Question 1: Which Greek god is known as the messenger of the gods?
Question 2: In which year did the iconic rock band The Beatles officially break up?
The Beatles, one of the most influential bands in the history of music, officially disbanded in 1970. They were active from 1960 until their breakup, with their music continuing to be celebrated worldwide. The announcement followed a series of disputes among the members and the departure of John Lennon in late 1969.
Question 3: What is the largest land mammal in the world?
The African bush elephant is the largest living terrestrial animal, with males reaching an average weight of 6 tons (13,000 lb). They inhabit a wide range of habitats including savannas, grasslands, and forests across sub-Saharan Africa.
Question 4: Who is credited with discovering the law of universal gravitation?
Sir Isaac Newton formulated the law of universal gravitation in the late 17th century. This law states that every point mass attracts every other point mass by a force acting along the line intersecting the two points, and the force is proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.
Question 5: Which architect designed the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao?
Frank Gehry's design of the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao is considered one of the most important pieces of contemporary architecture. The museum opened in 1997 and immediately became a renowned landmark due to its unique, organic shapes and innovative use of materials like titanium.
Question 6: Why is the Rosetta Stone considered a key to understanding Egyptian hieroglyphs?
The Rosetta Stone is significant because it provided three versions of the same text: Greek, Demotic, and Egyptian hieroglyphs, which allowed scholars to decipher Egyptian hieroglyphs by comparing the Greek and hieroglyphic versions. It was discovered in 1799 by French soldiers during the Napoleonic campaign in Egypt. Jean-François Champollion announced the decipherment of Egyptian hieroglyphs in 1822, largely thanks to the Rosetta Stone.
Question 7: Who created the periodic table of elements?
In 1869, Russian chemist Dmitri Mendeleev created the framework that became the modern periodic table. He arranged 63 elements by increasing atomic weight in several columns, noting recurring chemical properties across them.
Question 8: Why was corn flakes invented?
In the late 19th century, John Harvey Kellogg ran a sanitarium and believed that spicy and sweet foods increased sexual desire. He thought a plain, bland diet would curb sexual urges. So he developed corn flakes as a "healthy," anti-aphrodisiac breakfast food.
Question 9: Why was the European Union awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2012?
The European Union was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2012 for its efforts over six decades in advancing peace and reconciliation, democracy and human rights in Europe. The Nobel committee particularly noted the EU's role in transforming most of Europe from a continent of war to a continent of peace in the years following World War II.
Question 10: 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.
In addition to being the messenger of the gods, Hermes was also the god of trade, thieves, travelers, sports, athletes, and border crossings. He is often depicted wearing winged sandals and a winged hat.