Question 1: Which television show was the first to broadcast the birth of a baby in a scripted series?
Question 2: Which bird is known for its ability to mimic a wide range of sounds, including human speech?
The lyrebird is native to Australia and is not only capable of mimicking the calls of other birds but can also imitate artificial sounds such as camera shutters, chainsaws, and even human voices. They are known to use these mimicry skills during their complex mating displays.
Question 3: How many keys are on a standard concert grand piano?
The modern standard for a concert grand piano is 88 keys, which include 52 white keys and 36 black keys, covering a range of seven octaves plus a minor third. The first 88-key piano was made in the 1880s by Steinway & Sons.
Question 4: In what year did the television show "Friends" first air?
"Friends" is an American television sitcom created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman. The show debuted on NBC on September 22, 1994, and quickly became one of the most famous television sitcoms of all time. It ran for ten successful seasons and concluded on May 6, 2004.
Question 5: What famous space saga film franchise was created by George Lucas?
George Lucas began the Star Wars franchise in 1977 with the release of "Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope". It quickly became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon and has since spawned numerous sequels, prequels, television shows, and a wide array of books and merchandise.
Question 6: In which country did the tradition of the "siesta" originate?
The siesta is a traditional nap that is taken in the early afternoon, often after the midday meal. Siestas are common in Spanish culture, and this tradition has been historically linked to the hot Spanish climate, allowing people to avoid the hottest part of the day, particularly in agriculture-based communities. This practice has also spread to other Spanish-speaking Latin American countries.
Question 7: Which artist famously cut off part of his ear?
Vincent van Gogh, the Dutch post-impressionist painter, is known for his iconic works and his tragic life. In December 1888, during a bout of mental health crisis, he cut off part of his left ear. This incident is one of the most well-known stories about the artist's tumultuous life.
Question 8: How is the strength of a magnetic field typically measured?
Tesla is the SI unit of magnetic flux density (B) or magnetic induction, named after Nikola Tesla, a pioneer in the study of electromagnetism. One Tesla represents one weber per square meter.
Question 9: Who was the first human to journey into space?
Yuri Gagarin, a Soviet cosmonaut, made history on April 12, 1961, by becoming the first human to travel into space, orbiting Earth in the Vostok 1 spacecraft. His famous words upon lift-off, "Poyekhali!" mean "Let's go!" in Russian.
Question 10: How many Earth-like planets are in the known universe?
While there are no confirmed Earth-like planets (with conditions suitable for life as we know it), thousands of exoplanets have been discovered with a small portion being Earth-sized and located in the habitable zones of their stars. The Kepler space telescope and other missions continue to search for Earth-like worlds.
The episode of "I Love Lucy" featuring the birth of Little Ricky was broadcast on January 19, 1953. It was timed to coincide with Lucille Ball's real-life delivery of her son Desi Arnaz Jr. by cesarean section. The episode attracted such a large audience that it surpassed the number of viewers watching President Dwight D. Eisenhower's inauguration the following day.