Question 1

What is the only planet in our solar system that rotates on its side, with an axial tilt of about 98 degrees?

Accepted Answer

14 months. Edvard Munch's 'The Scream' was stolen from the National Gallery in Oslo in February 1994 and recovered about 14 months later in May 1995 during a police sting operation.

Question 2

Which country is home to the world's oldest known living tree, a bristlecone pine nicknamed 'Methuselah' that is estimated to be over 4,800 years old?

Accepted Answer

United States. Methuselah grows in the White Mountains of California and is protected by the U.S. Forest Service — its exact location is kept secret to prevent vandalism. It was already 800 years old when the Great Pyramid of Giza was built.

Question 3

What is the name of the neurological condition where sufferers cannot recognize faces, even those of close family members or their own reflection?

Accepted Answer

Prosopagnosia. Prosopagnosia, or 'face blindness,' results from damage or underdevelopment in the fusiform face area of the brain. Famous sufferers include Brad Pitt, who has spoken publicly about his difficulties recognizing people.

Question 4

What is the name of the statistical paradox where a trend appears in several groups of data but reverses or disappears when those groups are combined?

Accepted Answer

Simpson's Paradox. Simpson's Paradox famously showed up in UC Berkeley's admissions data in 1973, where overall data appeared to show gender bias but the opposite was true when broken down by department.

Question 5

Which ancient Greek mathematician famously calculated the circumference of the Earth around 240 BC using only the angle of shadows in two different cities?

Accepted Answer

Eratosthenes. Eratosthenes measured shadow angles in Alexandria and Syene on the same day and used geometry to estimate the Earth's circumference — arriving at a figure within about 2% of the correct value.

May 6, 2026 Trivia

1. What is the only planet in our solar system that rotates on its side, with an axial tilt of about 98 degrees?

2. Which country is home to the world's oldest known living tree, a bristlecone pine nicknamed 'Methuselah' that is estimated to be over 4,800 years old?

3. What is the name of the neurological condition where sufferers cannot recognize faces, even those of close family members or their own reflection?

4. What is the name of the statistical paradox where a trend appears in several groups of data but reverses or disappears when those groups are combined?

5. Which ancient Greek mathematician famously calculated the circumference of the Earth around 240 BC using only the angle of shadows in two different cities?