Question 1: Where was Beethoven born?
Question 2: Who famously coined the phrase "survival of the fittest?"
The phrase "survival of the fittest" was actually coined by Herbert Spencer, an English philosopher, not Charles Darwin as is commonly thought. Darwin similarly made use of the phrase in his own writings, but the originator was Spencer.
Question 3: Which Australian tennis player has won the most Grand Slam singles titles?
Margaret Court, an Australian tennis legend, has won a total of 24 Grand Slam singles titles. She still holds the record for the most Grand Slam singles titles won by any player, male or female.
Question 4: What is the title of the first novel in the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling?
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, published in 1997, is the first novel in the Harry Potter series that introduces the young wizard Harry Potter and his friends Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley. The book was published in the United States under the title Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.
Question 5: When did Charles Darwin first publish his theory on evolution?
Charles Darwin first published his groundbreaking theory on evolution in his book "On the Origin of Species" in 1859. It was one of the foundational books that shaped modern biology.
Question 6: Where is the tallest building in the world located?
The Burj Khalifa in Dubai stands at a height of 828 meters (2,717 feet), making it the tallest building in the world. It was completed in 2010 and has since dominated the skyline of Dubai.
Question 7: Who wrote the lyrics for the musical "Cats"?
Though the music for "Cats" was composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber, the lyrics are primarily taken from "Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats" by T. S. Eliot. This is a collection of whimsical poems by Eliot about feline psychology and sociology.
Question 8: Who is the king of the gods in Norse mythology?
In Norse mythology, Odin is the king of the Aesir, a group of gods associated with war, wisdom, and the sky. He is often depicted as a one-eyed, wise old man.
Question 9: How many time zones does mainland Australia span?
Mainland Australia has three time zones which are Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST), Australian Central Standard Time (ACST), and Australian Western Standard Time (AWST). In addition, some states like South Australia and New South Wales have daylight saving time during the summer months, causing a shift in the time zones.
Question 10: How many stages of sleep are there according to the most accepted view in modern psychology?
According to modern psychology, there are five stages of sleep: Stage 1 (light sleep), Stage 2 (real sleep), Stages 3 and 4 (deep sleep), and REM sleep (dreaming state). Each sleep cycle lasts about 90-110 minutes.
Beethoven was born in Bonn, Germany in 1770. While he moved to Vienna in his early twenties and spent most of his career there, he maintained a deep connection to his birthplace throughout his life.