Big Brain Energy
Which element has the atomic number 1?
A. Helium
B. Oxygen
C. Hydrogen
D. Nitrogen
C. Hydrogen
Fun Fact: Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe, making up about 75% of all normal matter by mass and powering the Sun through nuclear fusion.
Four Vietnam veterans help people in need.
A. MacGyver
B. Miami Vice
C. The A-Team
D. JAG
C. The A-Team
Which U.S. President allegedly placed the first phone call to the Moon, with Neil Armstrong answering from the lunar surface?
A. Jimmy Carter
B. Richard Nixon
C. Homer J. Simpson
D. Lyndon B. Johnson
B. Richard Nixon
Which desert is Las Vegas located in?
A. Great Sandy Desert
B. Tule Desert
C. Mojave Desert
D. Painted Desert
C. Mojave Desert
Which team is known to its fans as "The Habs"?
A. Chicago Blackhawks
B. Montreal Canadiens
C. Detroit Red Wings
D. St. Louis Blues
B. Montreal Canadiens
Fun Fact: "Habs" comes from "Les Habitants," a nickname long associated with the Canadiens. Although many believe it's the team's official nickname, historians say the term likely originated from a misunderstanding of the team's logo by a sports writer in the 1920s.
How many U.S. states have a saltwater coastline?
A. 23
B. 18
C. 30
D. 27
A. 23
Alabama, Alaska, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, and Washington.
Which show do Danny, Jesse, Nicky, and Alex belong to?
A. Dallas
B. Full House
C. Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
D. Family Matters
B. Full House
In 1913, it was legal to put stamps on a child and mail them through the U.S. Postal Service.
A. True
B. False
A. True
Fun Fact: Shortly after Parcel Post began in 1913, a few parents actually mailed their young children by attaching postage stamps to their clothing because it was cheaper than buying a train ticket. The Postal Service quickly banned the practice after a handful of these unusual cases.
What causes a fjord?
A. Pollution
B. A meteorite
C. A glacier
D. The diversion of rivers and streams
B. A glacier
Fun Fact: Fjords are created when massive glaciers carve deep valleys into the landscape. After the glaciers melt, seawater floods the valleys, creating the steep-sided inlets found in places like Norway, New Zealand, and Alaska.
Major winner Vijay Singh hailed from which tropical island nation?
A. Indonesia
B. Tahiti
C. Tonga
D. Fiji
C. Fiji
Fun Fact: Vijay Singh won 34 PGA Tour events, including three major championships, and became the World No. 1 golfer in 2004, ending Tiger Woods' long reign at the top of the rankings.
What is the rarest naturally occurring element on Earth?
A. Francium
B. Promethium
C. Californium
D. Astatine
D. Astatine
Fun Fact: Scientists estimate there is less than one gram of astatine in the Earth's entire crust at any given time because it is highly radioactive and decays very quickly.
"Do buffaloes have wings?" What show did this remark come from?
A. Passions
B. Married... with Children
C. Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica
D. 'Til Death Do Us Part: Carmen and Dave
C. Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica
Fun Fact: Jessica Simpson became famous for several memorable comments on Newlyweds, including her confusion over "Chicken of the Sea" tuna, which became one of the most talked-about reality TV moments of the 2000s.
President Donald J. Trump is well known for including his middle initial "J." What does the "J" stand for?
A. John
B. Jorge
C. James
D. Joseph
A. John
Which of these rivers does not flow directly into the Atlantic Ocean?
A. Orange River
B. Columbia River
C. Amazon River
D. Congo River
B. Columbia River
Fun Fact: The Columbia River flows west into the Pacific Ocean, while the Amazon, Congo, and Orange Rivers all empty directly into the Atlantic Ocean.
Who was the first NHL player to score 50 goals in 50 games?
A. Bobby Orr
B. Bobby Hull
C. Maurice Richard
D. Wayne Gretzky
C. Maurice Richard
Fun Fact: Maurice "The Rocket" Richard accomplished the feat during the 1944–45 season, scoring his 50th goal in his team's 50th game—the original and official "50 in 50" recognized by the NHL. Wayne Gretzky later scored 50 in just 39 games, the fastest ever, but not in his team's first 50 games.
What is considered the most venomous spider in the world?
A. Sydney Funnel-Web Spider
B. Black Widow
C. Brown Recluse
D. Brazilian Wandering Spider
D. Brazilian Wandering Spider
Fun Fact: The Brazilian wandering spider holds a Guinness World Record as the world's most venomous spider. Despite its potent venom, deaths are now rare thanks to prompt medical treatment and effective antivenom.
What PBS program did Morgan Freeman help co-found?
A. Barney
B. The Electric Company
C. Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood
D. Sesame Street
B. The Electric Company
Fun Fact: Morgan Freeman played several recurring characters on The Electric Company from 1971–1977, including Easy Reader. While he did not actually co-found the show, it was one of his first major television roles and helped launch his acting career.
Chase National Bank was founded in 1877 and named in honor of Salmon P. Chase. Mr. Chase also appeared on which U.S. currency?
A. $10 bill
B. $500 bill
C. $1,000 bill
D. $10,000 bill
D. $10,000 bill
Fun Fact: Salmon P. Chase served as Abraham Lincoln's Treasury Secretary and later became Chief Justice of the United States. Although he never became president, his portrait appeared on the $10,000 bill, one of the highest-denomination U.S. notes ever printed.
Which of these South American peaks is the tallest?
A. Ojos del Salado
B. Monte Pissis
C. Aconcagua
D. Mercedario
C. Aconcagua
Fun Fact: At 22,838 feet (6,961 meters), Aconcagua in Argentina is the highest mountain in both the Southern Hemisphere and the Western Hemisphere—and the tallest mountain outside of Asia.
Where was the 2002 NBA All-Star Game played?
A. Detroit
B. Dallas
C. Washington
D. Philadelphia
D. Philadelphia
Fun Fact: The 2002 NBA All-Star Game was held at the First Union Center (now the Wells Fargo Center) in Philadelphia. Kobe Bryant was named All-Star Game MVP after scoring 31 points.
Which Mozart opera features the character Figaro?
A. The Marriage of Figaro
B. The Magic Flute
C. Don Giovanni
D. Così fan tutte
A. The Marriage of Figaro
Fun Fact: The Marriage of Figaro premiered in 1786 and is considered one of the greatest operas ever written. Its overture is one of Mozart's most recognizable compositions.
What television show has the tagline, "Life. Death. And Life Again."?
A. Ghost Whisperer
B. Bionic Woman
C. Supernatural
D. Pushing Daisies
D. Pushing Daisies
Fun Fact: Pushing Daisies followed Ned, a pie maker who could bring the dead back to life with a single touch—but if he touched them again, they died permanently. The show's unique visual style earned it seven Emmy Awards.
Which United States President took office just two months after his son was killed in a train wreck?
A. Theodore Roosevelt
B. Franklin Pierce
C. Benjamin Harrison
D. James Buchanan
B. Franklin Pierce
Fun Fact: Just weeks before his inauguration in 1853, Franklin Pierce and his wife watched their 11-year-old son, Benjamin, die in a train derailment. The tragedy deeply affected Pierce and overshadowed his presidency.
Can you name the cold, dry wind that blows periodically down the Rhône Valley in France?
A. Harmattan
B. Sirocco
C. Mistral
D. Chinook
C. Mistral
Fun Fact: The Mistral can reach speeds of over 55 mph (90 km/h) and is famous for bringing clear blue skies to southern France after storms.
Which of the following played in 24 All-Star Games for the National League, and one for the American League?
A. Hank Aaron
B. Warren Spahn
C. Stan Musial
D. Ernie Banks
C. Stan Musial
Fun Fact: Stan Musial was selected to 24 All-Star Games, but because MLB held two All-Star Games each year from 1959–1962, he actually made 24 selections in 22 seasons. He also appeared for the American League in the 1963 exhibition game after briefly being traded for the event's roster format, giving him a unique distinction in All-Star history.