Easiest Quiz Ever - REALLY!

Answer: John Alcock

Alcock flew with Arthur Brown from Newfoundland to Ireland nonstop on 14-15 June 1919.
Lindbergh's flight ending 21 May 1927 was the first SOLO nonstop transatlantic flight.

Answer: Samuel Prescott

Dr. Joseph Warren sent Revere and Dawes to Concord to warn John Hancock and Samuel Adams of the invasion and soon met Prescott returning home from an evening out. All three were soon captured by the British, but Dawes and Prescott (not Revere) quickly escaped. Dawes was then thrown from his horse and had to walk back to Lexington. Of the three, only Prescott finished the ride all of the way to Concord.

Answer: Plutonium (AN 94)

Although uranium has the highest atomic number of elements occurring in nature in SIGNIFICANT amounts, neptunium and plutonium has been found in trace amounts in uranium ore. It is thought that the neutrons released during the uranium decay has created these elements. So far, americium (or any other higher atomic numbered element) has NEVER been found in nature.

Answer: Howard Florey

Although Alexander Fleming DISCOVERED that the mold Penicillium notatum has antibacterial properties, he was not a chemist and growing and culturing the mold was difficult for him. Florey with the assistance of Ernst Chain was able to purify the penicillin and put it in a form for use in humans, thereby INVENTING penicillin as a true antibiotic.

Answer: Friedrich Miescher

Miescher was analyzing pus cell nuclei in 1868 when he discovered nuclein. He was able to analyze this further and discovered an acid component which he called deoxyribonucleic acid. Avery, MacLeod, and McCarty were the first to show a link between DNA and heredity in 1943. Franklin did the first X-ray diffraction pattern study of DNA. Watson and Crick developed a model of DNA (the famous Double Helix) that accounted for all of the previous research discoveries.

Answer: Not auditing claims against the city

His trial was a farce with his civil rights being trampled upon. Despite this, he was acquitted of fraud and only found guilty of a misdemeanor. He also lost a civil judgment for $6 Million. He fled to Cuba and later Spain, but was caught and died in debtor's prison.

Incidentally, the story of Tweed being identified as a child-abductor by a Spaniard on the basis of a Thomas Nast cartoon reprinted in Spain is an urban legend. He was identified by a low-level American diplomat in Havana.

Answer: A Babylonian king

"Lucifer" (light-bearer)is a generic title referring to the morning star (Venus). As such, it has been used to refer to Satan, Christ, and others. With this in mind, Isaiah 14:12 starts out "How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!". Taken as a separate verse, this appears to refer to the battle of angels - however, the PASSAGE starts at Isaiah 12:4 "Thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of Babylon" and towards the end is Isaiah 14:22 "For I will rise up against them saith the Lord of hosts, and cut of from Babylon the name, and remnant, and son, and nephew, Saith the Lord."

Answer: David Rice Atchison

A bit of urban legend first - under the law, James Knox Polk ceased to be president at noon on Sunday 4 March 1849 (along with his vice-president George Dallas). Zachary Taylor was very religious and refused to be sworn in on the sabbath, so he became president at noon on Monday 5 March 1849. Under these circumstances, the law made the President Pro-Tempore of the Senate (Atchison) the president automatically - even without being sworn in.

This is a misinterpretation of US law. Taylor became president when Polk's term expired (although it is an open question as to if Taylor could have performed any presidential ACTS before being sworn in). However, this did not stop Atchinson's tombstone from reading "President for one day".

Answer: Poisonous snakes

A mamushi is a viper similar to a copperhead. They are placed in sake and left to drown. They steep in there for weeks before the "Mam" is ready to drink.

Answer: Rezin Bowie

James Bowie's brother Rezin invented the knife for Jim to use in a duel. The basis of this is a letter written in 1838 by Rezin himself. This evidence (along with the lack of any contradictory evidence) has led most historians to conclude that the story that James invented the knife is incorrect. The duel (Sandbar Fight) made the knife (and user) famous.