Question 1: Why was Walt Disney afraid of mice?
Question 2: Why is Venus hotter than Mercury despite being farther from the Sun?
Venus' thick atmosphere, composed mainly of carbon dioxide, creates a powerful greenhouse effect that traps heat from the Sun, resulting in surface temperatures higher than those on Mercury despite being nearly twice as far from the Sun.
Question 3: What was the first artificial satellite to orbit Earth?
Sputnik 1 was the first artificial Earth satellite, launched by the Soviet Union on October 4, 1957. It was a 58 cm (23 in) diameter polished metal sphere with four external radio antennas, and its radio signal could be detected on the ground, demonstrating that artificial satellites were feasible.
Question 4: In which decade was Nelson Mandela released from prison?
Nelson Mandela was released from Victor Verster Prison on 11 February 1990, after serving 27 years of a life sentence for conspiring to overthrow the apartheid government in South Africa. His release marked a crucial turning point in South Africa's transition from apartheid to democracy.
Question 5: Which British rock band released the album "Dark Side of the Moon" in 1973?
"The Dark Side of the Moon" is one of the best-selling albums worldwide and spent 937 weeks on the Billboard 200 chart. The iconic album cover features a prism spectrum, representing the band's stage lighting and the album's lyrics.
Question 6: Which vitamin is known for its role in blood clotting?
Vitamin K is essential for the production of proteins involved in blood clotting. It also plays a role in bone metabolism and regulating blood calcium levels.
Question 7: Which Italian Renaissance artist is famous for painting the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel?
When traveling from the UK to New Zealand, you would cross the Pacific Ocean. New Zealand is located in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, approximately 1,500 km east of Australia. The journey from the UK would involve crossing the Atlantic Ocean, passing through the Panama Canal or around South America, and then traversing the vast expanse of the Pacific to reach New Zealand.
Question 8: If Elias Howe is credited with the invention of the modern sewing machine, which invention is Isaac Singer best known for?
While Elias Howe invented the modern sewing machine in 1845, Isaac Singer made significant improvements to the design and functionality of the sewing machine, including a foot pedal and an up-and-down motion mechanism. Singer's improvements made the sewing machine more practical and efficient, contributing to its widespread adoption.
Question 9: Which company was the first to introduce seat belts as a standard feature in their cars?
In 1949, Nash Motors became the first car manufacturer to offer seat belts as a standard feature in all their vehicles. This was a significant step in car safety, as seat belts are now considered one of the most important safety features in modern automobiles, saving countless lives each year.
Question 10: When is a hurricane officially considered a hurricane?
A tropical cyclone is officially upgraded to a hurricane when its sustained wind speeds reach 74 mph (119 km/h). At this point, it is classified as a Category 1 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. The scale goes up to Category 5 for the most intense hurricanes with winds exceeding 157 mph (252 km/h).
Contrary to popular belief, Walt Disney was not afraid of mice. In fact, he created one of the most iconic cartoon characters of all time, Mickey Mouse. The misconception may have arisen from the fact that in many early cartoons, Mickey's character was often portrayed as being chased or tormented by cats.