Q 01/05

Which physicist, born in Oxford on 8 January, arrived exactly 300 years to the day after Galileo died?

A) Stephen Hawking

B) Roger Penrose

C) Martin Rees

D) Jocelyn Bell Burnell

Answer · why

A) Stephen Hawking

Stephen Hawking was born into a family of physicians, and both his parents had studied at Oxford despite the family's limited means. He went up to Uni...

Q 02/05

Which college football game left Pasadena for Durham, North Carolina on 1 January, over fears of a Japanese attack?

A) Orange Bowl

B) Rose Bowl

C) Sugar Bowl

D) Cotton Bowl

Answer · why

B) Rose Bowl

The Rose Bowl was played at the Blue Devils' home stadium after they invited the game and Oregon State east, and the visitors won 20–16. The hosts als...

Q 03/05

Which film star, with the composer George Antheil, won a US patent on 11 August for frequency-hopping torpedo guidance?

A) Greta Garbo

B) Ingrid Bergman

C) Hedy Lamarr

D) Marlene Dietrich

Answer · why

C) Hedy Lamarr

Hedy Lamarr filed under her legal name, Hedy Kiesler Markey, and the idea reached operational systems only in 1962, three years after the patent expir...

Q 04/05

Which actress, Clark Gable's wife, died on 16 January when her plane home from a war-bond tour hit a Nevada mountain?

A) Jean Harlow

B) Myrna Loy

C) Claudette Colbert

D) Carole Lombard

Answer · why

D) Carole Lombard

Carole Lombard's TWA flight hit Potosi Mountain near Las Vegas after the beacons that guided night flights had been switched off for fear of Japanese ...

Q 05/05

Which BBC radio programme, devised by Roy Plomley, began on 29 January with comedian Vic Oliver as its first guest?

A) Desert Island Discs

B) Music While You Work

C) The Brains Trust

D) Housewives' Choice

Answer · why

A) Desert Island Discs

Desert Island Discs cast away Vic Oliver, who happened to be Winston Churchill's son-in-law, and the format still asks each guest for eight records, a...