and

The
Arts

What unusual musical feature do Mars from Holst's Planets and Lalo Schifirin's theme to Mission Impossible have in common?	They both use 5/4 time. Dave Brubeck's jazz classic Take Five does also, hence its title	Return to Music
If you are on a ship heading east through the Panama canal, which ocean will you emerge into?	The Pacific! Panama, the thinnest part of the link between North & South America, resembles a reclining S with the canal across the middle.	Return to Geography
Which invention led to over two centuries of British naval supremacy?	The Harrison chronometer. In its successful five month trans-Atlantic trial in 1761 it lost only five seconds, giving the ability to measure longitude with 24 times the half degree accuracy requested. Despite this the government took 12 years to pay him for it.	Return to History
Which is the world's largest manmade structure?	Even now, 350 years after it reached its full length of 1500 miles, the Great Wall of China remains the largest human artifact. However, contrary to popular belief it is NOT the only one visible from space.	Return to Architecture

The
Sciences

Which Wonder of the World was recently thought to have been rediscovered?	The Colossus of Rhodes. Sadly the "foot" found by divers was actually a block of harbour wall, grooved by rope-wear.	Return to Archaeology
Which mathematical theorem was recently proved after over 300 years?	Fermat's last theorem - Pierre de Fermat claimed he could prove that the formula an + bn = cn could not be solved for n > 2. A proof was finally provided by English mathematician Andrew Wiles.	Return to Mathematics
Which geological era is named after a range of mountains?	The Jurassic era takes its name from the Jura Mountains on the Franco-Swiss border. Amusingly, the principal dinosaurs in Spielberg's Jurassic Park actually belong to the later Cretaceous era.	Return to Geology
Which plant has the worlds largest flower?	The Titan Arum, Amorphophallus titanium. It only blooms once every 30 or so years, but unfortunately has a nauseating aroma reminiscent of burnt sugar and rotting meat.	Return to Botany

The Globe

Which locomotive holds the world steam speed record?	The Mallard, one of Sir Nigel Gresley's A-4 Pacific class of streamlined 4-6-2 locos designed for LNER, achieved 125mph in 1938.	Return to Brunel
How did Aphrodite, the goddess of love, enter the world?	She emerged naked from the sea at Paphos in Cyprus.	Return to Minerva
Where did the Normans come from?	Although they invaded England from what is now France, they originally came from Scandinavia. Norman is a corruption of Norseman.	Return to Domesday
Who made the first radio transmission?	The Italian Guglielmo Marconi in 1896. He transmitted morse code - the first sound broadcasts were made by the Canadian Reginald Fessenden in 1906	Return to Radio 4

Return to Minerva Home Page | Back to The Globe | More Leitmotifs