1. On July 22, 1981, India’s first geo-stationary satellite APPLE started functioning. APPLE stood for Ariane Passenger PayLoad Experiment. Ariane is the goddess associated with labyrinths (maze) in Greek mythology. A geo-stationary orbit follows the direction of Earth’s rotation. If the satellite is in an orbit which makes it complete one revolution per year, then it is known as sun-synchronous or X-synchronous, where ‘X’ is the grandfather of Ariane. Who is this Greek god who is the personification of the Sun?
2. This Greek goddess was a divine charioteer who flew around battlefields rewarding victors with glory and fame, symbolised by a wreath of laurel leaves. She is the goddess of strength, speed, and victory. Legend has it that Pheidippides ran the marathon, reached Athens, shouted her name and fell dead. The very first Fifa World Cup trophy depicted her. Who is this goddess whose name is quite popular in sporting circles?
3. This chemical element is highly resistant to corrosion and has the highest strength-to-density ratio of any metal. It was originally named Gregorite after William Gregor, a clergyman who discovered it in 1791. It proved extremely difficult to extract from its ore and hence was named after a race of powerful divine beings who were locked away underground. It is found in mobile phones, medical prostheses and there’s even an uplifting song by David Guetta, the title of which shares its name with this metal. What is this element with atomic number 22 and who is it named after?
4. The U.S. space programme to take astronauts to the moon was named after an Olympian god who was an incredible archer. He never missed his target and was also known for his ability to heal. He could also bring disease through his arrows. What is the name of the Nasa programme?
5. This type of Afro-Caribbean music is easily identifiable by its rhythmic and harmonic vocals. Its name is thought to have come from the word kaiso which is to urge someone to go on. The term used now, however, refers to the Greek goddess of the sea who detained Odysseus for seven years in Homer’s epic Odyssey . Incidentally, this style of music is very popular in the islands in the Atlantic Ocean. Who is this goddess and what is the style of music?
6 .This creature is one of the most easily recognisable mythical beings. It is supposed to have sprung from the neck of Medusa when she died. It is on the logo of a film studio, on a very popular monthly family magazine and, since 2012, has been guarding MGR’s memorial on Marina Beach in Chennai. What creature is this and what is its name?
7. ‘X’ is the Greek god of dreams and his father is Hypnos (god of sleep). An opiate drug isolated from the poppy plant, which has been used as a painkiller since the 1800s, is named after this god. His name is also popular in India amongst brandy drinkers. Who is this god and what is the painkiller?
8. Gerardus Mercator was a 16th century geographer who in 1569 created the first-ever world map. His projection and use of lines is still in use today. He dedicated his work to a Greek god who was a Titan condemned to hold up the sky for eternity. Since then, we refer to any collection of such entities with this god’s name. Who is this Titan who has an ocean and a mountain range named after him?
9. MACS J1149 Lensed Star 1 is a blue supergiant discovered in May 2016. It is the most distant individual star to have been detected so far. It is 9 billion light years away from Earth. Its non-scientific name refers to a Greek boy who did not heed his father’s warning and flew too close to the sun. The wax on the makeshift wings he wore melted and he plunged in to the sea (which carries his name now). Who was this boy and what is the name of this most distant star known to man?
10. Zeus, god of thunder and the sky, often visited beautiful nymphs (minor goddesses) on Earth. His wife Hera became suspicious and found out that Zeus was visiting this particular nymph. Whenever she tried catching her, the nymph would distract her with lengthy conversations. Eventually, Hera became angry and put a curse on her which allowed her to only repeat the words most recently spoken to her. What is the name of this unfortunate being?
Answers
1. Helios
2. Nike
3. Titanium, named after the Titans
4. Apollo
5. Calypso
6. Winged stallion, Pegasus
7. Morpheus, morphine
8. Atlas
9. Icarus
10. Echo
A molecular biologist from Madurai, our quizmaster enjoys trivia and music, and is working on a rock ballad called ‘Coffee is a Drink, Kaapi is an Emotion’. @bertyashley
