July 8, 2026 Trivia

The 5 dubtrivia questions from July 8, 2026, with answers and explanations.

1. K12

   1. Which planet in our solar system has the most moons, with a count that recently surpassed 290 including moonlets?

   ✓Saturn

   Did you know?

   Saturn now holds the record with 292 confirmed moons and moonlets (mini-moons) as of recent discoveries, edging past Jupiter. Many of the newly confirmed moons are tiny irregular objects likely captured from the outer solar system long ago.

2. Arts & Sports

   2. The word 'robot' entered the English language from a 1920 Czech play. What does the original Czech word 'robota' literally mean?

   ✓Forced labor

   Did you know?

   Karel Čapek introduced the word in his play R.U.R. (Rossum's Universal Robots), borrowing 'robota,' which in Czech and Slovak means 'forced labor' or 'drudgery.' The play featured artificial workers who eventually revolt — a theme that has shaped science fiction ever since.

3. K12

   3. Which explorer is credited with being the first European to reach India by sea, opening the spice trade route around Africa in 1498?

   ✓Vasco da Gama

   Did you know?

   Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama reached Calicut on India's southwestern coast in May 1498, completing the first direct sea route from Europe to Asia by sailing around the Cape of Good Hope. His voyage broke the Arab and Venetian monopoly on spice trade and reshaped global commerce for centuries.

4. K12

   4. The teddy bear toy gets its name from U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt. What event in 1902 actually prompted the Roosevelt connection?

   ✓Roosevelt refused to shoot a bear that had been tied to a tree on a hunting trip

   Did you know?

   On a hunting trip in Mississippi, Roosevelt's aides captured and tied a bear to a tree so he could shoot it easily — but Roosevelt refused, saying it was unsportsmanlike. A political cartoonist drew the scene, a candy shop owner named Morris Michtom made a stuffed bear inspired by the cartoon, and the 'Teddy's bear' became a sensation.

5. News & Pop Culture

   5. Nike, one of the world's most recognized brands, launched its 'Just Do It' slogan in 1988. The phrase was inspired by the last words of which real person?

   ✓Convicted murderer Gary Gilmore, who said 'Let's do it' before his execution

   Did you know?

   Ad agency founder Dan Wieden has said the slogan was inspired by Gary Gilmore's final words — 'Let's do it' — before his 1977 execution by firing squad in Utah, the first execution in the U.S. after the reinstatement of the death penalty. Wieden changed 'Let's' to 'Just' to make it more of a personal challenge.