What is the name of the lowest layer of Earth's atmosphere?
troposphere
stratosphere
What is the most common element in the human body?
oxygen
hydrogen
Who painted "The Starry Night"?
Vincent van Gogh
Rembrandt
If you exaggerate the severity of a situation, you ‘make a mountain out of a …’?
molehill
rabbit hole
What is the standard unit of kinetic energy?
Joule
Pascal
How long does it take for light to travel from the Sun's surface to the Earth?
8 light-years
8 minutes and 20 seconds
Hurricanes only form over …?
cold water
warm water
What is the only human body part that can't repair itself?
teeth
How much skin will the average person shed during their lifetime?
over 50 kg
over 100 kg
How many times does a giant panda poop each day?
40 times
10 times
‘Putting something on …’ means delaying or pausing it until later.
ice
the freezer
What instrument is used to measure wind speed?
airometer
anemometer
If you ‘have sticky fingers’, you’re…?
a thief
“Brace yourself” means “…yourself.”
prepare
What is the smallest mammal in the world?
micro bat
bumblebee bat
What animal often symbolizes peace in art?
dove
pigeon
What happened to the bodies of former Russian tsar Nicholas II and his family after they were slaughtered?
They were embalmed.
They were burned.
What percentage of the cells in your body are bacteria?
90% bacteria and only 10% human cells
90% human cells and only 10% bacteria
‘To buy a …’ means to buy something (usually a motor vehicle) that doesn’t work well and is therefore worthless.
lemon
banana
The idiom ‘walking on thin …’ means to be in a risky situation that can easily go bad.
ice
shells
What was the method of execution for King Charles I of England?
hanging
beheading
What percentage of a cat's bones are in its tail?
10%
40%
The coldest, darkest time of winter is known as ‘the … of winter’.
dead
How many earthquakes are there worldwide each year?
over 1 thousand
over 1 million
What is the smallest biological unit of a living organism?
cell
gene
What gas becomes a superfluid when cooled to absolute zero?
helium
ozone
In which state is Harvard University located?
Montana
Michigan
Maine
Massachusetts
What is the windiest planet in our solar system?
Neptune
What did I.M. Pei design outside the Louvre, in Paris?
a pyramid
How many brains did a Stegosaurus have?
1
Which art movement, first in painting and later in music, developed in France during the late 19th and early 20th centuries?
Impressionism
Expresssionism
How often does Halley's Comet pass Earth?
every 77 years
every 76 years
Herpetology is the study of what?
lizards
snakes
reptiles
Which fruit is a hybrid of the pomelo and mandarin/tangerine?
orange
What is the gestation period of a hippopotamus?
8 months
10 months
If you’re ‘cool as a …’, you’re someone who’s very calm and relaxed.
cucumber
How far away can a wolf smell its prey?
nearly 3 km
nearly 1 km
Who invented dynamite?
Alfred Nobel
Marie Curie
Early photographers made their images on…
stone
metal
glass
What planet has the most moons?
Jupiter
Mycology is the study of what?
bacteria
fungi
Name the church where Leonardo da Vinci's famous fresco the "Last Supper" is painted.
Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan
Santa Maria delle Grazie in Rome
What is the symbol for Potassium?
K (derived from Neo-Latin, kalium)
What is the largest planet in our solar system?
Jupiter
What is Jupiter's largest moon?
Ganymede
Europa
CH3COOH is the chemical formula for what common household item?
olive oil
vinegar
Unlike most other fish, sharks have no…?
bones
What has the highest atomic number of any non-radioactive element?
iron
lead
What discovery earned Wilhelm Röntgen the first Nobel Prize for Physics?
Penicillin
X-rays
Why are sharks and rays different from other fish?
They have no bones.
What is the functional unit of heredity?
cell
gene
Before you can face the cold outside, you have to … up, which means to get dressed warmly.
pack
bundle
In what type of matter are atoms most tightly packed?
solids
What is the fastest flying bird in the world?
peregrine falcon
bald eagle
Which organ do insects NOT have?
lungs
heart
What do you call the application of science to criminal investigation?
Criminal Science
Forensic science
What type of cloud is characterized by thin, wispy strands?
Cirrus
Cumulus Nimbus
What is the symbol for silver?
Ag
What inorganic molecule does lightning produce?
ozone
What is the energy called an object possesses due to its motion?
kinetic
static
What is the largest living structure on Earth?
Great Barrier Reef
Mount Everest
What is the gestation period of a blue whale?
12-14 months
10-12 months
Stephen Hawking was a vigorous supporter of what interpretation of quantum mechanics?
a couple of worlds
many-worlds
What is the most abundant element in the Universe?
hydrogen
oxygen
What illness accounted for 40% of U. S. military casualties during World War I?
dermatitis
influenza/flu
How many eggs does a queen bee lay per day?
2,000
2
Which serial killer's intelligence, charm, and good looks were emphasized in media coverage of his murder trial in Florida in 1978?
Charles Manson
Ted Bundy
The average person has about … liters of blood.
5
10
What do scientists use to clean up radioactive waste?
sunflowers
Fairy
What is the hottest planet in our solar system?
Venus