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Scientists  Inventors Quizzes, Trivia and Puzzles
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Scientists & Inventors Trivia

Scientists & Inventors Trivia Quizzes

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Where would we be without them? Likely in the dark, walking on foot, and hunting with bows and arrows! Delve into the fascinating history of scientists, inventors, and the inventions that they brought into the world.
181 quizzes and 2,534 trivia questions.
Sub-Categories:
Astronomers Astronomers (9 quizzes)
Inventors Inventors (64)
1.
  People Who Shaped The World: Scientists   top quiz  
Collection Quiz
 10 Qns
Whilst society has evolved as a whole, many individuals have had more influence than others. All of the people listed below have shaped the world in particular fields. Your job is to identify the ten scientists.
Very Easy, 10 Qns, 1nn1, Sep 14 24
Very Easy
1nn1 gold member
Sep 14 24
607 plays
2.
Making Masterpieces
  Making Masterpieces   great trivia quiz  
Photo Match
 10 Qns
Inventors and Inventions
Do you know who invented what? This quiz documents 10 inventions and their inventors.
Average, 10 Qns, lordprescott, Dec 24 23
Recommended for grades: 10,11,12
Average
lordprescott
Dec 24 23
364 plays
3.
  All About Sound, Vol. 2: Scientists and Inventors    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Make a sound investment of time and see what you know about the scientists, inventors, and their inventions that are related to sound and acoustics.
Tough, 10 Qns, andshar, Mar 13 24
Tough
andshar
Mar 13 24
208 plays
4.
The Wright Stuff
  The Wright Stuff   best quiz  
Photo Quiz
 10 Qns
Have you ever stopped and thought about how different our lives would be without the hard work and genius of scientists and inventors? Here are ten people who had 'the Wright stuff' to pursue their dreams and make the world an easier place to live in.
Average, 10 Qns, skunkee, Apr 06 14
Average
skunkee gold member
1356 plays
5.
  Dutch Scientists    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Test your knowledge of renowned Dutch scientists! This multiple-choice quiz will challenge you with 10 questions about influential Dutch scientist. Get ready to dive into the fascinating world of Dutch science.
Average, 10 Qns, piet, Jul 16 23
Average
piet gold member
Jul 16 23
175 plays
6.
  Alexa   great trivia quiz  
Match Quiz
 15 Qns
"Alexa, can you write me a quiz about things that have people's names or are named after real people?" "Sure, 'splash. Here are 15 for you. Mix and match the descriptions on the left with the names on the right."
Easier, 15 Qns, darksplash, Feb 13 20
Easier
darksplash
Feb 13 20
557 plays
7.
  Only the Greatest!   great trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Isaac Newton said, "If I saw further than others, it is because I was standing on the shoulders of giants." This quiz is dedicated to some of those giants who shaped world history by not brute force, but sheer genius. Have fun!
Very Easy, 10 Qns, Shravan1, Mar 07 17
Very Easy
Shravan1
2522 plays
8.
Whats the Big Deal
  What's the Big Deal?    
Photo Quiz
 10 Qns
They say "necessity is the mother of invention." Decide for yourself how necessary these ten inventions are.
Average, 10 Qns, nmerr, Jan 31 17
Average
nmerr gold member
497 plays
9.
  Left To Their Own Devices   top quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
While only a small percentage of the population are fortunate enough to be left-handed, left-handers have produced a surprising number of great minds. Join me as we explore some the great inventions brought to you by the left-handed.
Average, 10 Qns, adam36, Nov 01 19
Average
adam36 gold member
Nov 01 19
742 plays
10.
  Playing with Fire   great trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Being scientists and inventors, the members of Pyromaniacs Anonymous naturally wish to keep their proclivities a secret. Can you help identify these secretive men known for playing with fire in their work?
Average, 10 Qns, tazman6619, Feb 14 15
Average
tazman6619 gold member
496 plays
trivia question Quick Question
During the 3rd Century B.C., the Earth's circumference was estimated to be 25,000 miles (a rather close estimate) by:

From Quiz "Historical Cosmologists"




11.
  German Grundlichkeit   popular trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Germans are praised worldwide for their thorough way of dealing with things. No wonder many Germans have made important inventions or discoveries. What do you know about this group of German inventors, industrialists and scientists?
Average, 10 Qns, JanIQ, Dec 01 18
Average
JanIQ gold member
Dec 01 18
252 plays
12.
  The Study of Life   great trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Biology is defined as the science of life or living matter and is divided into many specialized fields. How many of these famous biologists do you know?
Average, 10 Qns, dcpddc478, Feb 26 17
Average
dcpddc478
809 plays
13.
  He Tested It On Himself   great trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Testing for potentially acute harmful effects on humans is forbidden in science, but some people feel that the science needs to be done anyway. These brave souls decided to use their own bodies for some horrific experiments.
Average, 10 Qns, qrayx, Oct 22 18
Average
qrayx
Oct 22 18
321 plays
14.
  Astounding Achievements in Engineering   popular trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Throughout the centuries, around the globe, there have been amazing engineering feats. Let's meet some of the men and women who were pioneers in this field.
Average, 10 Qns, stephgm67, Jul 25 16
Average
stephgm67 gold member
290 plays
15.
  Something New    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
These amazing people have created incredible things to enrich our lives. Let's see if you can figure out who they are from my clues.
Average, 10 Qns, Barbarini, Feb 18 11
Average
Barbarini gold member
1449 plays
16.
  He Has High Hopes    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Harry believes his new inventions will be huge successes. However, Harry had been in his basement inventing these things for centuries. As a result, they were invented by someone else while he was inventing them! Can you name the inventor or invention?
Average, 10 Qns, Daaanieeel, Dec 07 11
Average
Daaanieeel
481 plays
17.
  Who?    
Multiple Choice
 20 Qns
The title describes this quiz perfectly. Just tell me who and you'll do fine.
Tough, 20 Qns, GeniusBoy, Jun 02 12
Tough
GeniusBoy
1560 plays
18.
  Interesting Times    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
It certainly was interesting times when things of all kinds were being invented. In this quiz I'm going to ask some questions about some things that were invented in the last few hundred years. Have fun!
Average, 10 Qns, j-zilch, Jun 30 17
Average
j-zilch
742 plays
19.
  Eureka - They Found Them!   popular trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
So many people, in the past, have used their scientific knowledge to create new things and we have inherited so many wonderful technological inventions. I have selected 10 of these which I find interesting. Do you know who invented them?
Average, 10 Qns, Jomarion, Nov 30 11
Average
Jomarion
681 plays
20.
  Pioneers in Medicine   popular trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 15 Qns
These are just a few of the pioneers of medicine and surgery. These pioneers developed hormones, anesthetics, antiseptics and antibiotics and more. I hope the biographies are interesting and informative.
Difficult, 15 Qns, YOMD39, Feb 01 12
Difficult
YOMD39
3632 plays
21.
  People of The Final Frontier    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
This will cover people of various time periods. They were all great pioneers in the exploration of space, either in thought or deed.
Average, 10 Qns, Gamemaster1967, Mar 06 13
Average
Gamemaster1967 gold member
466 plays
22.
  Help Me Fund My Patent    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
If you're here, you are most likely looking to help fund a new invention. All of the inventions here are already patented and available to the public in real life, but for the sake of this quiz, the inventor is trying to get the product funded.
Average, 10 Qns, LeChampion14, Jul 02 20
Average
LeChampion14
Jul 02 20
215 plays
23.
  His Father Didn't Raise Any Idiots   popular trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
I give you some information on this famous Scientist or Inventor and you tell me who he is. Easy as pi...or is it?
Average, 10 Qns, Orange_cats, Aug 26 09
Average
Orange_cats
905 plays
24.
  Pioneers of Flight    
Multiple Choice
 15 Qns
Mostly about real people but some questions on myths and animals.
Tough, 15 Qns, tnrees, Sep 16 09
Tough
tnrees
329 plays
25.
  On the Shoulders of Giants   popular trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
These are the giants of science. They are the men who most greatly influenced the generations ahead of them with their innovations and discoveries.
Average, 10 Qns, skydude13579, Jul 16 14
Average
skydude13579
341 plays
26.
  Behind the Units - Mechanics    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Some scientific units - like the meter - aren't named after anybody in particular. Others, though, are named to honor hard work and brilliant contributions. I'll describe the scientist and work in mechanics, and you name the unit (not the abbreviation).
Average, 10 Qns, CellarDoor, Feb 22 10
Average
CellarDoor gold member
694 plays
27.
  Biographies of Chemists    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
This is a quiz uses the short biographies of mostly chemists and some physicists.
Average, 10 Qns, napierslogs, Apr 21 16
Average
napierslogs
706 plays
28.
  I Wonder Who Invented That...    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Come and explore the wide multitude of well-known and not so well-known inventions. I'll give you the name of the invention, and you must select the correct inventor. Enjoy!
Tough, 10 Qns, jk18, Aug 04 09
Tough
jk18
687 plays
29.
  19th Century Pathologists and Physiologists    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
The work of a comparatively small number of scientists in the 19th Century forms the basis for most of modern medicine and physiology. Most of this material comes from Asimov's wonderful "Encyclopedia of Science and Technology."
Tough, 10 Qns, brian59, Sep 01 09
Tough
brian59
326 plays
30.
  In the Realm of Nobel Laureates    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
This is a quiz about Nobel Laureates. It will also provide you with some bits of information about them.
Average, 10 Qns, TANU, Jun 01 18
Average
TANU
Jun 01 18
341 plays
31.
  I'll Bet You Did Not Know ...    
Multiple Choice
 15 Qns
Here are some amazing and true facts about inventions and the inventors who created them that I bet you did not know. Think you do? Give it a try.
Tough, 15 Qns, willysteal, Apr 06 13
Tough
willysteal
634 plays
32.
  Down the Ladder: Scientists and Inventors    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Name the super-genius scientist or inventor of past or present based on the clues. The first letter of each of the first 9 answers will form an acrostic answering question 10.
Tough, 10 Qns, mickeygreeneyes, Sep 15 21
Tough
mickeygreeneyes
Sep 15 21
527 plays
33.
  Innovations, Inventions and Other Novelties    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Technological and other inventions, novelties, etc. changed the course of history. This quiz is about things that were 'new' long ago.
Difficult, 10 Qns, flem-ish, Jun 02 12
Difficult
flem-ish
1068 plays
Related Topics
  Physics [Sci / Tech] (114 quizzes)


Scientists & Inventors Trivia Questions

1. Who was the Dutch mathematician, astronomer, and physicist known for his contributions to the fields of optics and mechanics, as well as his description of Saturn's rings?

From Quiz
Dutch Scientists

Answer: Christiaan Huygens

Christiaan Huygens (1629-1695) was a prominent Dutch scientist and mathematician of the 17th century. He made significant contributions to various scientific disciplines, including mathematics, physics, and astronomy. Huygens is best known for his work in optics, where he developed the wave theory of light, proposing that light behaves as a wave rather than a particle. He also constructed the first accurate pendulum clock and discovered Saturn's moon, Titan. His work in mechanics included formulating the laws of motion and developing the concept of centrifugal force. His remarkable insights and discoveries played a crucial role in shaping our understanding of the natural world.

2. Who invented the disposable coffee filter, and founded a company still bearing her name?

From Quiz German Grundlichkeit

Answer: Melitta Bentz

Melitta Bentz (née Amalie Auguste Melitta Liebscher, 1873-1950) was a housewife in the Dresden area. She desired to offer her family the best possible coffee, but she was not satisfied with the percolator nor with the early espresso machines, and using linen filters was not the solution either: these were too difficult to clean. So she experimented with some other materials, and came up with the paper coffee filter sachet. She patented her invention in 1908 and founded a company to produce these sachets. Despite some setbacks during both World Wars, the Melitta company thrived, and between 1908 and 1950 the net worth of the company fabulously grew. After Melitta's death, the company was run by her children and by their children afterwards. Frans Rombouts was a Flemish entrepreneur, founder of Rombouts Koffie company. Egbert Douwe was a Dutch grocer who founded the company Douwe Egberts, famous for its coffee brands. Henri Nestlé was a Swiss confectioner, one of the founders of the Nestlé group (with the Nescafé and Nespresso coffee brands).

3. In 1984, Australian scientist Barry Marshall drank a solution containing the bacteria Helicobacter Pylori to verify that it produced which unpleasant side effect?

From Quiz He Tested It On Himself

Answer: Stomach ulcers

Barry Marshall suspected that this bacteria was linked to stomach ulcers, but it would have been unethical to even ask to perform this test on another human. So Barry, being a man who did not suffer stomach ulcers, bypassed the ethics board by testing it on himself. He did indeed develop ulcers, and was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2005.

4. This French engineer designed several iron and steel bridges throughout Europe. He also engineered and oversaw construction of a Parisian tower that carries his name. Who is he?

From Quiz Astounding Achievements in Engineering

Answer: Gustave Eiffel

Born in Dijon, France in 1832, Eiffel studied at the College of Art and Manufacturing in Paris. He specialized in metal construction. After a history of bridgework around Europe, he helped finish the Statue of Liberty in 1879. In 1887 he started building the Eiffel Tower for the upcoming Exposition in Paris in 1889. The Eiffel Tower has over 12,000 components and holds 2.5 million rivets. Amazingly, it was not only the biggest construction of its time but also handled wind pressure well. Eiffel studied meteorology until in his death in 1923.

5. Englishman John Walker was no dope. In 1827 he created the first friction match, but what was his profession?

From Quiz Playing with Fire

Answer: Chemist

Walker set up a pharmacy in his home town of Stockton-on-Tees. He had originally been taken on as an apprentice by the town's surgeon but found that he couldn't stomach the operations so he turned his hand to being a druggist. A sideline to the pharmacy was his manufacture of an explosive chemical for use in the percussion caps used in firearms. By accident he discovered that a concoction of antimony sulfide and potassium chlorate would ignite when rubbed on a rough surface. He then used his skills to incorporate a little sulphur to the mix, which would transfer that flame to a splinter of wood, and a little gum to hold it together to create the first match. He packaged them into little tins and sold them under the title of "Congreves" for the price of one shilling for fifty matches. Walker was not the first man to patent matches. That honour belongs to Samuel Jones who traded under the name of Lucifer matches but his lodgement of the patent came well after Walker's invention. Walker had been encouraged by a number of people to record a patent (among them Michael Faraday) but refused saying that this invention should be available to the people. Despite this he still managed to retire as a reasonably wealthy man. This question was created by Phoenix Rising member pollucci19.

6. In 1655, which Dutch astronomer discovered Saturn's rings and Titan, its largest moon?

From Quiz On the Shoulders of Giants

Answer: Christiaan Huygens

In spite of all his achievements, Christiaan Huygens isn't as well known as some of his contemporaries. Not only did he discover Titan and Saturn's rings, but he also invented the pendulum clock, wrote the first treatise on probability theory, and was the first person to propose the wave theory of light. Though Galileo was the first person to observe Saturn's rings, he did not see them clearly enough to know what they were.

7. What left-handed inventor produced workable drawings of gliders and parachutes centuries before they were built?

From Quiz Left To Their Own Devices

Answer: Leonardo da Vinci

While all these men were left-handed, the great artist, sculptor and inventor who dreamed of parachutes and gliders (as well as helicopters and tanks) was da Vinci. Leonardo da Vinci is most famous for his works as an artist, "The Last Supper" and the "Mona Lisa" to name just two; but he spent quite a good amount of his time working on applications in the advancement of science and technology. Da Vinci left detailed sketches (enhanced by his artistic mastery) evidencing that he had envisioned many advances long before the technology to create the wonders actually existed. The first practical parachute is commonly associated with Sebastien Lenormand in 1783; but da Vinci actually conceived the idea of the parachute almost three hundred years earlier. Da Vinci made a sketch of his idea and described it thusly: "If a man have a tent made of linen of which the apertures (openings) have all been stopped up, and it be twelve braccia (about 23 feet) across and twelve in depth, he will be able to throw himself down from any great height without suffering any injury." As with most of da Vinci's designs, he was not able to build his parachute; however in 2000 Adrian Nichols constructed and tested a parachute of da Vinci's design. Despite the odds, da Vinci's design worked as intended and Nichols arrived safely on the ground, noting the design had a gentler ride than more modern parachutes. Da Vinci also designed a glider that showed a remarkable resemblance to the modern hang glider. Several "da Vinci" gliders have been built and though some minor adjustments in aerodynamics were needed the glider's worked using materials that were available to the 15th Century engineer. Speculation amongst scholars leads some to suggest that da Vinci built and tested his glider designs, but there is no credible scientific record to suggest this happened.

8. Famous for his work on early radio transmissions, what was Marconi's first name?

From Quiz Ask and Ye Shall Receive

Answer: Guglielmo

Guglielmo Marconi was born in Italy in 1874, the second son of his Italian and Irish parents. The airport in his home town Bologna is named after him, and is one of the busiest in the world.

9. Here's one little invention none of us can seem to do without. Who transformed the world of computing by developing the World Wide Web in 1990?

From Quiz Something New

Answer: Tim Berners-Lee

Sir Tim Berners-Lee is an Oxford educated engineer who first proposed his idea for the World Wide Web in 1989 while he worked at CERN, the European Particle Physics Laboratory in Geneva, Switzerland. Among the many honours bestowed upon him, he was named "One of the 100 Great Minds of the Century" by 'Time' magazine in 1999 and subsequently knighted for his services to the global development of the internet by Queen Elizabeth II in 2004.

10. Who accidentally stumbled on the invention of the microwave oven?

From Quiz Interesting Times

Answer: Percy Spencer

In 1945, Percy Spencer was building magnetrons for radar sets for the company Raytheon. While he was working with them he noticed that the chocolate bar in his pocket had melted. The radar had put off microwaves that melted the chocolate bar. After he realized what he had done he had some interesting times testing the microwave's power. He found out that if you boxed the waves in, the temperature of whatever was in the box would rise rapidly. He filed for a U.S. patent on October 8 and the microwave oven was tested in a Boston restaurant. A couple of years later the first ever microwave was built by Raytheon. It was 5' 11" and weighed 750 pounds and was sold for $5,000.

11. Which Canadian invented the "BlackBerry", a well-known electronic device for communication?

From Quiz I Wonder Who Invented That...

Answer: Mihalis Lazaridis

The well-known "BlackBerry" was invented by Turkish-Canadian Mihalis Lazaridis. One of the richest Canadians, he is also the co-CEO of "Research In Motion", a Canadian-based communications business which he co-owns and operates. Harry Potter is series of novels written by J.K Rowling. Abraham Gesner developed and patented a process for making kerosene, a substance which The Arabs are thought to have been using since the 9th century. Samuel McKeen invented the odometer.

12. Who among the following did not share the 1947 Nobel Prize in Medicine?

From Quiz In the Realm of Nobel Laureates

Answer: Dr. Donald Glaser

Gerty and Carl Cori came from St. Louis, Missouri. They received half the award and the Board gave the other half to the Argentinean, Houssay. The Coris discovered how glycogen is catalytically converted.

13. In 1919, Robert Goddard published his best work. It was a paper entitled "A Method for Reaching _______ Altitudes".

From Quiz People of The Final Frontier

Answer: Extreme

Goddard was the first person in the world to launch a liquid-fueled rocket. He did this in 1926, but was so nervous about someone stealing his ideas that he did not even reveal this fact for 10 years! In his paper, "A Method for Reaching Extreme Altitudes", he was able to pen down just about all of the needed information on math and physical theory that the science of Rocketry would ever need.

14. This American chemist, born 1912, died 1999, won, along with his partner, the 1951 Nobel Prize for discovering plutonium and 3 other elements. He later contributed to the discovery of two more. His first name was Glenn. What was his last name?

From Quiz Down the Ladder: Scientists and Inventors

Answer: Seaborg

Among many other very significant contributions, Seaborg participated in the discovery of 9 more elements, including americium, berkelium, einsteinium, and seaborgium!

15. This chemist and patriot is known for his work with Born for the process of synthesizing ammonia from its elements, nitrogen and hydrogen.

From Quiz Biographies of Chemists

Answer: Fritz Haber

Fritz Haber was born in 1868 in Prussia and won the Nobel Prize in Chemisty for the Born-Haber process in 1918.

16. In 1668 BC the Hyksos invaded the Land of the Pharaohs. Which technical military advantage did they have over Pharaoh's Army?

From Quiz Innovations, Inventions and Other Novelties

Answer: they knew how to ride and fight on horseback during a battle

Elephants was what Hannibal used. As to the Hyksos they took control over the capital Memphis in Egypt in 1674 BC, and founded the fifteenth dynasty (1674-1567 BC). Practically nothing remains of their monuments, but the Hyksos came to have a lasting influence on Egyptian military technique, as horses and chariots were introduced. See i-cias.com e.o hyksos.htm

17. This English astronomer paid for his observatory by selling old (perhaps unusable) gunpowder to the French. Who was he?

From Quiz Who?

Answer: John Flamsteed

King Charles II of England ordered the construction of the Greenwich Observatory in the 1670s. The first Astronomer Royal, John Flamsteed, had to pay for his own equipment, however. There's always a catch.

18. Charles Darwin,Jane Goodall,Marie Curie,Carl Linnaeus,Alessandro Volta,Dmitri Mendeleev,Louis Pasteur,Neils Bohr,Rosalind Franklin,Gregor Mendel

From Quiz People Who Shaped The World: Scientists

Answer:

Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778) was a Swedish biologist who published the binomial nomenclature, which is the modern system of naming organisms. Because of this work, he was known as the "father of modern taxonomy". Such was his impact on this subject that the abbreviation L. is used to indicate Linnaeus as the authority for a species' name in botany and zoology. Alessandro Volta (1745-1827) was an Italian physicist and chemist and a pioneer of electricity and power. He was the inventor of the electric battery and discovered methane. Volta proved that electricity could be generated, which debunked all other theories at the time. His discoveries have contemporaneous merit as electricity derived from renewable sources needs to be stored in batteries to provide a continuous supply to meet increased demand. Charles Darwin (1809-1882), an English naturalist, was best known for his work in evolutionary biology. He proved that all species of life descended from a common single ancestor which became accepted as a fundamental scientific concept. His scientific contributions were considered so profound that he was honoured by burial in Westminster Abbey. Many people believe that as Gregor Mendel (1822-1884) was an Augustinian friar and abbot of St. Thomas' Abbey in Brno (now in Czechia), and that he was not a qualified scientist. From 1840 to 1843, however, he studied philosophy and physics at the Philosophical Institute of the University of Olomouc. He became a monk because it allowed him to obtain an education without paying for it himself, as he came from a poor family. Between 1856 and 1863, Mendel's pea plant experimentation (he coined the terms "recessive" and "dominant") meant he established many of the rules of heredity, which are now called the laws of Mendelian inheritance. However, his work was not recognised until 30 years later when other scientists verified his work in 1900. This verification ushered in the modern age of genetics. Louis Pasteur (1822-1895) was a French chemist and microbiologist renowned for his discoveries of the principles of vaccination, microbial fermentation, and clinical microbiology, the last of which was named after him. His chemistry research yielded many breakthroughs in the causes and prevention of diseases, which became the foundations of hygiene and public health which, in turn, underpinned modern medicine. Pasteur, through his works, was credited with saving millions by the development of vaccines for anthrax and rabies and anthrax. He is regarded as one of the founders of modern bacteriology, as he was the first scientist to disprove the doctrine of spontaneous generation and introduce the germ theory of infectious disease. He has been honoured as the "father of bacteriology" and the "father of microbiology". Dmitri Mendeleev (1834-1907) was a Russian chemist. He is best known for creating the periodic table of elements. However, this magnificent piece of work was the culmination of his work on the Periodic Law. This work proved that certain elements had similar properties when grouped. These included atomic radius, ionization energy, electron affinity, electronegativity, valency, and metallic character. This work informed the correction of then-accepted properties of known elements, and it also predicted the properties of three elements that were not yet discovered (germanium, gallium and scandium). Maria Salomea Sokolowski-Curie (1867-1934), known as Marie Curie, was a Polish and French physicist and chemist who coined the term radioactivity, and was a pioneer researcher in the field. She was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize, the first person to win a Nobel Prize twice, and the first person to win a Nobel Prize in two scientific disciplines. She and her husband, Pierre Curie (tragically killed in 1906), were the first married couple to win the Nobel Prize. In 1906 she became the first woman professor at the University of Paris. She discovered the elements polonium and radium. She was the world's first person to study the treatment of cancers with the use of radioactive isotopes. Niels Bohr (1885-1962) was a Danish physicist who made major fundamental contributions to determining atomic structure (Bohr developed the Bohr model of the atom) and quantum theory. For this work, he received the 1922 Nobel Prize in Physics. Less known was that Bohr was also a philosopher and a promoter and advocate of scientific research. During WWII he helped refugees escape from Nazism which caused the Nazi regime to seek his arrest. He fled to Sweden and then Great Britain, where he became part of the British mission to the Manhattan Project. After the war, Bohr worked tirelessly on advocating international cooperation on nuclear energy. Rosalind Elsie Franklin (1920 -1958) was a British chemist specialising in X-ray crystallography, which was paramount in the understanding of the molecular structures of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) and RNA (ribonucleic acid). She also received acclaim for her work on the structure of viruses, coal, and graphite. Franklin's contributions to the discovery of the structure of DNA were largely unrecognised, but Watson and Crick would never have received the Nobel Prize for chemistry without Franklin's prior work on its structure as determined by X-ray crystallography. Whether she would have received a 'share' of the Nobel Prize is a moot point. There was a pre-1974 rule which dictated that a Nobel prize could not be awarded posthumously. (Franklin died aged 37 from ovarian cancer). Her student, Aaron Klug, continued her research, winning the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1982. Dame Jane Goodall, born Valerie Jane Morris-Goodall in 1934, is a prominent zoologist and anthropologist. She is considered the world's foremost expert on chimpanzees. Her work has explained aspects of human behaviour. She was appointed a United Nations Messenger of Peace in 2002, and is an honorary member of the World Future Council. Influential People: the 'Non-Scientists': Elizabeth Fry (1780-1845) was a Quaker and social reformer from England long before social reform was recognised. She was called the 'Angel of Prisons' for her continuous campaign to make conditions in prisons more humane for the inmates. She strove to improve the British hospital system and in particular treatment of those with mental health disorders. Florence Nightingale (1820-1910) led the first official team of British military nurses to Turkey during the Crimean War. Nightingale tended to the sick, but also reported back to the army medical services on how to reduce avoidable deaths. Nightingale was possibly responsible for recognising nursing as a profession. Konrad Adenauer (1876-1967) was a German statesman who served as the first chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany from 1949 to 1963, and rebuilt West Germany as a responsible, democratic country. As an advocate for unity in Europe, he signed the Treaty of Rome in 1957, and became known as one of the "Founding Fathers of the European Union". Simone de Beauvoir (1908-1986) was a French existentialist philosopher, social theorist, author, and feminist activist. She was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1961, 1969, and 1973. Along with her long-time partner, Jean-Paul Sartre, she was a formidable force in influencing the culture of post-war France. Lech Walesa (born 29 September 1943) was a Polish statesman and trade unionist/activist. He was the president of Poland between 1990 and 1995, and subsequently became a Nobel Peace Laureate. After winning the 1990 Polish Presidential election, Walesa became the first democratically elected president since 1926, and the first-ever Polish president elected by popular vote. As a shipyard electrician, he became the leader of the Solidarity movement, and led an ultimately successful pro-democratic effort that ended Communist rule in Poland in 1989, and was a major reason for the end of the Cold War.

19. Who was the first woman to enroll in a medical school in the United States and receive her M.D. degree?

From Quiz Pioneers in Medicine

Answer: Elizabeth Blackwell

Ms. Blackwell enrolled in Geneva College in Upstate New York and graduated at the top of her class. She was refused staff privileges at all hospitals. Thus, she set up her private practice in New York City and specialized in the care of women and children

20. Who is considered the Dutch "Father of Microbiology" for his pioneering work in developing the microscope and making significant observations of microorganisms?

From Quiz Dutch Scientists

Answer: Antonie van Leeuwenhoek

Antonie van Leeuwenhoek (1632-1723) was a Dutch scientist and is widely regarded as the "Father of Microbiology". He is best known for his groundbreaking work in developing and improving the microscope, which enabled him to make extraordinary observations of microorganisms. He documented his findings, describing and illustrating various microscopic organisms he observed in samples of water, bacteria, and other substances. His discoveries, including bacteria, sperm cells, and single-celled organisms, revolutionized the field of microscopy and laid the foundation for the study of microbiology. His observations and his ingenious microscope designs made significant contributions to our understanding of the microscopic world.

21. In the late 1940s and early 1950s, the Americans were experimenting with new jet airplane designs. To figure out what large accelerations would do to a human, John Paul Stapp volunteered to be the human test subject on which crazy device?

From Quiz He Tested It On Himself

Answer: A rocket sled

More accurately, the Americans wanted to know what the effects of sudden deceleration would be, such as when a pilot ejected from a fast moving plane. John Paul Stapp was strapped to a chair on a rocket sled. The sled was accelerated, and then run into water to quickly stop it. Stapp went multiple times, suffering greater injuries each time, including blackouts, concussions, broken bones, and nearly having his eyes fly out of his skull.

22. The lava lamp was a fad invented in the 1960s. Which man gets credit for this invention?

From Quiz Playing with Fire

Answer: Edward Craven Walker

While a patron in an English pub in the 1940s, Edward Craven Walker saw a device made from an egg-timer that inspired the lava lamp. It took him over a decade to develop the lamp as we know it. There is a secret mixture of substances in the glass but wax is a main part. When the lamp is off and cold, the substance in the bottom of the lamp is a solid, like a lump. Once the lamp is turned on and it heats, the lump begins to melt and expand. It floats to the top of the globe. As it goes higher and away from the heat it begins to cool and descend. This is a constant flow while the lamp is on. Walker was a naturist. Under the pseudonym Michael Keatering, he directed a naturist film that was the first for public release in the UK. The film was titled "Travelling Light" in 1959, when nudity was a no-no in Britain! This question was created by Phoenix Rising member jaknginger.

23. Better known for his methods of preventing contamination, what microbiologist created the first vaccines for rabies and anthrax?

From Quiz On the Shoulders of Giants

Answer: Louis Pasteur

Louis Pasteur made a number of contributions to the prevention of disease and his discoveries provided evidence for the existence of germs. During his lifetime (1822-1895) the idea of germs being responsible for illness was still only a theory. Along with his vaccinations for rabies and anthrax, his methods of pasteurization and fermentation have improved the longevity and saved the lives of countless individuals.

24. Around the turn of the 20th century, Marconi formulated his eponymous mathematical law. It states that H = c multiplied by the square root of D. What does H represent in his formula?

From Quiz Ask and Ye Shall Receive

Answer: Height of the antenna transmitting the signal

Marconi's Law states that "for simple vertical sending and receiving antennas of equal height, the maximum working telegraphic distance varied as the square of the height of the antenna". H is the height of the antenna, and D is the distance, in metres, that the signal will reach. c is a constant and the larger the value of c, the greater the distance at which the radio transmission can be detected by a receiver.

25. What was the name of the famed oceanographer who wrote "The Silent World" (1953) and "Life and Death in a Coral Sea" (1971)?

From Quiz The Study of Life

Answer: Jacques Cousteau

Jacques Cousteau (1910-1997) was one of the world's foremost authorities on oceanography. This French naval officer, photographer, and conservationist, who helped invent SCUBA, made numerous movies and wrote several novels. He co-authored "The Silent World" in 1953, which was made into an Academy Award-winning documentary film in 1956. Cousteau and his studies opened up the wonders of the undersea world to those on the terrestrial world, who were, by and large, ignorant of what was going on in the aquatic part of the planet.

26. Harry felt quite lonely while working in his basement, so he decided to invent a way to communicate with his friends and family. However, his idea had already been invented by Alexander Graham Bell. What was this invention?

From Quiz He Has High Hopes

Answer: Telephone

Born on 3rd March 1847, Alexander Graham Bell is most famously known as the inventor of the first practical telephone, although many ideas and inventions similar to the telephone had happened before. He controversially gained a patent for his work after he and another man, named Elisha Gray, sent an application for a patent at roughly the same time. On 10th March 1876, Bell made the first official telephone call to his assistant five miles away. The words he spoke were "Mr. Watson, come here, I want to see you". He passed away from complications from diabetes on 2nd August 1922. The hand-held mobile phone (or cell phone) was first demonstrated by Dr Martin Cooper of Motorola in 1973.

27. Where would we be without those good old bifocals that more and more of us baby boomers have to use to stop us from squinting at our computer screens. Who's the inventor?

From Quiz Something New

Answer: Benjamin Franklin

The world owes a great debt to Benjamin Franklin. He was a self-taught scientist, inventor, ambassador and stateman, and one of the founding fathers of the United States of America. He died in 1790 at the age of 84 having lived a life that most us could only dream about.

28. The name and deeds of Icarus are well known but his successful comrade is largely ignored. Who was he?

From Quiz Pioneers of Flight

Answer: His father Daedalus

Deiphobus was the brother of Paris and married Helen of Troy after he died. Daedalus, whose name means "Skillfully Wrought", built, among other things, the Labyrinth of King Minos of Crete. Daedalus was imprisoned so he could not reveal the secret of the Labyrinth so he fashioned wings of wax and feathers and escaped with his son Icarus. Minos searched for Daedalus by travelling from city to city and challenging people to run a thread through a spiral seashell. When he reached Camicus, where Daedalus was living, the King Cocalus called Daedalus. He tied the string to an ant which, lured by a drop of honey at one end, pulled the thread through. Minos then demanded Daedalus be handed over. Cocalus managed to convince Minos to take a bath first, where Cocalus' daughters, or in some versions Daedalus himself, poured boiling water on Minos and killed him.

29. Which American invented superglue for use in the Vietnam War?

From Quiz I Wonder Who Invented That...

Answer: Harry Coover

Harry Coover invented superglue, the glue that bonds instantly. The superglue was developed during the Vietnam War when it was used as a healing agent which prevented heavy bleeding and infections. In 2004, Harry Coover was inducted into the "National Inventors Hall of Fame". Some other famous inventors who gained induction include: Alexander Graham Bell (telephone) and Eli Whitney (cotton gin). Marion Donovan invented the disposable diaper. Richard Drew invented the scotch tape. Arthur Wayne invented the crossword puzzle.

30. In which field did Dr. Donald Glaser win the Nobel Prize?

From Quiz In the Realm of Nobel Laureates

Answer: Physics

The reporters at the press conference in 1960 for Dr. Donald Glaser, an American, enjoyed the fun. His trip to Stockholm had doubled for a honeymoon, and jesting reporters had enquired of Mrs. Glaser, "Did you know he was going to get the Nobel Prize - is that why you married him?"

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