THE BIG QUESTIONS
I often yell into a disused railway tunnel near my home and my kids love the echo, which lasts several seconds. Is there anywhere we can go for a longer echo? – P
The longest echo on record lasted for an astonishing one minute and 15 seconds.
And it was recorded here in Scotland at a disused oil storage tunnel at Inchindown, Ross-shire.
Acoustic engineer Prof Trevor Cox recorded a shot fired from a pistol loaded with blanks.
I’ve booked a holiday in Egypt, where I’ll fulfil a desire to see the pyramids, one of the Seven Wonders Of The Ancient World. But what are the Wonders Of The Modern World? - I
The Great Pyramid Of Giza is the only of the Seven Wonders still standing. The list was originally compiled in the 2nd Century BC.
In 2000, an internet survey found the Wonders Of The Modern World (anything after the ancient list) were the Great Wall Of China, Chichen Itza (a Mayan City), the Jordanian city of Petra, Machu Picchu, an Incan site in Peru, the statue of Christ the Redeemer overlooking Rio De Janeiro, the Colosseum in Rome and the Taj Mahal. But there is no settled list.
After spending half an hour searching for a couple of missing pieces, I’d like to know who to thank for inventing the jigsaw puzzle. – L
John Spilsbury, a map engraver, came up with the idea in 1762.
He wanted to help local children learn geography by mounting one of his maps on to wood, then cutting out the countries.
He gave the shapes to the children, and the first jigsaw – or dissected map as he called it – was created.