Q 01/05

Which poisonous plant did the Greek philosopher Socrates drink after an Athenian jury condemned him at his trial?

A) Hemlock

B) Oleander

C) Mandrake

D) Henbane

Answer · why

A) Hemlock

Hemlock owes its deadliness to an alkaloid called coniine, and as few as six to eight leaves can kill an adult.

Q 02/05

Which sweet treat is dangerous to dogs because they break down its stimulant theobromine far more slowly than humans?

A) Marshmallows

B) Caramel

C) Chocolate

D) Licorice

Answer · why

C) Chocolate

Chocolate gets riskier as it gets darker, because dark and baking varieties hold far more theobromine than refined sweets.

Q 03/05

Which nutrient makes polar bear liver so toxic that the Inuit have long refused to eat it?

A) Vitamin D

B) Vitamin A

C) Vitamin K

D) Vitamin B12

Answer · why

B) Vitamin A

Vitamin A builds up in the livers of Arctic predators, and about 500 grams of polar bear liver is estimated to be an acute toxic dose for a person.

Q 04/05

Which color was the arsenic pigment, named for chemist Carl Scheele, that sickened Victorians through their wallpaper?

A) Orange

B) Crimson

C) Violet

D) Green

Answer · why

D) Green

Green wallpaper took the blame when damp rooms made people ill, because mold was thought to release arsenic vapours from the pigment.

Q 05/05

Which garden plant has edible stalks but leaves made poisonous by high levels of oxalic acid?

A) Celery

B) Fennel

C) Rhubarb

D) Asparagus

Answer · why

C) Rhubarb

Rhubarb leaves are inedible, and even the stalks should be skipped after a severe cold snap, when the acid can migrate out of the leaves.