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What kind of lamp that was popular in the 1960s and ’70s contains hot wax that moves slowly up and down inside the glass?
Lava lamp. Invented by an accountant named Edward Craven Walker, the lava lamp uses a lightbulb as a heat source to melt the wax at the bottom, thus causing the wax to rise in the water. As it moves to the top, it cools, and the wax becomes heavy again and begins its descent to the bottom, where it heats up again and lifts into an ever-morphing loop.
The esophagus leads to what organ of the body?
The stomach. Involuntary contractions of the esophagus muscles push food down to the stomach after you have chewed and swallowed it.
What dish is made with layers of flat rectangular pasta, tomato sauce, cheese, and often minced meat?
Lasagna. Despite most everyone believing the dish hails from Italy, in recent years the British have tried to claim it comes from Gloucestershire, England. They claim the first known lasagna was made for King Richard II around 1390 and that no record of lasagna in Italy predates this finding. However, some point out there were no tomatoes in that dish, only pasta layered with cheese, and it is thus not lasagna.
What is it called when the sun’s chromosphere erupts and sends particles into space?
A solar flare. Solar flares are a sudden release of magnetic energy and can hit Earth if they are powerful enough. One such occurrence was documented by British astronomer Richard Carrington in 1859. Magnetic disturbances were reported all over the world, and early telegraph wires caught fire due to the event.
In Canada, the terms loonies and toonies are used for which of the following: money, cartoons, or birdwatchers?
Money. In Canada, small bills are in coin form. The one-dollar coin has a picture of a loon (bird) on it, and therefore, it is called a loonie. The two-dollar coin is called a toonie, which is a combination of the words two and loonie. A version of the toonie now glows in the dark with an image of the northern lights in celebration of Canada’s confederation over 150 years ago.
What insect is known for carrying items many times its body weight?
The ant. In fact, researchers from the Ohio State University have studied the phenomenon and discovered that the common American field ant can carry up to 5,000 times its weight.
In what game do you choose letters from a bag to create words on a crossword puzzle-like board?
Scrabble. In 1933, Scrabble was invented by an out-of-work architect, Alfred Mosher Butts. It was initially named Lexiko, then Criss Cross Words, and finally Scrabble in the late 1940s
What Mexican painter was married to Diego Rivera and known for her many self-portraits and political activism?
Frida Kahlo. Some of her most famous pieces include Self-Portrait with Thorn Necklace, The Two Fridas, and The Suicide of Dorothy Hale. Her works were often deeply personal and expressed everything from her experience with several miscarriages to the chronic physical pain she endured after a traumatic bus accident.
Who wrote Great Expectations, Oliver Twist, and David Copperfield?
Charles Dickens. Born Charles John Huffam Dickens in Portsmouth, England, he has been described as one of the most important writers of the 19th century.
What president gave evening radio broadcasts called “fireside chats”?
President Franklin D. Roosevelt. From March 1933 to June 1944, Roosevelt broadcast about 30 of these speeches on a variety of topics.
Who is rumored to have ridden a horse naked through the town of Coventry, England?
Lady Godiva. Though many scholars believe this to be a myth, the story claims that she did this to protest taxes imposed by her husband.
Who has been the governor-general of Australia for the past five years?
Sir Peter Cosgrove. The Queen of England, Elizabeth II, takes recommendations from the prime minister and then appoints the governor-general for a term of five years
. What item do some artists use to hold their canvas while they paint on it?
An easel. Easels are often made of wood or metal and have three legs that fold up for portability.
Who founded Playboy magazine?
Hugh Hefner. The first issue of Playboy was released in 1953 and featured Marilyn Monroe on the cover.
What is the official language of Costa Rica?
Spanish. However, there are some indigenous languages spoken as well, including Cabécar, Bribri, Guaymí, Buglere, and Maléku. Many indigenous languages of Costa Rica have gone extinct, and the country is taking steps to preserve the remaining languages.
What type of plant is known for eating small insects?
Venus flytrap. The plant’s trap snaps shut when an insect is detected. While some other plants eat insects, the Venus flytrap is the most well-known
Chopin, Liszt, Verdi, and Brahms were all what?
Composers. More specifically, they were all composers during the Romantic era, which ran from 1820 to 1900.
Gregory Peck played Atticus Finch in what 1962 movie?
To Kill a Mockingbird. Based on Harper Lee’s novel of the same name, To Kill a Mockingbird also starred Robert Duvall as the character Boo Radley.
A product is to multiplication as a sum is to what?
Addition. In subtraction, the solution is called the difference, and in division, the answer is called the quotient.
Who founded the American Red Cross and helped provide nursing services during the U.S. Civil War?
Clara Barton. She worked with the International Red Cross in Europe before founding the American Red Cross in 1881. She also acted as the organization’s first president.
How many cups are in a U.S. fluid pint?
Two. There are 16 ounces in a pint
What city in Alberta, Canada, hosted the Olympics in 1988?
Calgary. Calgary hosted 1,423 athletes from 57 countries at the 1988 Olympic games.
What brand of coffee “tastes as good as it smells” and is “good to the last drop”?
Maxwell House. Joel Cheek created the coffee and named it after the Nashville hotel where the coffee was first served. Some claim Teddy Roosevelt was the first to say the coffee was “good to the last drop,” in 1907, but the validity of this rumor remains a mystery.
A product is to multiplication as a sum is to what?
Addition. In subtraction, the solution is called the difference, and in division, the answer is called the quotient.
Does latitude or longitude specify distances north and south of the equator?
Latitude. Did you know Montreal, Canada; Venice, Italy; Belgrade, Serbia; and Zagreb, Croatia, are all on the same latitudinal line (45°)?