Outstanding October
This spooky flying mammal is associated with Halloween.
the bat
More than half of bat species in the United States are in severe decline or listed as endangered. That’s not a good thing because bats can eat up to 1,200 mosquitoes in an hour and are essential pollinators.
He said, “I have a dream.”
Martin Luther King Jr.
He delivered the line in his “I Have a Dream” speech in Washington, D.C., at the March on Washington.
Natural satellites that orbit planets
moons
Jupiter has dozens of moons, including the four large Galilean moons: Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto. In April 2026, Artemis II astronauts captured remarkable pictures of Earth’s moon during their lunar flyby.
This famous highway is also known as the Will Rogers Highway and the Mother Road, and its route from Chicago to Los Angeles was promoted as the “Best Way West.”
Route 66
After Will Rogers’ death, the US Highway 66 Association designated Highway 66 the Will Rogers Highway after the entire road had been paved.
This type of portable radio grew popular during the 1960s.
transistor
Before transistor radios were introduced, radios were large, bulky home furnishings that housed breakable vacuum tubes. The first commercial transistor radio was introduced in 1954, and the reduced size made radios portable.
This European explorer reached the Americas in October 1492.
Christopher Columbus
Columbus reached islands in the Caribbean in 1492. Leif Erikson is widely credited with reaching Newfoundland centuries earlier.
“Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.”
President John F. Kennedy
It was the most memorable line of his inaugural address on January 20, 1961.
The “Blue Planet”
Earth
Around 71 percent of Earth is covered by water, and NASA images of Earth are mostly blue because of that.
Switzerland is a neutral country located in this region of Europe.
Alpine
The tiny country has 7,000 lakes, one of the highest quality-of-life rankings, and a very expensive cost of living.
Bad reception produces this crackling sound.
static
Unless there is something wrong with the radio, external factors such as electromagnetic interference and atmospheric conditions are the most likely culprits.
Three warm spices found in most pantries in autumn are cinnamon, nutmeg, and this one.
cloves
Most recipes call for ground cloves at 50 percent of the quantity of cinnamon and nutmeg.
This president said, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”
President Franklin D. Roosevelt
The quote is extracted from his inaugural address. The full quote is, “So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself—nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.”
The fourth planet from the sun
Mars
Mars is often called the Red Planet because iron minerals in its soil give it a rusty color. Scientists and tech billionaires alike have set their sights on developing long-term exploration and establishing a sustained human presence on Mars in the future.
This is the largest city in North America, and it’s found outside of the United States.
Mexico City
Its urban area population is 25.6 million people, while New York City’s urban area population is 22.6 million.
This free message is offered in the service of the public interest.
a public service announcement (PSA)
PSAs originated during World War II, and one of radio’s best-remembered PSAs was the “Loose Lips Sink Ships” campaign.
This October U.S. holiday plays double duty: Columbus Day and this day.
Indigenous Peoples’ Day
Indigenous Peoples’ Day honors the culture, history, and resilience of the continent’s first inhabitants.
“I don’t want to belong to any club that would accept me as a member.”
Groucho Marx
Marx penned the infamous line in his resignation letter to the Friars’ Club of Beverly Hills. Many versions of the quote exist; all are equally funny.
Term for planets orbiting a star beyond our solar system
exoplanet
The first exoplanet was discovered in 1992. NASA’s confirmed exoplanet count has passed 6,000, and many more candidates are still being studied.
This continent resides in all four hemispheres.
What is Africa
It’s the second-largest continent in the world.
This comedic duo of stage, radio, and TV is famous for their “Who’s on First” routine.
Abbott and Costello
Abbott came from a circus family, and Costello was a stuntman in Hollywood before they met.
This famous ship’s hull was completed in the Harland & Wolff shipyard in Belfast in October 1910.
Titanic
When the Titanic was set afloat, it was the largest ship ever to have sailed, but it was not the fastest.
Now hold it right there, Pilgrim—this actor is an icon of Hollywood’s Golden Age.
John Wayne
Pilgrim was his signature word in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. He uses the word 25 times to refer to or address one or more people.
The number of planets in our solar system that have rings
four
Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune—have ring systems. Saturn’s rings are by far the most visible. If you only thought Saturn, that's okay, more modern science was needed to be able to see them. Saturn's rings were confirmed by Galileo in 1610.
This U.S. state is closest to Africa.
Maine
Maine’s easternmost point is about 3,154 miles from Africa, with Massachusetts (Cape Cod) coming in second place at 3,332 miles away.
The first commercial radio station operated in this state.
Pennsylvania
KDKA’s first day of operation in Pittsburgh was November 2, 1920.