Things best forgotten Trivia Quiz

Answer: Clavicle

Ossification is described as the process of laying down of cells called osteoblasts to form new bone. In the human embryo this begins to take place to form the clavicle within the fifth or sixth week of development in a healthy embryo. By this third month, other long bones in the body have begun to develop as well.

Answer: Shaken martinis have stronger antioxidant properties

As reported in their write-up in the "British Medical Journal" in 1999, the University of Western Ontario's biochemistry department revealed that shaken gin martinis have stronger antioxidant qualities than stirred martinis. This they said, thanks to helpful bartenders, could help James avoid cardiovascular disease, stroke, and cataracts. One would imagine it'd help the worthy spy even more if he avoided drinking them altogether.

Answer: Captain Bodice

John Macarthur (1767-1834) came out to Australia on the Second Fleet when the country was first being settled by British authorities. Although he was indeed a major contributor to that country's burgeoning sheep industry, the man also had a finger in just about every illicit deal going on in the early days of the colony, and he was a gigantic pain in the neck for the colony's governors.

He was an argumentative, feisty, hot-tempered man who was involved in an astonishing number of duels and court cases during his time both in Australia and back home in England.

He was called back to England to appear in the major court case involving Australia's Rum Rebellion of 1808 - in which he was heavily involved. It seems somewhat comical that this man, who probably would have made an excellent convict himself, is now held in such high regard in the annals of Australia's history books.

Answer: On a golf course

Described as new by scientists, this bolete mushroom is found in deciduous and mixed forests in the eastern United States and Canada, and particularly so near any oak trees. However, when first discovered by mycologists, it was on a golf course in Michigan of all places. That was in 1961, but it wasn't classified scientifically until ten years later.

It is a fairly large mushroom with an orange-red cap with dark red spots on the underside of same. With a metallic taste, this mushroom is bright yellow when first cut, but then rapidly turns blue. Sounds delectable.

Answer: Thelma Pickles

Thelma met John Lennon at the Liverpool College of Art in 1957, when they were both just 16. Lennon was a founding member of the famous British band, The Beatles, that took the world by storm in the latter half of the 20th century. He was assassinated by Mark David Chapman in 1980, outside the entrance to the apartment building he was living in, in the United States.

Thelma, who worked as a producer on the television show "Blind Date", dated Paul McCartney for a time after she split with Lennon. Thelma eventually settled down and married a Liverpool poet named Roger McGough.

Answer: Teeth-whitening

This could very well explain the fall of the great Roman Empire. Their teeth were so white from scrubbing them with this bodily output, their enemies could have seen them smiling in the dark. On a more serious level, using urine as a tooth whitening aid was quite common in that part of the world, particularly so in Spain as well, until toothpaste was invented.

Not that early toothpaste was much of an improvement. Urine was used as a whitening agent when bleaching linen and wool as well.

Answer: So riders wouldn't have their top hats knocked off by branches

The bowler hat was created in 1849 for Edward Coke, who was the younger brother of the second Earl of Leicester. Mr Coke was a British soldier and politician and he was tired of his gamekeepers having their top hats knocked off by low branches when they were riding with him.

He asked a local firm to come up with a hat that was low in height and fitted closely on the head instead. This firm placed an order for same with hat-makers, Thomas and William Bowler, and the famous little hat which has been a part of the English scene ever since, was the result.

Answer: Gilbert and Sullivan

William Gilbert (1836-1911) began his entertainment career with writing a variety of comical stories, theatre skits and parodies. His poems in particular were very popular and he would utilise many of these when writing the words for the songs included in this famous pair's comic operas. Arthur Sullivan (1842-1900) was the musical half of this great team. He grew up surrounded by people who worked in their field of music, and he began composing music from the age of eight. His music in those early days had a classical bent and he produced many fine works before he combined with Gilbert to produce their very popular series of light-hearted operas.

Together they produced fourteen popular and well loved productions. These included "The Pirates of Penzance", which officially premiered in 1879 and tells the love story between a young apprenticed pirate named Frederic, and Mabel, the daughter of a Major-General. Gilbert and Sullivan clashed violently during their career together over many issues. The world might otherwise have been treated to many more productions than those they did create. The two men were so different on many levels that they finally went their separate ways. The straw that broke this musical camel team's back was a fierce argument, over, of all things, a carpet.

Answer: Mr Carter

James Earl Carter Junior was born at the Wise Sanitarium in the city of Plains in Georgia, on the 1st October 1924. Mr Carter was President of the United States from 1977-1981. Highlights of his time in office included his focus on energy policies, education and striving to attain world peace. To this end, Mr Carter was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace in 2002. Unusually, this was quite some time after his term as president, but that is because he has devoted all his time and efforts since stepping down from that thankless job to devote all his energies on working towards peace negotiations in our sad, blood-stained weary world.

Answer: Fat little Bow-Wow

Nicholas II was the last Emperor of Russia. He and his family were gunned down in a cellar by Bolsheviks on night of 17th July 1918. For many years, Anastasia, the youngest daughter of that tragic family was said to have survived, but this has since been proven to be false and that she and the entire family were all murdered in cold blood on that terrible night.

This loving family all had fond nicknames for each other, but for me, "Fat little Bow-Wow" seems to sum up that family affection and closeness perfectly.