Monday, June 20, 2016
Saturday, April 11, 2015
Tuesday, April 8, 2014
Sunday, December 22, 2013
Question Set 16
The next set:
1) The dictionary definition of this word is : Plant that breaks away from its roots and is driven about by the wind as a light rolling mass, scattering seeds as it goes.
The urban dictionary defines it as : A cliche of Western movies, emphasising silence or stillness, e.g. as the hero rides into an apparently deserted frontier town.
What is this word?
Tumbleweed.
2) Nobel laureate Murray Glenn Mann was undecided about what to name this sub-atomic particle that was proven to exist from experiments at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center in 1968. He finally decided to name this particle ______ from a sentence from the book Finnegans Wake by James Joyce.
Quark
3) To populrize the Mars Orbiter Mission 'Mangalyaan' mission, ISRO created a FB page which saw more than 200000 likes in less than a week including a like from NASA Jet propulsion Lab (JPL). Before the launch of the mission, JPL posted this message on ISRO's MOM page, titled "Lucky _______" for ISRO:
"As you prepare for your launch to Mars, do not forget one of the few, but important action: pass around the _______!"
Peanuts!
4)
This instrument, called 'Charango' is an Andean Lute instrument. Though wood is used lately in construction of this instrument, traditionally, it is made from an animal body. Which animal?
The Armadillo
5) Simon Fuller is Britan's famous enterpreneur. In Sept-2013, Simon Fuller started a management company, named '77' in partnership with someone. Who is his partner, and what is the significance of the name (77)?
Andy Murray, a tribute to 77 years after Fred Perry for an Englishman to win Wimbledon..
6) Historically, the Romans did not number days of a month sequentially from the first through the last day. Instead, they counted back from three fixed points of the month: the Nones (5th or 7th, depending on the length of the month), the Ides (13th or 15th), and the _______ (1st) of the following month.
Kalends. Origin of the word 'Calender' in English.
7) Which breed of small dogs is named after the French word for 'Earth', owing to the natural instinct of this breed to dig?
Terrier.
8) What pseudonym was assumed by Alexei Maximovich Peshkov, an allegorical reference to his anger about life in Russia and the determination to speak bitter truth?
Maxim Gorky (Gorky = Bitter)
9) Which flowering plant is named after Persian Dulband meaning 'Turban', from the shape of the flower?
Tulip.
10) Identify this scientist:
Karl Landsteiner (Known to have distinguished the main blood groups).
1) The dictionary definition of this word is : Plant that breaks away from its roots and is driven about by the wind as a light rolling mass, scattering seeds as it goes.
The urban dictionary defines it as : A cliche of Western movies, emphasising silence or stillness, e.g. as the hero rides into an apparently deserted frontier town.
What is this word?
Tumbleweed.
2) Nobel laureate Murray Glenn Mann was undecided about what to name this sub-atomic particle that was proven to exist from experiments at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center in 1968. He finally decided to name this particle ______ from a sentence from the book Finnegans Wake by James Joyce.
Quark
3) To populrize the Mars Orbiter Mission 'Mangalyaan' mission, ISRO created a FB page which saw more than 200000 likes in less than a week including a like from NASA Jet propulsion Lab (JPL). Before the launch of the mission, JPL posted this message on ISRO's MOM page, titled "Lucky _______" for ISRO:
"As you prepare for your launch to Mars, do not forget one of the few, but important action: pass around the _______!"
Peanuts!
4)
This instrument, called 'Charango' is an Andean Lute instrument. Though wood is used lately in construction of this instrument, traditionally, it is made from an animal body. Which animal?
The Armadillo
5) Simon Fuller is Britan's famous enterpreneur. In Sept-2013, Simon Fuller started a management company, named '77' in partnership with someone. Who is his partner, and what is the significance of the name (77)?
Andy Murray, a tribute to 77 years after Fred Perry for an Englishman to win Wimbledon..
6) Historically, the Romans did not number days of a month sequentially from the first through the last day. Instead, they counted back from three fixed points of the month: the Nones (5th or 7th, depending on the length of the month), the Ides (13th or 15th), and the _______ (1st) of the following month.
Kalends. Origin of the word 'Calender' in English.
7) Which breed of small dogs is named after the French word for 'Earth', owing to the natural instinct of this breed to dig?
Terrier.
8) What pseudonym was assumed by Alexei Maximovich Peshkov, an allegorical reference to his anger about life in Russia and the determination to speak bitter truth?
Maxim Gorky (Gorky = Bitter)
9) Which flowering plant is named after Persian Dulband meaning 'Turban', from the shape of the flower?
Tulip.
10) Identify this scientist:
Karl Landsteiner (Known to have distinguished the main blood groups).
Saturday, August 3, 2013
Saturday, July 20, 2013
Question Set 14
Here is the next set:
1) The first prototype of this device was given by Antonie Louis, a French physiologist. However, the device is eponymous with another French physiologist, who proposed the use of this device during the French reolution. What device?
Guillotine, eponymous with Joseph Guillotin.
2) The common term used for the countries along the eastern shores of Mediterranean comes from the French word for 'Rising', meaning 'The East', the direction of sunrise. What term?
Levant.
3) Whose self portrait is this?
Khalil Gibran
4) The name of ancient region 'Mesopotamia' comes from ancient Greek word 'Meso' meaning 'Middle' and 'Potamia' meaning 'River', thus meaning 'A land between rivers'. Which two rivers?
Euphrates and Tigris
5) This is the Lego bricks rendering of which building?
6) This flower is resting on a material that is suspended from a Bunsen burner. What is this ultralight material called?
The Aerogel
7) This phrase originated when Guido Von Rossum, the creator of Python programming language, was jocularly given a title in the form of this phrase, in an e-mail communication about trying to create a semi-formal group that would oversee Python development.
Since then, this phrase has been used as a title for many open source software development leaders, typically the project founders. What phrase?
Benevolent dictator for life.
8) In June 2013, scientists declared the discovery of a new, 15 microns thick layer at just back of the cornea of the eye. This layer is named after the lead scientist of Indian origin, whose last name happens to be the Urdu word for 'Blessing'. What is this layer named?
Dua's layer (Named after Harminder Dua).
9) Name this explorer, who appears on currency used in Antarctica.
James Clark Ross.
10) English inventor, Sir Humphrey Davy damaged his eyesight in a laboratory accident with nitrogen trichloride. This accident prompted him to hire a co-worker, who later, played a significant role in many a fields in physics. Who was this co-worker?
1) The first prototype of this device was given by Antonie Louis, a French physiologist. However, the device is eponymous with another French physiologist, who proposed the use of this device during the French reolution. What device?
Guillotine, eponymous with Joseph Guillotin.
2) The common term used for the countries along the eastern shores of Mediterranean comes from the French word for 'Rising', meaning 'The East', the direction of sunrise. What term?
Levant.
3) Whose self portrait is this?
Khalil Gibran
4) The name of ancient region 'Mesopotamia' comes from ancient Greek word 'Meso' meaning 'Middle' and 'Potamia' meaning 'River', thus meaning 'A land between rivers'. Which two rivers?
Euphrates and Tigris
5) This is the Lego bricks rendering of which building?
Guggenheim Museum
6) This flower is resting on a material that is suspended from a Bunsen burner. What is this ultralight material called?
The Aerogel
7) This phrase originated when Guido Von Rossum, the creator of Python programming language, was jocularly given a title in the form of this phrase, in an e-mail communication about trying to create a semi-formal group that would oversee Python development.
Since then, this phrase has been used as a title for many open source software development leaders, typically the project founders. What phrase?
Benevolent dictator for life.
8) In June 2013, scientists declared the discovery of a new, 15 microns thick layer at just back of the cornea of the eye. This layer is named after the lead scientist of Indian origin, whose last name happens to be the Urdu word for 'Blessing'. What is this layer named?
Dua's layer (Named after Harminder Dua).
9) Name this explorer, who appears on currency used in Antarctica.
James Clark Ross.
10) English inventor, Sir Humphrey Davy damaged his eyesight in a laboratory accident with nitrogen trichloride. This accident prompted him to hire a co-worker, who later, played a significant role in many a fields in physics. Who was this co-worker?
Michael Faraday.
Sunday, June 9, 2013
Question Set 13
Next set of trivia:
1) The etymology of which European city name is supposed to be depicted in this legend?
The statue is Barbo, throwing the severed hand of Antigoon into river Scheldt. Hence the name Antwerp, from Dutch 'hand werpen'.
2) Silphium is a now-extinct plant, of the genus Ferula which was considered to have exceptional medicinal qualities. It was also an effective herbal contraceptive. The shape of the seeds of Silphium plant has contributed to what modern symbol?
The Heart Symbol.
3) As a tribute to a character portrayed by him, a recently discovered species of of extinct anthropoid is named after which actor?
The Kooteninchela deppi, a homage to Johnny Depp, with "scissor hand-like" claws reminiscent of one of the actor's best-known roles, Edward Scissorhand.
4) This is the figure of Christ in Majesty as depicted in early medieval and Romanesque art. The figure of Christ is depicted in a typical shape that looks like an almond. This shape is named after the Italian word for 'Almond'. What is this shape called?
Mandorla or Vesica Piscis
5) Ephraim is one of the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel. Studies reveal that one of the warrior tribes found in the Khyber-Pakhtunwala region of Pakistan have traditions that have striking similarities with the traditions of the Ephraim people as mentioned in the Bible.
Hence, these warriors are considered to be descendants of Ephraims.
What is the name of this tribe, brought to fame by a famous Pakistani cricketer?
5) Ephraim is one of the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel. Studies reveal that one of the warrior tribes found in the Khyber-Pakhtunwala region of Pakistan have traditions that have striking similarities with the traditions of the Ephraim people as mentioned in the Bible.
Hence, these warriors are considered to be descendants of Ephraims.
What is the name of this tribe, brought to fame by a famous Pakistani cricketer?
Afridis
6) It was originally made from extruded strands of silver. Because silver tarnishes quickly, other shiny metals were substituted. By 16th century, it was used for adorning sculptures and for decorating Christmas trees.
What is this sparkling decorative material, a word known very well in parlance of film industry?
Tinsel.
7) What is the metaphoric expression here?
8) Identify both scientists.
Otto Hahn and Lise Meitner.
9) This is the cross-section of which device used in navigation?
Gyrocompass
10) Johann Nepomuk Maelzel was a German inventor, a close friend of composer Ludwig Beethoven and is known for several music automation inventions. What was his invention that relieved Beethoven of a tragic disorder?
When Beethoven suffered from hearing loss, Maelzel is known to have designed special Ear trumpets for Beethoven.
Friday, May 10, 2013
Question Set 12
1) Named after Latin word for 'Cup', these are the types of which musical instrument?
Hi-Hat
Ride
Splash
China
Crash
Clash
Sizzle
Cymbal.
2)
Such a disc with black and white pattern, about 1 foot in diameter is mounted on top of a pole and lowered into a water body. Governed by the Beer-Lambert law, what is such device used for?
Secchi disk, used to measure turbidity of Oceans and lakes.
3) The method of carving a gem (such as Onyx, agate or Sardonix) such that the carved design is a raised positive relief image, is given a particular name that is more popularly known in film and entertainment parlance. What name?
Cameo.
4) A part of the global warming controversy, the findings of Michael E. Mann, Raymond S. Bradley and Malcolm K. Hughes are associated with a "sport equipment". Which sport equipment?
The Hockey stick. More about this here.
5) What is this?
The spread of Mongol Empire under Genghis Khan.
6) What is this?
The Tear of Grief, a monument donated by Russia to USA to commemorate 9/11 victims.
8) What is this comic strip about?
Paul is dead controversy.
9) Among the popular ones are:
The Betty,
The Ava,
The Marilyn,
The Sofia
The latest is called The Flashbang. What?
The Flashbang Holsters. The latest is a stun grenade that attaches between the cups of the bra. More about this here
10) In a heavily-guarded, subterranean vault on the outskirts of Paris is a lump of metal, an alloy of Platinum and Iridium, about the size of a plum.
Known by the French phrase "Le Grand K", though there are 6 copycats of it, this original one is of immense importance to the world of science. What?
The international prototype of Kilogram (IPK).
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