The Sunday Quiz This week, its all about October 20
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Born on October 20, 1632, the visionary British architect Sir Christopher Wren was responsible for some of the most iconic buildings in London. St Paul’s Cathedral, the Royal Observatory, the facade of Hampton Court Palace and the Monument are just a few of his masterpieces. He revived and defined the look of London following an incident which destroyed most of the city. What incident was this that proved to be a blessing in disguise for him?
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Born on October 20, 1891, Sir James Chadwick was an English physicist who wrote the report that inspired President Roosevelt to create the Manhattan Project. He was awarded the Physics Nobel Prize in 1935 for his discovery of a fundamental particle. This discovery made it possible to artificially create elements heavier than uranium. What did Chadwick discover that is present in all atomic nuclei except in ordinary hydrogen?
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Born on October 20, 1964, this lady is the first Indian American as well as the second African American woman to serve as a U.S. senator. Her father is a Stanford University professor who emigrated from Jamaica and her mother is a breast-cancer scientist from Chennai. Who is this lady who is currently a candidate for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States in 2020?
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Born in Delhi on October 20, 1978, this person is the only cricketer to hit two triple centuries and take a five wicket haul in test cricket. He was banned on his debut test match against South Africa in 2001 for over appealing. He is also known by nicknames such as Sultan of Multan and Nawab of Najafgarh. Who is this sportsperson?
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On October 20, 1906, Lee de Forest demonstrated what he called the ‘Audion’ which was an amplifying electrical vacuum tube. It was the first widely used electronic device which could amplify and thereby laid the foundation for the field of electronics. It eventually made possible a certain technology which he proclaimed himself as the founder of. What was this invention that we usually attribute to an Italian electrical engineer?
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On October 20, 1950, chemists Archer John Porter Martin and James Lovelock gave the first demonstration of this technique at a meeting of the Biochemical Society and it was rapidly adopted by the petrochemical industry. It is a technique used for separating and analysing compounds that can be vaporised without decomposition. The term comes from the Greek words for ‘colour’ and ‘to write’ and the fact that it works with vapours. What did Martin and Lovelock demonstrate?
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On October 20, 1968, American athlete Dick Fosbury used a then very unconventional technique to win the gold medal in his event at the Mexico City Olympics. He cleared 2.24 metres and set a world record and soon his action which was referred to as the ‘Fosbury Flop’ became accepted as the most efficient technique to use in this event. What sport did Fosbury revolutionise by doing something backwards?
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On October 20, 1973, Queen Elizabeth II declared open this building which has become an iconic representation of an entire continent. Built over 14 years and costing $102 million, it was added to Unesco’s World Heritage list in 2007. Designed by Danish architect Jørn Utzon, it is known for its characteristic roof structures which are known as shells. What is this building that sits on the harbour?
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The 49th parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 49° north of Earth’s equator. On October 20, 1818, the Treaty of 1818 was signed between the United States and the United Kingdom and marked the United States’ permanent cession of a significant territory to a foreign power. Till today, roughly 3,500 km of the latitude is the defining border between two countries. Which two countries are split by this line?
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June 29 is celebrated as a special day in India to honour the birthday of Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis who conducted pioneering studies in anthropometry. The world however celebrates this day on October 20 once in every five years. The next celebration is scheduled for October 20, 2020. A total of 103 of 195 countries celebrate this day, which is 52.82%. What is this day that’s celebrated by mathematicians worldwide?
