Rubber bands, quake pill, more
1. Named for the Greek goddess of discord and strife, Eris is a dwarf planet found where?
A) Between Jupiter and Saturn
B) Beyond Neptune C) Orbiting Mercury D) Andromeda galaxy
2. The martial art Krav Maga originated in what country?
A) Brazil
B) Israel
C) Italy
D) Thailand
3. Cointreau, Curacao and Grand Marnier are cordials flavored with what?
A) Anise
B) Black currant
C) Hazelnut
D) Orange
4. Sapphire comes from the same mineral as which other precious gem?
A) Amethyst
B) Diamond
C) Emerald
D) Ruby
5. What fictional company's products include giant rubber bands, earthquake pills, birdseed and anvils?
A) Acme Corp.
B) Evil Corp.
C) Rich Industries D) Wayne Enterprises
6. A breakaway republic in 1820s Texas and a fictional nation in the Marx Brothers' “Duck Soup” share what name (with slightly different spellings)?
A) Amerizonia
B) Fredonia
C) Libertonia
D) Portlandia
Answers
1) Eris is a dwarf planet found beyond Neptune. 2) The martial art of Krav Maga comes from Israel. The name means “contact combat” in Hebrew. 3) Cointreau, Curacao and Grand Marnier are cordials flavored with orange. 4) Sapphire and ruby are color variations of the mineral corundum.
5) “Looney Toons” Acme Corp. makes giant rubber bands, earthquake pills, birdseed and anvils. 6) Fredonia was the name of a breakaway republic in 1820s Texas and a fictional nation in the Marx Brothers' “Duck Soup.”
FACTS OF THE DAY
• Phobos and Deimos — Fear and Terror — are irregularly shaped objects that orbit Mars. We call them moons although it's more likely they're asteroids caught in the planet's gravitational pull. Asaph Hall, a mathematician and astronomer at the U.S. Naval Observatory, cataloged and named them in 1877. Hall made his discoveries using the observatory's 26-inch “Great Equatorial” refracting telescope, which is still in use today.
• The word “regatta,” referring to a boat race, comes from a Venetian word meaning competition. As far back as the 13th century, the Festa delle Marie — part of the annual Carnevale di Venezia celebration — takes place in the weeks before Lent .
• The “star” in a star sapphire is caused by natural deposits of a titanium-based mineral called rutile inside the stone. Occasionally, those needle-shaped imperfections meet at their points to create a star shape called an asterism (from the Latin for star). When that happens, the raw gemstone is cut and polished to highlight the natural star-shaped inclusion.