Gemoim › Trivia

True or False Questions

187 statements — some true, some popular myths. Can you tell which is which?

AllScienceMathHistoryGeographySociety & EconomyEnglish LanguageArts & CultureEveryday LifeAnimals & NatureSportsFor kidsTrue or false

1. The Moon makes its own light, just like the Sun. ★
   • True
   • False
   Show answer

   False — Moonlight is mostly sunlight reflected off the Moon's surface. Source: Wikipedia 'Moonlight'

2. A triangle has three sides. ★
   • True
   • False
   Show answer

   True — A triangle is a polygon with three sides and three corners. Source: Wikipedia 'Triangle'

3. 7 × 8 = 54. ★
   • True
   • False
   Show answer

   False — 7 × 8 = 56.

4. Early humans lived at the same time as Tyrannosaurus. ★
   • True
   • False
   Show answer

   False — Non-bird dinosaurs died out about 66 million years ago, long before humans. Source: Wikipedia 'Dinosaur'

5. Antarctica is the coldest continent. ★
   • True
   • False
   Show answer

   True — Antarctica is, on average, the coldest, driest and windiest continent. Source: Wikipedia 'Antarctica'

6. The equator divides Earth into eastern and western halves. ★
   • True
   • False
   Show answer

   False — The equator divides Earth into the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. Source: Wikipedia 'Equator'

7. At a traffic light, red means stop. ★
   • True
   • False
   Show answer

   True — A red light means traffic must stop and not go past the stop line. Source: Wikipedia 'Traffic light'

8. A passport is a document used for travel to other countries. ★
   • True
   • False
   Show answer

   True — A passport is a government travel document showing identity and nationality. Source: Wikipedia 'Passport'

9. The United Kingdom uses the euro as its money. ★
   • True
   • False
   Show answer

   False — The UK is not in the eurozone; its currency is the pound sterling. Source: Wikipedia 'Pound sterling'

10. The past tense of 'go' is 'went'. ★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    True — 'Went' is the past tense of 'go'. Source: Wikipedia 'English irregular verbs'

11. A direct question in English ends with a question mark (?). ★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    True — In English, a question mark goes at the end of a question. Source: Wikipedia 'Question mark'

12. In the fairy tale, Snow White meets seven dwarfs. ★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    True — Snow White, published by the Brothers Grimm, features the seven dwarfs. Source: Wikipedia 'Snow White'

13. Pinocchio's ears grow when he tells a lie. ★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    False — It is Pinocchio's nose that grows when he lies. Source: Wikipedia 'The Adventures of Pinocchio'

14. Cheese is made from milk. ★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    True — Cheese is made by curdling milk, usually from cows, goats or sheep. Source: Wikipedia 'Cheese'

15. Adults usually have 20 teeth. ★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    False — Adults usually have 32 permanent teeth; children have 20 baby teeth. Source: Wikipedia 'Human tooth'

16. Sunscreen helps protect skin from sunburn. ★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    True — Sunscreen helps protect skin against sunburn from UV rays. Source: Wikipedia 'Sunscreen'

17. Popcorn is made from rice. ★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    False — Popcorn is made from corn kernels that puff up when heated. Source: Wikipedia 'Popcorn'

18. Bats are mammals. ★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    True — Bats are winged mammals, the only mammals that truly fly. Source: Wikipedia 'Bat'

19. A camel's hump is full of stored water. ★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    False — A camel's hump stores fat, not water. Source: Wikipedia 'Camel'

20. Penguins live mostly in the Southern Hemisphere. ★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    True — Penguins live almost only in the Southern Hemisphere. Source: Wikipedia 'Penguin'

21. The ancient Olympic Games were held in Greece. ★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    True — The ancient Olympics were held at Olympia, Greece. Source: Wikipedia 'Olympic Games'

22. At the Olympics, the winner of an event gets a silver medal. ★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    False — First place gets gold; silver is for second place. Source: Wikipedia 'Olympic Games'

23. In golf, the player with the most strokes wins. ★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    False — In golf, the player with the fewest strokes wins. Source: Wikipedia 'Golf'

24. 'Saturday' is named after the Sun. ★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    False — Saturday is named after Saturn; Sunday is the Sun's day. Source: Wikipedia 'Week'

25. The Sun is a star. ★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    True — The Sun is the star at the centre of our Solar System. Source: Wikipedia 'Solar System'

26. Mercury is the hottest planet in the Solar System. ★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    False — Venus is the hottest planet because its thick atmosphere traps heat. Source: Wikipedia 'Venus'

27. Sound travels faster in water than in air. ★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    True — Sound moves about 1,480 m/s in water but only about 343 m/s in air. Source: Wikipedia 'Speed of sound'

28. Copper is strongly attracted to magnets. ★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    False — Copper is not magnetic like iron; it is actually very weakly repelled by magnets. Source: Wikipedia 'Magnet'

29. Ice floats because it is less dense than liquid water. ★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    True — Water becomes about 9% less dense when it freezes, so ice floats. Source: Wikipedia 'Properties of water'

30. 1 is a prime number. ★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    False — A prime must be greater than 1, so 1 is not prime. Source: Wikipedia 'Prime number'

31. 2 is the only even prime number. ★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    True — Every even number bigger than 2 can be divided by 2, so it is not prime. Source: Wikipedia 'Prime number'

32. A hexagon has eight sides. ★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    False — A hexagon has six sides; an octagon has eight. Source: Wikipedia 'Polygon'

33. The three angles inside a triangle add up to 180 degrees. ★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    True — The interior angles of any triangle always total 180°. Source: Wikipedia 'Polygon'

34. An obtuse angle is smaller than a right angle. ★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    False — An obtuse angle is larger than 90°; an acute angle is smaller. Source: Wikipedia 'Right angle'

35. The Great Pyramid of Giza was built as a tomb for the pharaoh Khufu. ★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    True — The Great Pyramid was built around 2600 BC as the tomb of Khufu. Source: Wikipedia 'Great Pyramid of Giza'

36. Christopher Columbus's first voyage across the Atlantic was in 1492. ★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    True — Columbus set sail in August 1492 and reached the Bahamas that October. Source: Wikipedia 'Christopher Columbus'

37. The Titanic sank while sailing from New York to Southampton. ★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    False — The Titanic was sailing from Southampton to New York on its first voyage. Source: Wikipedia 'Titanic'

38. The Berlin Wall fell in 1989. ★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    True — The Berlin Wall was opened on 9 November 1989. Source: Wikipedia 'Fall of the Berlin Wall'

39. The Great Wall of China can be seen with the naked eye from the Moon. ★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    False — This is a myth: the Great Wall cannot be seen with the naked eye from the Moon. Source: Wikipedia 'Great Wall of China'

40. Mount Everest lies on the border between Nepal and China. ★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    True — Everest's summit marks part of the China–Nepal border. Source: Wikipedia 'Mount Everest'

41. Sydney is the capital of Australia. ★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    False — Canberra is the capital of Australia. Source: Wikipedia 'Canberra'

42. The equator passes through Brazil. ★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    True — The equator crosses 11 countries, including Brazil, Ecuador, Kenya and Indonesia. Source: Wikipedia 'Equator'

43. The United Nations was founded in 1945. ★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    True — The UN Charter was signed and the UN was established in 1945. Source: Wikipedia 'United Nations'

44. Every country in the European Union uses the euro. ★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    False — Some EU members, such as Denmark, keep their own currencies. Source: Wikipedia 'Euro'

45. Inflation means prices in general are going down. ★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    False — Inflation is a general rise in prices; a general fall is called deflation. Source: Wikipedia 'Inflation'

46. The word 'democracy' comes from Greek words for 'people' and 'power'. ★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    True — It comes from Greek dêmos (people) and krátos (power or rule). Source: Wikipedia 'Democracy'

47. The plural of 'mouse' is 'mice'. ★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    True — 'Mouse' has an irregular plural: 'mice'. Source: Wikipedia 'English plurals'

48. The past tense of 'teach' is 'teached'. ★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    False — 'Teach' is irregular: teach – taught – taught. Source: Wikipedia 'List of English irregular verbs'

49. 'Racecar' is a palindrome. ★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    True — 'Racecar' reads the same backwards as forwards. Source: Wikipedia 'Palindrome'

50. The English alphabet has 24 letters. ★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    False — The English alphabet has 26 letters. Source: Wikipedia 'English alphabet'

51. 'Oink' and 'meow' are examples of onomatopoeia. ★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    True — Onomatopoeia words imitate the sounds they describe. Source: Wikipedia 'Onomatopoeia'

52. Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet' is set in Verona, Italy. ★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    True — The play is set in Verona, with some scenes in Mantua. Source: Wikipedia 'Romeo and Juliet'

53. The Mona Lisa hangs in the British Museum in London. ★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    False — The Mona Lisa is in the Louvre in Paris. Source: Wikipedia 'Mona Lisa'

54. Beethoven kept composing after he began losing his hearing. ★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    True — His hearing loss began around 1798, and he was almost completely deaf when he composed his Ninth Symphony (1824). Source: Wikipedia 'Symphony No. 9 (Beethoven)'

55. In Greek mythology, Poseidon is the king of the gods. ★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    False — Zeus is the king of the gods on Mount Olympus. Source: Wikipedia 'Zeus'

56. A standard modern piano has 88 keys. ★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    True — Most modern pianos have 88 keys: 52 white and 36 black. Source: Wikipedia 'Piano'

57. A lack of vitamin C can cause scurvy. ★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    True — Scurvy is the disease caused by not getting enough vitamin C. Source: Wikipedia 'Vitamin C'

58. Babies are born with fewer bones than adults. ★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    False — Babies have about 270 bones; some fuse, leaving about 206 in adults. Source: Wikipedia 'Human skeleton'

59. Green tea and black tea come from completely different plants. ★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    False — Both come from the Camellia sinensis plant; only the processing differs. Source: Wikipedia 'Camellia sinensis'

60. The human heart has three chambers. ★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    False — The heart has four chambers: two atria and two ventricles. Source: Wikipedia 'Heart'

61. Tooth enamel is the hardest substance in the human body. ★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    True — Enamel is about 96% mineral, making it the hardest tissue in the body. Source: Wikipedia 'Tooth enamel'

62. The blue whale is the largest animal known to have ever lived. ★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    True — Blue whales can reach about 30 m and 190 tonnes, larger than any dinosaur. Source: Wikipedia 'Blue whale'

63. Spiders are insects. ★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    False — Spiders are arachnids with eight legs; insects have six. Source: Wikipedia 'Spider'

64. Bats are the only mammals that can truly fly. ★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    True — Bats are the only mammals capable of sustained flight; others only glide. Source: Wikipedia 'Bat'

65. A giraffe's neck has many more bones than a human's neck. ★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    False — Giraffes have seven neck vertebrae, the same as most mammals — just much longer. Source: Wikipedia 'Cervical vertebrae'

66. A football (soccer) team has 11 players on the field. ★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    True — Football is played between two teams of 11 players. Source: Wikipedia 'Association football'

67. In tennis, a score of zero is called 'love'. ★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    True — Tennis scores go love, 15, 30, 40, then game. Source: Wikipedia 'Tennis scoring system'

68. Basketball was invented in the 1950s. ★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    False — James Naismith invented basketball in 1891. Source: Wikipedia 'Basketball'

69. A volleyball team has five players on the court. ★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    False — Each volleyball team has six players on the court. Source: Wikipedia 'Volleyball'

70. The first modern Olympic Games were held in Athens in 1896. ★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    True — The first modern Olympics took place in Athens in 1896. Source: Wikipedia 'Olympic Games'

71. A cube has 8 faces. ★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    False — A cube has 6 faces, 12 edges and 8 corners (vertices). Source: Wikipedia 'Cube'

72. The Nile flows north into the Mediterranean Sea. ★★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    True — The Nile is a north-flowing river that empties into the Mediterranean. Source: Wikipedia 'Nile'

73. The Sahara is the largest desert in the world, counting cold deserts too. ★★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    False — The Sahara is the largest hot desert; the Antarctic and Arctic deserts are bigger. Source: Wikipedia 'Sahara'

74. The World Health Organization has its headquarters in Geneva. ★★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    True — The WHO is based in Geneva, Switzerland. Source: Wikipedia 'World Health Organization'

75. Butterflies can taste with their feet. ★★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    True — Butterflies have taste receptors on their feet. Source: Wikipedia 'Butterfly'

76. Sound can travel through the vacuum of space. ★★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    False — Sound needs a medium such as air or water, so it cannot travel through a vacuum. Source: Wikipedia 'Sound'

77. Chlorophyll absorbs green light more strongly than any other color. ★★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    False — Chlorophyll absorbs mostly blue and red light and reflects green, which is why plants look green. Source: Wikipedia 'Chlorophyll'

78. Electrons are found inside the nucleus of an atom. ★★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    False — The nucleus holds protons and neutrons; electrons surround it. Source: Wikipedia 'Atom'

79. Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun. ★★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    True — Mercury is the first planet from the Sun and the smallest in the Solar System. Source: Wikipedia 'Mercury (planet)'

80. Water boils at a lower temperature high up in the mountains than at sea level. ★★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    True — Lower air pressure at high altitude lowers the boiling point of water. Source: Wikipedia 'Boiling point'

81. The number 1 is a prime number. ★★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    False — A prime must be greater than 1, so 1 is not prime. Source: Wikipedia 'Prime number'

82. A square is a special kind of rectangle. ★★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    True — A square is a rectangle whose four sides are all the same length. Source: Wikipedia 'Rectangle'

83. The area of a circle equals pi times the radius squared. ★★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    True — The area of a circle with radius r is πr². Source: Wikipedia 'Area of a circle'

84. The four angles inside any quadrilateral add up to 360 degrees. ★★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    True — A quadrilateral splits into two triangles of 180° each, so 2 × 180° = 360°.

85. The Great Wall of China can be seen from the Moon with the naked eye. ★★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    False — This is a myth; the wall is far too narrow to be seen from the Moon. Source: Wikipedia 'Great Wall of China'

86. Napoleon Bonaparte was born on the island of Corsica. ★★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    True — Napoleon was born in Ajaccio, Corsica, in 1769. Source: Wikipedia 'Napoleon'

87. World War I began in 1914. ★★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    True — World War I lasted from 1914 to 1918. Source: Wikipedia 'World War I'

88. The Magna Carta was sealed by King John of England in 1215. ★★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    True — King John sealed the Magna Carta at Runnymede on 15 June 1215. Source: Wikipedia 'Magna Carta'

89. Christopher Columbus first reached the Americas in 1592. ★★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    False — Columbus first reached the Americas in 1492. Source: Wikipedia 'Christopher Columbus'

90. The Amazon River flows into the Atlantic Ocean. ★★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    True — The Amazon crosses South America and empties into the Atlantic. Source: Wikipedia 'Amazon River'

91. Iceland is the largest island in the world. ★★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    False — Greenland is the world's largest island. Source: Wikipedia 'Greenland'

92. The shores of the Dead Sea are the lowest land on Earth. ★★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    True — The Dead Sea lies more than 400 m below sea level, the lowest land elevation on Earth. Source: Wikipedia 'Dead Sea'

93. Istanbul is the capital of Turkey. ★★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    False — Ankara is Turkey's capital; Istanbul is its largest city. Source: Wikipedia 'Ankara'

94. The Swiss franc is the currency of Switzerland. ★★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    True — The Swiss franc is used in Switzerland and Liechtenstein. Source: Wikipedia 'Swiss franc'

95. Inflation means that prices in general are going down. ★★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    False — Inflation is a general rise in prices; a general fall is called deflation. Source: Wikipedia 'Inflation'

96. The Nobel Peace Prize is presented in Oslo, Norway. ★★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    True — The Peace Prize is the only Nobel Prize presented in Oslo rather than Stockholm. Source: Wikipedia 'Nobel Peace Prize'

97. UNESCO is the United Nations agency for world health. ★★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    False — UNESCO works on education, science and culture; the WHO handles health. Source: Wikipedia 'UNESCO'

98. "To", "too" and "two" are homophones. ★★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    True — Homophones sound the same but differ in meaning or spelling. Source: Wikipedia 'Homophone'

99. Adverbs are the words that describe nouns. ★★★
    • True
    • False
    Show answer

    False — Adjectives describe nouns; adverbs modify verbs, adjectives and other adverbs. Source: Wikipedia 'Adverb'

100. The word "alphabet" comes from the first two Greek letters, alpha and beta. ★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     True — Alphabet comes from Greek alpha (α) + beta (β). Source: Wikipedia 'Alphabet'

101. The plural of "goose" is "gooses". ★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     False — The plural of goose is geese. Source: Wiktionary 'goose'

102. The word "robot" comes from the Czech language. ★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     True — "Robot" was first used in the Czech play R.U.R. by Karel Čapek. Source: Wikipedia 'Robot'

103. The Mona Lisa is displayed at the Louvre in Paris. ★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     True — The Mona Lisa has been on display at the Louvre since 1797. Source: Wikipedia 'Mona Lisa'

104. Beethoven kept composing music after losing much of his hearing. ★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     True — Hearing loss made performing hard, but Beethoven kept composing, including his Ninth Symphony. Source: Wikipedia 'Ludwig van Beethoven'

105. The famous sculpture "The Thinker" was made by Michelangelo. ★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     False — "The Thinker" is a bronze sculpture by the French artist Auguste Rodin. Source: Wikipedia 'The Thinker'

106. In Norse mythology, Thor's hammer is called Excalibur. ★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     False — Thor's hammer is Mjölnir; Excalibur is King Arthur's sword. Source: Wikipedia 'Mjölnir'

107. The novel "Don Quixote" was written by Miguel de Cervantes. ★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     True — Cervantes published Don Quixote in Spanish in two parts, 1605 and 1615. Source: Wikipedia 'Don Quixote'

108. An adult human skeleton has about 206 bones. ★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     True — Babies have around 270 bones, which fuse to about 206 by adulthood. Source: Wikipedia 'Human skeleton'

109. Baking soda is the common name for sodium bicarbonate. ★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     True — Sodium bicarbonate is known as baking soda or bicarbonate of soda. Source: Wikipedia 'Sodium bicarbonate'

110. Sealed honey goes bad within a few months. ★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     False — Honey with low water content can last almost indefinitely. Source: Wikipedia 'Honey'

111. Each part of the tongue can taste only one basic taste. ★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     False — The "tongue map" is a myth; all parts of the tongue can sense all tastes. Source: Wikipedia 'Tongue map'

112. A full set of adult teeth has 32 teeth. ★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     True — Humans usually have 20 baby teeth and 32 adult teeth. Source: Wikipedia 'Human tooth'

113. Penguins live in the wild in the Arctic. ★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     False — Penguins live almost only in the Southern Hemisphere; none live in the Arctic. Source: Wikipedia 'Penguin'

114. Bamboo is a type of grass. ★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     True — Bamboos belong to the grass family, Poaceae. Source: Wikipedia 'Bamboo'

115. Sharks are fish with skeletons made of cartilage. ★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     True — Sharks are cartilaginous fish; their skeletons are cartilage, not bone. Source: Wikipedia 'Shark'

116. The cheetah is the fastest land animal. ★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     True — Cheetahs can run at about 93–104 km/h. Source: Wikipedia 'Cheetah'

117. The FIFA World Cup is normally held every four years. ★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     True — The men's World Cup has been held every four years since 1930, except during World War II. Source: Wikipedia 'FIFA World Cup'

118. A basketball team has six players on the court at once. ★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     False — Each basketball team has five players on the court. Source: Wikipedia 'Basketball'

119. Table tennis was invented in China. ★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     False — Table tennis began in Victorian England as an after-dinner parlour game. Source: Wikipedia 'Table tennis'

120. In tennis, a score of zero is called "love". ★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     True — Tennis points are called love (0), 15, 30 and 40. Source: Wikipedia 'Tennis scoring system'

121. Sumo wrestling is considered the national sport of Japan. ★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     True — Sumo began in Japan and is considered its national sport. Source: Wikipedia 'Sumo'

122. The Titanic sank on its very first voyage. ★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     True — The Titanic sank in April 1912 on its maiden voyage from Southampton to New York. Source: Wikipedia 'Titanic'

123. The headquarters of the United Nations is in New York City. ★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     True — UN headquarters stands in the Turtle Bay area of Manhattan, New York. Source: Wikipedia 'Headquarters of the United Nations'

124. Helium has the lowest boiling point of all the elements. ★★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     True — Helium boils at about −269 °C (4.2 K), the lowest boiling point of any element. Source: Wikipedia 'Helium'

125. Mitochondria have their own DNA, separate from the cell nucleus. ★★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     True — Mitochondria carry a small circular genome of their own, similar to bacterial DNA. Source: Wikipedia 'Mitochondrion'

126. Mature human red blood cells have a nucleus. ★★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     False — Mature mammalian red blood cells lose their nucleus to make room for hemoglobin. Source: Wikipedia 'Red blood cell'

127. Zero is an even number. ★★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     True — Zero is even because it equals 2 × 0. Source: Wikipedia 'Parity of zero'

128. The number 1 is the smallest prime number. ★★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     False — 1 is not prime; the smallest prime is 2, the only even prime. Source: Wikipedia 'Prime number'

129. Pi is exactly equal to 22/7. ★★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     False — Pi is irrational, so 22/7 is only an approximation. Source: Wikipedia 'Pi'

130. Every square is also a rhombus. ★★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     True — A rhombus has four equal sides, so a square is a rhombus with right angles. Source: Wikipedia 'Rhombus'

131. The interior angles of a hexagon add up to 720 degrees. ★★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     True — The angle sum is (n − 2) × 180°, so (6 − 2) × 180° = 720°.

132. Ferdinand Magellan personally completed the first voyage around the world. ★★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     False — Magellan was killed in the Philippines in 1521; Juan Sebastián Elcano finished the voyage. Source: Wikipedia 'Ferdinand Magellan'

133. The Hundred Years' War lasted exactly 100 years. ★★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     False — The war between England and France ran from 1337 to 1453, about 116 years. Source: Wikipedia 'Hundred Years%27 War'

134. Magna Carta was sealed by King John of England in 1215. ★★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     True — King John sealed Magna Carta at Runnymede on 15 June 1215. Source: Wikipedia 'Magna Carta'

135. The Sahara is the largest desert in the world. ★★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     False — The Sahara is the largest hot desert; Antarctica and the Arctic are larger deserts. Source: Wikipedia 'Sahara'

136. Canada has the longest coastline of any country. ★★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     True — Canada's coastline is the longest in the world. Source: Wikipedia 'Canada'

137. The Amazon River flows into the Pacific Ocean. ★★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     False — The Amazon flows east across South America into the Atlantic Ocean. Source: Wikipedia 'Amazon River'

138. The summit of Mount Everest lies on the border of Nepal and China. ★★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     True — Everest's summit marks part of the China–Nepal border. Source: Wikipedia 'Mount Everest'

139. Every member state of the European Union uses the euro. ★★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     False — Not every EU member uses the euro; Denmark, for example, has a permanent opt-out and keeps its krone. Source: Wikipedia 'Euro'

140. Inflation means a general rise in the prices of goods and services. ★★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     True — Inflation is an increase in average prices, which reduces what money can buy. Source: Wikipedia 'Inflation'

141. The World Health Organization is based in Geneva, Switzerland. ★★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     True — The WHO has its headquarters in Geneva. Source: Wikipedia 'World Health Organization'

142. A monopoly is a market with many competing sellers. ★★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     False — A monopoly is a market with only one seller of a good or service. Source: Wikipedia 'Monopoly'

143. The word "alphabet" comes from the first two letters of the Greek alphabet. ★★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     True — "Alphabet" comes from Greek alpha and beta. Source: Wikipedia 'Alphabet'

144. The word "robot" comes from German. ★★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     False — "Robot" comes from the Czech word robota, "forced labour", used in Karel Čapek's play R.U.R. Source: Wikipedia 'Robot'

145. "Bittersweet" is an example of an oxymoron. ★★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     True — An oxymoron joins opposite ideas, like bitter and sweet. Source: Wikipedia 'Oxymoron'

146. In "Q.E.D." at the end of a proof, the Q stands for "question". ★★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     False — Q.E.D. stands for the Latin quod erat demonstrandum, "which was to be shown". Source: Wikipedia 'Q.E.D.'

147. The abbreviation "lb" for pound comes from the Latin word libra. ★★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     True — The pound descends from the Roman libra, hence the symbol lb. Source: Wikipedia 'Pound (mass)'

148. Beethoven kept composing music after he became deaf. ★★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     True — Beethoven wrote late works such as his Ninth Symphony (1824) despite his deafness. Source: Wikipedia 'Ludwig van Beethoven'

149. Vincent van Gogh was a commercially successful painter in his lifetime. ★★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     False — Van Gogh was unsuccessful while alive and became famous only after his death. Source: Wikipedia 'Vincent van Gogh'

150. In Greek myth, the goddess Athena sprang from the head of Zeus. ★★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     True — Myth says Athena leapt from Zeus's head, fully grown and armed. Source: Wikipedia 'Athena'

151. Leonardo da Vinci painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. ★★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     False — Michelangelo painted the Sistine Chapel ceiling between 1508 and 1512. Source: Wikipedia 'Sistine Chapel ceiling'

152. A traditional haiku has three parts of 5, 7 and 5 sound units. ★★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     True — Haiku, from Japan, uses three phrases of 5, 7 and 5 morae. Source: Wikipedia 'Haiku'

153. Honey that is sealed and stored properly can stay edible for a very long time. ★★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     True — Honey's high sugar and acidity stop microbes, so stored honey does not spoil. Source: Wikipedia 'Honey'

154. Your skin can make vitamin D when exposed to sunlight. ★★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     True — UVB rays in sunlight let skin make vitamin D3. Source: Wikipedia 'Vitamin D'

155. A microwave oven makes food slightly radioactive. ★★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     False — Microwaves heat food by spinning water molecules; they do not make food radioactive. Source: Wikipedia 'Microwave oven'

156. Water boils at a lower temperature high in the mountains. ★★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     True — Lower air pressure lowers the boiling point; on Everest water boils at about 71 °C. Source: Wikipedia 'Boiling point'

157. Swallowed chewing gum stays in your stomach for seven years. ★★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     False — This is a myth: swallowed gum passes through the gut like other food. Source: Wikipedia 'List of common misconceptions about science, technology, and mathematics'

158. An octopus has three hearts. ★★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     True — One heart pumps blood around the body and two pump it through the gills. Source: Wikipedia 'Octopus'

159. Bats are blind. ★★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     False — Bats can see; many also use echolocation, and fruit bats have good eyesight. Source: Wikipedia 'Bat'

160. The koala is a type of bear. ★★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     False — The koala is a marsupial, not a bear, despite the name "koala bear". Source: Wikipedia 'Koala'

161. Wild penguins live in both the Arctic and the Antarctic. ★★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     False — Penguins live almost only in the Southern Hemisphere; none live in the Arctic. Source: Wikipedia 'Penguin'

162. A marathon is about 42.2 km long. ★★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     True — The official marathon distance is 42.195 km (26.2 miles). Source: Wikipedia 'Marathon'

163. In tennis, "deuce" means the score is 30–30. ★★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     False — Deuce means 40–40: both players have won at least three points and are level. Source: Wikipedia 'Tennis scoring system'

164. A basketball team has six players on the court at one time. ★★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     False — Each basketball team has five players on the court. Source: Wikipedia 'Basketball'

165. In golf, a "birdie" means two strokes under par on a hole. ★★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     False — A birdie is one under par; two under par is an eagle. Source: Wikipedia 'Par (score)'

166. A googol is 10 to the power of 1,000. ★★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     False — A googol is 10 to the power of 100: a 1 followed by 100 zeros. Source: Wikipedia 'Googol'

167. Basketball was invented by James Naismith. ★★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     True — Naismith created basketball in December 1891 in Springfield, Massachusetts. Source: Wikipedia 'James Naismith'

168. Venus spins on its axis in the opposite direction to most planets, including Earth. ★★★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     True — Venus has retrograde rotation, turning clockwise as seen from above its north pole. Source: Wikipedia 'Venus'

169. The siemens is the SI unit of electrical resistance. ★★★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     False — Resistance is measured in ohms; the siemens measures conductance, the reciprocal of resistance. Source: Wikipedia 'Ohm'

170. Oxygen is the most abundant element in Earth's crust by mass. ★★★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     True — Oxygen makes up almost half of Earth's crust by mass, mostly in oxides such as silicates. Source: Wikipedia 'Oxygen'

171. Pi was proven to be a transcendental number in the 19th century. ★★★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     True — Ferdinand von Lindemann proved pi is transcendental in 1882. Source: Wikipedia 'Pi'

172. There are exactly five Platonic solids (regular convex polyhedra). ★★★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     True — Only the tetrahedron, cube, octahedron, dodecahedron and icosahedron qualify. Source: Wikipedia 'Platonic solid'

173. Constantinople fell to the Ottoman Empire in 1453. ★★★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     True — The Ottomans under Mehmed II captured the city on 29 May 1453. Source: Wikipedia 'Fall of Constantinople'

174. The Rosetta Stone is displayed in the British Museum in London. ★★★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     True — It has been exhibited at the British Museum almost continuously since 1802. Source: Wikipedia 'Rosetta Stone'

175. Measured from base to peak, Mount Everest is the tallest mountain on Earth. ★★★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     False — Measured from its base on the ocean floor, Mauna Kea in Hawaii is taller than Everest. Source: Wikipedia 'Mauna Kea'

176. The city of Istanbul lies on two continents, Europe and Asia. ★★★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     True — Istanbul straddles the Bosphorus, with parts in both Europe and Asia. Source: Wikipedia 'Istanbul'

177. Switzerland is not a member of the European Union. ★★★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     True — Switzerland is outside the EU and EEA and works with the EU through bilateral treaties. Source: Wikipedia 'Switzerland–European Union relations'

178. The word "quarantine" comes from a Venetian word meaning "forty days". ★★★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     True — Venice used "quarantena" for the 40-day isolation of ships during plague times. Source: Wikipedia 'Quarantine'

179. Contrary to popular belief, Beethoven never became totally deaf. ★★★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     True — In his last years he could still make out low tones and sudden loud sounds. Source: Wikipedia 'Ludwig van Beethoven'

180. The Mona Lisa is painted on canvas. ★★★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     False — Leonardo painted the Mona Lisa in oil on a poplar wood panel. Source: Wikipedia 'Mona Lisa'

181. In Mary Shelley's novel, Frankenstein is the name of the monster. ★★★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     False — Victor Frankenstein is the scientist; the creature is never given a name. Source: Wikipedia 'Frankenstein's monster'

182. In botanical terms, a banana is a berry. ★★★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     True — Botanically, the banana is a berry, sometimes called a "leathery berry". Source: Wikipedia 'Banana'

183. In botanical terms, a strawberry is a true berry. ★★★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     False — The strawberry is an aggregate accessory fruit; its tiny "seeds" are the actual fruits. Source: Wikipedia 'Strawberry'

184. Like most mammals, humans can make their own vitamin C. ★★★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     False — Humans, like other higher primates and guinea pigs, must get vitamin C from food. Source: Wikipedia 'Vitamin C'

185. A giraffe has the same number of neck vertebrae as a human: seven. ★★★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     True — Giraffes have seven neck vertebrae, like most mammals, but each is very long. Source: Wikipedia 'Giraffe'

186. Official table tennis balls are 40 mm in diameter. ★★★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     True — International rules use a 2.7 g ball with a 40 mm diameter. Source: Wikipedia 'Table tennis'

187. In golf, an "albatross" means finishing a hole one stroke under par. ★★★★★
     • True
     • False
     Show answer

     False — An albatross is three under par; one under par is a birdie. Source: Wikipedia 'Glossary of golf'