The Daily Teaser — 21-8-2015

You know, I’ve got a documentary on, at the moment.

An episode of Horizon that screened, late last night, about humanity’s exploration of Mars.

Fascinating stuff, I should add.

Obviously, you can’t talk about Mars, without mentioning the possibility of life on Mars.

And the fact there’d once been water, the basis for life as we know it?   That get’s covered as well.

It’s an interesting watch.

After all … ?

My other experience of potential life on Mars … ?   Had been these guys … 

~≈Ï≈~

But let’s get moving on, shall we?

Yesterday’s Teaser saw Debbi putting in her answers: and scoring eight out of ten.

Let’s see how everyone does with today’s questions, shall we?

Here they are, along with the How To, License and video … 

Q1) 21st August, 1957, saw the Soviet Union test the R7 Semyorka.   The R7 was the world’s first Intercontinental Ballistic … what?

Q2) The coroner at the ‘Bloody Sunday’ inquest accused the British Army of murder, on the 21st August, 1973: after the jury returned an open verdict.   Bloody Sunday took place in which part of the UK: England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland?

Q3) Ruby Ridge saw a stand-off, between the FBI and Randy Weaver: on 21st August, 1992.   Ruby Ridge is in which US state?

Q4) 21st August, 1754, saw the birth of engineer, William Murdoch.   Murdoch is credited with inventing what: the steam engine, the pneumatic piston or gas lighting?

Q5) Finally … 21st August, 2001, saw NATO authorize the sending of a peace-keeping force: to which former Yugoslav republic?

Here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …

Q1) 20th August saw the launch of the Viking 1 probe.  By whom: the European Space Agency, the Japanese Space Agency or NASA?

A1) NASA.

Q2) In which year of the 1970s?

A2) 1975.

Q3) Viking 1 was heading for Mars: also known as the what planet?

A3) Red planet.

Q4) The Viking 1 lander and orbiter did radio tests to test what: Martian soil, Martian atmosphere or general relativity?

A4) General relativity.   (The parts of the theory about how gravity affects time, apparently.  I believe the experiment centred on how the signals were affected over parts of Mars at different altitudes: but don’t know for sure, as I’m no physicist.)

Q5) The lander landed on part of Mars called Chryse Planitia.   Chryse Planitia translates as what: Golden Plain, Orange Plain or Brown Plain?

A5) Golden Plain.

Q6) NASA launched one of the ‘Voyager’ probes: on 20th August, 1977.   Which of the Voyager probes?

A6) Voyager 2.

Q7) The Voyager probe we’re talking about, is the only human craft to have visited two particular planets: name either.

A7) Uranus and Neptune.

Q8) The Voyager probes were heading for what: Mars, Venus or the outer planets?

A8) The outer planets.   (Voyager 1 turned off at Saturn.   Or got lost …)

Q9) Our Voyager is now 104 what away: 104 miles, light years or AUs?

A9) AUs or Astronomical unit.   (One AU is 92.9 million miles.   The craft is, therefore, 9,667,424,000 miles away.   Give or take a few …)

Q10) Finally … the Voyager probes each had a golden record, intended to greet any extraterrestrials that found the probes.   The record feature greetings in how many human languages?

A10) 55.

I’ll leave you with this thought …

“When it’s too easy to get money, then you get a lot of noise mixed in with the real innovation and entrepreneurship. Tough times bring out the best parts of Silicon Valley.”

Sergey Brin, born 21 August, 1973.

And this tune … 

Have a good day … !

*        Portland, you say, Debbi?   I know someone from Portland … !   (Sean and his wife, Laura, are now running a games store in Athens, Georgia.)