Q 01/05

Galalith, an early plastic adopted by the fashion industry, was made from a protein in which food?

A) Eggs

B) Wheat

C) Milk

D) Rice

Answer · why

C) Milk

Milk supplied the casein that formaldehyde turned as hard as horn, and the trade name comes from the Greek for milk stone. In 1913 Germany alone used ...

Q 02/05

Bubble wrap was invented in 1957 by two men who were trying to create a textured plastic version of what?

A) Wallpaper

B) Raincoats

C) Tablecloths

D) Lampshades

Answer · why

A) Wallpaper

Wallpaper was what Alfred Fielding and Marc Chavannes had in mind. Their flop found its calling as padding for IBM's new 1401 computers on the way to ...

Q 03/05

John Wesley Hyatt's 1860s plastic came from chasing a $10,000 prize for an ivory substitute in what?

A) Piano keys

B) Umbrella handles

C) Chess pieces

D) Billiard balls

Answer · why

D) Billiard balls

Billiard balls were using up so much ivory that Michael Phelan put up the reward in 1863. Hyatt's company went on to turn out false teeth and piano ke...

Q 04/05

Which country issued the world's first modern plastic banknotes in 1988, the year of its bicentenary?

A) Canada

B) Australia

C) New Zealand

D) Singapore

Answer · why

B) Australia

Australia developed the notes with its national science agency, CSIRO, and by 1996 had given up paper money altogether. Romania became the first Europ...

Q 05/05

Which country became the first to ban thin plastic bags, in 2002, after they were blamed for floods?

A) Bangladesh

B) Rwanda

C) South Africa

D) Ireland

Answer · why

A) Bangladesh

Bangladesh acted after littered bags were blamed for floods that submerged two-thirds of the country between 1988 and 1998.