Question 1: What was the significance of the Michelson-Morley experiment?
Question 2: What meteorological phenomenon is characterized by a funnel-shaped cloud extending towards the ground?
Tornadoes are rapidly rotating columns of air that are in contact with both the surface of the Earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. They are often referred to as twisters and can cause extensive damage along their paths.
Question 3: In which country did the legend of the chupacabra allegedly originate?
The legend of the chupacabra first surfaced in Puerto Rico in the mid-1990s. It is depicted as a blood-sucking creature that preys on livestock, particularly goats (hence the name "chupacabra," which means "goat-sucker" in Spanish).
Question 4: Where did the Spanish language originate?
Spanish originated on the Iberian Peninsula as a descendant of Latin, which was brought to the region by the Romans during the Second Punic War starting around the 3rd century BC. It's now the world's second most spoken native language after Mandarin Chinese.
Question 5: What is the capital city of Canada?
Ottawa, located in the province of Ontario, was chosen as the capital of Canada by Queen Victoria in 1857. The decision was strategic: it was less vulnerable to attack than Montreal and Toronto, being farther from the American border.
Question 6: In Irish folklore, what are leprechauns primarily known for?
Leprechauns in Irish folklore are said to be solitary creatures who spend their time making and mending shoes and have a hidden pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. If captured by a human, they often grant three wishes in exchange for their freedom.
Question 7: What is the term for a long period of abnormally low rainfall, leading to a shortage of water?
Droughts can have a severe impact on agriculture, water supply, and the environment. Different regions may experience drought in different ways, depending on the typical climate and rainfall patterns, as well as the local societal ability to manage water resources.
Question 8: When was the construction of the Great Pyramid of Giza believed to have been completed?
The Great Pyramid of Giza is estimated to have been completed around 2560 BCE during the reign of the Pharaoh Khufu (Cheops). It is the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World and the only one to remain largely intact.
Question 9: What crop is traditionally known as the staple food of more than half of the world's population?
Rice cultivation is suited to countries and regions with low labor costs and high rainfall, as it is labor-intensive to cultivate and requires ample water. China and India are the world's largest producers of rice.
Question 10: Where is the mandible located in the human body?
The mandible, or lower jawbone, is the largest, strongest and lowest bone in the human face. It holds the lower teeth in place and is a critical structure for eating and speaking.
The Michelson-Morley experiment, conducted by Albert A. Michelson and Edward W. Morley in 1887, was designed to detect the presence of the aether, a medium through which light waves were believed to travel. The experiment's negative results were instrumental in the development of the theory of special relativity by Albert Einstein, who demonstrated that the speed of light is constant and does not need a medium to propagate.