Reminder Trivia Quiz

Answer: Vasili Arkhipov

Vasili Alexandrovich Arkhipov was an officer in the Soviet Navy and was aboard the Soviet Foxtrot-class submarine B-59, in 1962, which was armed with nuclear missiles.

The submarine was underwater somewhere near Cuba when it was spotted by US vessels. It was trapped by 11 U.S. destroyers and the aircraft carrier USS Randolph which urged the submarine to come up for identification. They did this by setting off depth charges. There was no response and the sub was too deep to receive signals. Not knowing whether a war had broken out, the captain of the sub, Savitsky, decided to fire a nuclear missile which would have caused widespread destruction. In order to fire it, a unanimous decision would have had to be reached by three members aboard the ship, namely, Savitsky, Ivan Semonovich and Vasili Arkhipov. Arkhipov didn't agree and a fight out broke out between them. Finally, he was able to convince them to go up for identification and then left for home.

Reminder: If this man hadn't done what he did, I'm sure the world not be what it is right now!

Answer: Frank Wills

Frank Wills was a security guard in the Watergate complex. He noticed one night, during his patrol,that there was tape stuck to the locks of one of the doors to the Democratic National Committee headquarters. He removed the tape and moved on. He came back to see that there was tape again on the door. He then realised a robbery was going on and called the police. The burglars were caught and this set in motion the uncovering of a scandal that achieved sensational sensational proportions, involving President Richard Nixon. This scandal is now called the Watergate Scandal. At the end of it all, Nixon resigned and President Gerald Ford took office. He then later pardoned Nixon, which precluded prosecution for his role in the affair.

Reminder: He was instrumental in one of the largest scandals in history! A lot of worlds were changed after that!

Answer: Henry Dunant

Henry Dunant was a businessman from Switzerland who during a business trip was deeply affected by the aftermath of the Battle of Solferino. He translated these emotions into a book he called 'Un Souvenir de Solferino'. In this book, he described the toll that the war took on human life and the widespread injuries that war inflicts. He also appealed for an organization to be started that would aid soldiers and casualties of war. Then. in 1863. the Red Cross came into existence inspired by his writings. He received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1901.

Reminder: We wouldn't have the Red Cross helping our soldiers out if not for the wise thoughts of Henry Dunant!

Answer: The Man Who Saved A Billion Lives

Norman Borlaug was an American agronomist who lived from 1914 to 2009. He was called 'The Man Who Saved A Billion Lives' for finding a solution to the increasing hunger problem in the world by increasing the supply of food grains. He did this by introducing different strains of food grains which grew faster and better in different types of regions and thus increasing the yield potential. By doing this he was able to co-ordinate the compensation for the deficit in supply. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970.

Reminder: Feeding a billion mouths is literally what saving the world means.

Answer: Henrietta Lacks

Henrietta Lacks was an African-American who was diagnosed with cancer in the 1950's. Her malignant cells were used to produce a cell line that would proliferate outside of her body. Put simply, this made them immortal. This cell line is now called the HeLa cell line and the cells used called HeLa cells. They are used in many areas of science like production of vaccine, culture of virus, diagnosis of diseases, cancer research. Although her cells can take credit for the cure of millions of people, she died of cancer.

Reminder: Probably her cells saved many people. HeLa cell lines are used in so many areas of medicine - cures, vaccines, research!

Answer: Smallpox

Smallpox is a disease caused by two variants of Variola virus - Variola major and minor. It was a very serious condition that affected many people and has been noted to be prevalent for thousands of years. It was endemic in Brazil, Africa, South Asia and parts of Europe during the 1960's and 1970's. Viktor Zhdanov, a Russian virologist and Donald Henderson, an American doctor, played an key role in the beginning of programs and methods to eradicate the deadly disease. Although eradicated, small pox samples still remain in some laboratories.

Reminder: Their leadership lead to the eradication of a deadly disease from the entire world!

Answer: Arm

James Harrison is called the 'Man with the Golden Arm' because of the numerous donations of blood that he made during his lifetime. His blood contained a special antibody that saved more than a million babies from death. It was a solution to a hemolytic disease of the newborn which involved Rhesus antibodies. It was the basis of formation of the Anti-D antibody which is used in blood grouping.

Reminder: He saved a million babies, what could be better than that!

Answer: Johannes Gutenberg

Johannes Gutenberg was a German goldsmith and publisher who is most often spoken of in relation to the "Printing Revolution". He introduced printing by moveable type to Europe. He is also credited with the propagation of use of oil-based ink in printing. One of his most celebrated works is the Gutenberg Bible. He lived large parts of his life in poverty due to his misfortunes in business.

Reminder: Needless to say, every single person in the world reads something or the other!

Answer: The father of the atomic bomb

J. Robert Oppenheimer is called the 'father of the atomic bomb' for his extensive work in the development of atomic bombs during World War II. He was an American and worked as a professor of Physics at the University of California. He led a group of a scientists and thousands of other people in laboratories in Los Alamos to make nuclear weapons. The first nuclear test called 'Trinity' occurred in July, 1945 in Alamagordo.

Reminder: End of World War II!

Answer: John Logie Baird

John Logie Baird, who is often called the 'Father of Television', was a Scottish engineer who laid the foundation for a commodity present in almost every modern home - the television. He was the first to successfully transmit television images. After his first public transmission from London to Glasgow he started the Baird Television Development Company Ltd. His invention was called the 'televisor'.

Reminder: Ahem, televisions! Now what would we do without TV!