Question 1: Why does Jupiter have several distinct colorful bands?
Question 2: Who was the host of the original "Jeopardy!" when it first aired in 1964?
Art Fleming hosted the original incarnation of "Jeopardy!" which aired from 1964 until 1975. Alex Trebek later became the show's iconic host, starting in 1984 and continuing until his death in 2020.
Question 3: In which city is the Vatican located?
Vatican City is an independent city-state enclaved within Rome, Italy. Established with the Lateran Treaty (1929), it is the smallest state in the world by both area and population. The sovereignty of the Vatican City is held by the Holy See.
Question 4: What is the term for the bending of light as it passes from one medium to another?
Refraction occurs because light travels at different speeds in different media. This effect is responsible for the way a straw appears bent when viewed through a glass of water and is also the principle behind lenses.
Question 5: In what year did the Titanic sink on its maiden voyage?
RMS Titanic struck an iceberg on April 14, 1912, and sank in the early hours of April 15, 1912. The ship was on its way from Southampton to New York City. Over 1,500 passengers and crew lost their lives in the disaster. The sinking of the Titanic is one of the deadliest maritime disasters in history during peacetime and led to significant changes in maritime regulations.
Question 6: Which scientist is credited with inventing the first practical telephone?
Alexander Graham Bell was awarded the first US patent for the invention of the telephone in 1876. Although there was controversy with Elisha Gray about who invented it first, Bell is most widely credited with the invention. Bell's work on the telephone stemmed from his research into ways to improve the telegraph system.
Question 7: In what year was the World Wide Web officially launched?
The World Wide Web was invented by Tim Berners-Lee in 1989 and was officially launched in August 1991. It significantly helped in popularizing the internet among the public and changed the way information is shared and consumed globally.
Question 8: Which musical is the longest-running Broadway show in history?
The Phantom of the Opera opened on Broadway in 1988 and continues to enchant audiences with its mysterious and romantic score by Andrew Lloyd Webber. It surpassed Cats as the longest-running show on Broadway in January 2006.
Question 9: When was the structure of DNA first discovered?
The structure of DNA was discovered by James Watson and Francis Crick in 1953. Their landmark paper proposing the double helix structure was published on April 25, 1953, in the scientific journal Nature. The discovery was crucial for the advancement of genetics and won them the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1962.
Question 10: Which element is commonly used in thermometers due to its high coefficient of expansion?
Mercury has been widely used in thermometers because it remains in liquid form over a wide temperature range and has a high coefficient of expansion, which makes it easy to measure temperature changes precisely. However, due to mercury's toxicity, its use is declining in favor of alcohol and digital thermometers.
Jupiter's colorful bands are caused by the differential rotation of its atmosphere. This means different latitudes rotate at slightly different rates. These bands are created by the movement of atmospheric gases and are composed of different compounds, such as ammonia crystals, which give them a range of colors and turbulent storms. The Great Red Spot is one of the most notable features created by these atmospheric conditions.