies-israel-jordan-pingpong-maneskin-dana-international-conchita-wurst-cliff-richard/ (gracious1)
2 answers
May 02 24 by Thesuperyoshi
Which year has seen the greatest number of people around the world taking part in national elections and how many were involved?
It is predicted that 2024 will be the biggest election year ever, worldwide. [quote]It's not just us. In 2024, more than half of humanity will live in a country holding a nationwide vote.[/quote] https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2024/01/15/the-biggest-election-year-in-history
The World Economic Forum predicts more than 2 billion voters among 50 different countries will cast their ballots.
There are more than 900 million registered voters in India, so they will likely have the largest turnout worldwide.
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2023/12/2024-elections-around-world/
(gracious1)
1 answer
May 01 24 by gmackematix
In a gymnasium, what is a BOSU ball used for?
A BOSU is a balance trainer. The BOSU is shaped like half of a ball on the bottom of a flat platform. The trainer can be used in two ways. The first is a balance board where the ball allows for movement and requires stability. The second way is with the flat part on the ground it provides a stationary device and the athlete steps on the round part to offer a different balancing experience.
[quote] The name initially came from an acronym standing for “Both Sides Up" - a reference to the two ways a BOSU ball can be positioned. It is also referred to as the "blue half-ball", because it looks like a stability ball cut in half. The acronym now favored by the creators is "BOth Sides Utilised" [/quote]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BOSU
(BigTriviaDawg)
1 answer
May 01 24 by psnz
Many consider "The Black Crook" to be the first what?
What do you get if you combine a hackneyed melodrama with a French ballet troupe? Possibly the first American musical, from back in 1866.
This work first appeared in New York City to great acclaim. And yes, it's all about the definition of just what constitutes a musical. Apparently this is the first piece that ticks the boxes for the first musical.
The book was by Charles M. Barras, with the music by Thomas Baker. This Faustian melodramatic romantic comedy became known for its special effects and skimpy costumes.
https://tdm.fas.harvard.edu/event/reviving-and-reimagining-black-crook-joshua-william-gelb
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Black_Crook (psnz)
1 answer
May 01 24 by BigTriviaDawg
What was the 2021 achievement of Bruce Springsteen's daughter Jessica?
Jessica won a silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics as part of the US horse jumping team! She just missed out on competing for a medal for the individuals as she came in 31st place in the prequalifiers and only the top 30 advanced. However, the entire US team did well in the team competing coming in second to Sweeden.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jessica_Springsteen (BigTriviaDawg)
1 answer
May 01 24 by psnz
What is the fastest-flying insect in the world?
Dragonflies, followed in a close second by hawk moths.
Dragonflies are capable of speeds up to 35mph (56km/h). At 33.7mph (54km/h), hawk moths are no slouches, either.
https://www.si.edu/spotlight/buginfo/incredbugs
On the ground, the world's fastest running insect is the Australian tiger beetle ("Cicindela hudsoni.") Their average speed of 5.5mph (9km/h) may not seem great by comparison with their flying counterparts, but that does translate to 171 body lengths per second.
https://entomology.unl.edu/scilit/fastest-runner-0 (psnz)
1 answer
May 01 24 by BigTriviaDawg
Practiced in the Ottoman Empire, what was the Devshirme?
Devshirme was a system of state slavery imposed on boys from Christian families. The boys would be tested, educated and given jobs in the sultan's palace. Some Muslim families may have even volunteered their children because of the prestigious opportunities that were available once the training was complete.
https://chnm.gmu.edu/cyh/primary-sources/464.html (shadowzep)
1 answer
May 01 24 by pehinhota
2 answers
Apr 30 24 by pehinhota
What is the difference between 'calculus' and 'trigonometry'?
Calculus and trigonometry are both fundamental branches of mathematics, but they focus on different aspects and have different applications:
Calculus is primarily concerned with the study of change and motion. It deals with topics such as limits, derivatives, integrals and infinite series. Calculus is widely used in fields such as physics, engineering, economics, and computer science to model and analyse continuous change and to solve problems related to rates of change, optimisation, and areas and volumes.
Trigonometry is the study of the relationships between the angles and sides of triangles. It includes topics such as trigonometric functions (sine, cosine, tangent, etc.), trigonometric identities, and the solutions of triangles. Trigonometry is widely used in fields such as geometry, physics, engineering, navigation, astronomy and various other sciences to solve problems involving angles, distances and periodic phenomena.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calculus
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trigonometry (wellenbrecher)
1 answer
May 01 24 by odo5435
How many republics were included within the 'Union of Soviet Socialist Republics'?
The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) comprised 15 republics:
1. Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (RSFSR) - which later became the Russian Federation after the dissolution of the USSR.
2. Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic (UkrSSR) - which is now Ukraine.
3. Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic (Byelorussian SSR) - which is now Belarus.
4. Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic (Kazakh SSR) - which is now Kazakhstan.
5. Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic (Uzbek SSR) - which is now Uzbekistan.
6. Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic (Georgian SSR) - which is now Georgia.
7. Azerbaijani Soviet Socialist Republic (Azerbaijani SSR) - which is now Azerbaijan.
8. Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic (Lithuanian SSR) - which is now Lithuania.
9. Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic (Moldavian SSR) - which is now Moldova.
10. Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic (Latvian SSR) - which is now Latvia.
11. Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic (Kirghiz SSR) - which is now Kyrgyzstan.
12. Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic (Tajik SSR) - which is now Tajikistan.
13. Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic (Armenian SSR) - which is now Armenia.
14. Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic (Turkmen SSR) - which is now Turkmenistan.
15. Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic (Estonian SSR) - which is now Estonia.
These republics were semi-autonomous entities within the USSR, though in practice, their autonomy varied throughout the history of the Soviet Union.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_Union (wellenbrecher)
1 answer
May 01 24 by odo5435
2 answers
Apr 30 24 by odo5435
How many countries have flags that consist of both red and white and only those two colours?
Either 16 or 18, depending on whether the maroon-like colour murrey is classified as a type of red. Latvia and Qatar's flags are technically white and murrey. The other 16 countries are:
Austria, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, Georgia, Indonesia, Japan, Malta, Monaco, Peru, Poland, Singapore, Switzerland, Tonga, Tunisia and Turkey.
Although not countries in their own right, these flags are also red and white:
Gibraltar, Greenland and Hong Kong.
https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/countries-with-red-and-white-flags (psnz)
2 answers
Apr 30 24 by odo5435
How much does a medieval suit of plate armour weigh?
If complete, it could weigh anywhere from 15 to 25 kg (33-55 pounds). Some may recall visions of a fully-clad knight being hoisted aboard his charger, using a crane-like device. Despite this "burden," wearers were able to move freely, run and jump because the weight was spread evenly across the body.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plate_armour
In the case of King Henry VIII's armour, it tips the scales at 84 lb (38 kg)!
http://stimpson.allfunandgames.ca/informationroundup/what_was_the_weight_of_medieval_armor.php (psnz)
1 answer
Apr 30 24 by BigTriviaDawg
In an online poll, who or what was named "Mister Splashy Pants"?
Mister Splashy Pants is a special humpback whale who has been tagged to be tracked for research. The project is called the Great Whale Trail Expedition designed to help bring light to whale hunting. Green Peace is the main group behind the Mister Splashy Pants movement and is trying to bring an end to whale hunting in the world.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mister_Splashy_Pants (BigTriviaDawg)
1 answer
Apr 30 24 by psnz
The French ballet term "pirouette" comes from what children's toy?
The word originates from the French word for a spinning top! It makes sense as a pirouette in ballet is a complete rotation on one foot...like a top.
[quote] in dancing, "a rapid whirling on one leg or on the points of the toes," 1706, from French pirouette "pirouette in dancing," originally "spinning top" (15c.), from Gallo-Roman root *pir- "peg, plug" (source of Italian piruolo "peg top") + diminutive suffix -ette. Hence, probably, U.S. Civil War slang piroot "to move or travel listlessly or aimlessly" (1863). [/quote]
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/pirouette
https://www.etymonline.com/word/pirouette (BigTriviaDawg)
1 answer
Apr 30 24 by psnz
Post a New Question
What record does test cricketer Kruger van Wyk hold?
