Question 1: In human anatomy, what is the name of the longest nerve in the body?
Question 2: Who was the first woman to be elected as Prime Minister of a country?
Sirimavo Bandaranaike of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) became the first female prime minister in the world when she was elected in 1960. She was the widow of a previous prime minister, Solomon Bandaranaike.
Question 3: What was the primary purpose of NASA's Cassini-Huygens mission?
The Cassini-Huygens mission was a collaborative project between NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA), and the Italian Space Agency (ASI). It was launched on October 15, 1997, and arrived at Saturn in 2004. The mission provided a wealth of information about Saturn, its rings, and its moons, including Titan, the only known moon with a dense atmosphere and liquid lakes and rivers on its surface. The mission concluded in September 2017 with a deliberate plunge into Saturn’s atmosphere.
Question 4: Who wrote the fantasy novel series "A Song of Ice and Fire," which inspired the TV series "Game of Thrones"?
George R. R. Martin began writing the series in 1991, and it currently includes five published novels with two more planned. The television adaptation, "Game of Thrones," garnered widespread acclaim and introduced the intricate storylines and characters to a global audience.
Question 5: Which ancient civilization built the city of Machu Picchu?
Machu Picchu is an iconic stone city constructed by the Inca civilization in the 15th century. It is located in the Eastern Cordillera of southern Peru on a 2,430-meter mountain ridge. It was not widely known until it was brought to international attention by the archaeologist Hiram Bingham in 1911.
Question 6: When was the novel "1984" by George Orwell first published?
George Orwell's "1984" is a dystopian novel that introduced terms like "Big Brother" and "Orwellian" into the English lexicon. It was published on June 8, 1949, and has since become a classic, with its themes of surveillance and totalitarianism remaining relevant.
Question 7: Which movie won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 2000?
"Gladiator," directed by Ridley Scott and starring Russell Crowe, won the Academy Award for Best Picture at the 73rd Oscars held in 2001, for films released in 2000. The movie was an epic historical drama set in the Roman empire and had a significant impact on reviving the interest in films based on ancient history.
Question 8: Which organ is responsible for filtering and detoxifying the blood?
The liver is a critical organ that processes nutrients from food, makes bile, removes toxins from the body, and builds proteins. It also plays an important role in blood clotting and other functions.
Question 9: Which 1997 film directed by James Cameron went on to become one of the highest-grossing films of all time?
"Titanic" not only captivated audiences with its epic storytelling but also with its impressive special effects and moving score by James Horner. It won 11 Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director, and held the title of highest-grossing film until it was surpassed by Cameron's own "Avatar" in 2009.
Question 10: What is the term for the zero point of thermal energy?
Absolute Zero, 0 degrees Kelvin or -273.15 degrees Celsius, is theoretically the coldest possible temperature where the particles within a substance would have minimal vibrational motion indicating the absence of thermal energy. It has never been reached but has been closely approached in laboratory conditions.
The sciatic nerve runs from the lower back down to the back of each leg. It controls the muscles of the back of the knee and lower leg and provides sensation to the back of the thigh, part of the lower leg, and the sole of the foot.