Historical Achievements/Discoveries
Modern Era Arab Engineers and Architects
Ancient Architecture of the Arab World
Modern Era Arab Engineers and Architects 2
Random
100

What branch of mathematics was discovered by Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi. 

Hint: x = 5 - y

Algebra and algorithms.


100

I was an Egyptian chemist who was known as "the father of femtochemistry" (study of chemical reactions on extremely short timescales). I was the first Arab to win a Nobel peace prize in a scientific field. My first name is Ahmed. 

Ahmed Zewail

100

What modern day country is this work of architecture located?

The Great Pyramids of Giza in Giza, Egypt.

100

I am a Palestinian architect born in 1945 who won the prestigious Tamayouz Lifetime Achievement Award for Architecture in 2019. Below is Abu Obaida Bin Al-Jarrah Mosque, 1997, Jordan Valley, Jordan, one of my works. 

Rasem Badran 

100

This famous phrase is inscribed throughout the Alhambra Palace in Granada Spain:

What is the phrase?

Wa La Ghaliba Ila Allah

لا غالب إلا الله 

200

Which mechanical invention used for wind energy was first recorded to be built in the 7th century, ordered by the Caliph Umar Ibn Al Khattab.


The windmill

200

I am a Lebanese American engineer and inventor. I am known as "the father of the iPod," and I am a co-creator of the iPhone. I also co-founded Nest Labs which created a smart, adaptive thermostat product in 2011. 

Anthony "Tony" Fadell. 

200

What modern day country is this work of architecture located in? 

Petra, Jordan. It was carved out of sandstone by an ancient Arab people indigenous to the area, over 2000 years ago. 

200

I am a Palestinian Electrical Engineer who was a lead electrical engineer on the Ingenuity helicopter project which made history in March 2021 by carrying out the first powered flight on another planet. 

Loay Albasyouni 

200

The [blank] bean originated as a beverage in modern-day Yemen. Most of you probably drink this every day. 

Coffee

300

Which Roman mechanical irrigation tool was improved by Arab Engineers and introduced to medieval Europe through Al-Andalus (Moorish Spain). 

Hint: They were called Nawa3eer نواعير in Arabic.

The watermill

Below are the watermills of Hama in Syria, which date back to the 12th century.

300

I was an Iraqi Architect who was the first woman to receive the Pritzker Architecture Prize in 2004. Below is a picture of the 842-meter Shiekh Zayed Bridge I designed in 2010. 

Zaha Hadid

300

What modern day country is this ancient city located? 

Old Sana'a City in Yemen. It has been inhabited for over 2,500 years. 

300

I am a Syrian professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at The University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. I have directed large, interdisciplinary NASA projects aimed at the development of high-resolution satellite radar sensors for mapping earth’s terrestrial environment. 

Fawwaz Ulaby 

300

Who am I?

Farid Al-Atrash

400

The work of 16th century polymath Taqi al-Din ibn Maruf al-Rashid al-Dimashqi led to the blueprint for the first time of a six-piston pump, and the use of can-shafts and cylinder blocks. These blueprints led to what type of crucial engine during the industrial revolution?

Steam Engine

400

I am an Egyptian computer scientist who co-founded a company called Affectiva, which used deep learning, computer vision, speech science and vast amounts of real-world data to develop emotion recognition technology.

Rana El Kaliouby 

400

What modern day country is this work of architecture located? 

The Great Umayyad Mosque of Damascus, Syria. It was built around the year 715. 

400

I am an Egyptian cryptographer who has made significant contributions to internet security. I am known as "the father of SSL (Secure Sockets Layer), which is a fundamental protocol for establishing a secure and encrypted link between networked computers.

Taher Elgamal 

400

Facilities whose purpose was for treating the sick and injured were first established in the Middle East in the 8th and 9th centuries in cities including Damascus, Baghdad, and Fustat (Old Capital of Egypt).

What are these places/facilities?

Hospitals

This is an image of Al-Mansour Qalawun Complex dating back to the 13th century in Cairo, which included a hospital, school and mausoleum. 

500

Andalusian-born Abbas ibn Firnas constructed something in the 9th century that Leonardo Da Vinci is mostly (wrongly) credited for. What is that invention?

Abbas ibn Firnas constructed a flying device and became the first aviator to fly with a heavier-than-air machine in the 9th century. Firnas’ design consisted of a winged apparatus made of silk that fitted around a man like a bird costume.

500

I was a Lebanese Engineer/Inventor who had over 70 US and foreign patents for my various inventions. My research was heavily concentrated in solar energy and the space industry. I created some of the first designs of electric cars in the 1920's and my solar cell prototypes are used today in space exploration. 

Hassan Kamel Al-Sabbah

500

What modern day country is this work of architecture located?

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Old City of Jerusalem, Palestine. It was built in the 4th century. 

500

I am a Saudi pediatric surgeon who is most famous for my expertise in successfully conducting surgeries for separating conjoined twins. 

Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz Al Rabeeah


500

What North African Country is this work of architecture located?

Ketchaoua Mosque in the ancient city of Algiers, Algeria. Built in 1612. 

The city of Algiers was founded in the 10th century and is known for its rich history and significance as a center of commerce in the Mediterranean region for centuries.