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2024 is winding to a close and 2025 is just around the corner. What better way to celebrate than with a science quiz!

This quiz contains (almost) all of the science trivia questions featured in Double Helix Extra throughout 2024. There’s over 100 science questions to discover!

To make the quiz more manageable, it only displays 10 questions at a time. If you want more trivia, hit the refresh button to bring up a brand new selection of brain-busting science.

 

Results

Well done! You’re a real science whiz!

Oh dear! better brush up before the next quiz!

#1. Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites can always pinpoint our location on Earth and in all weather conditions. How many GPS satellites are currently operating?

There are just 31 GPS satellites currently working and they orbit along different paths to cover Earth’s entire surface. These satellites carry extremely precise clocks, and they’re constantly broadcasting the time. A GPS receiver can measure how long it took for that time signal to arrive from the satellite. If the receiver can listen to 4 satellites at the same time, they can find your exact GPS location!

#2. Which of the following teamed-up tech companies are developing self-driving cars?

All of these are famous tech teams competing to create the first cars that can drive without any human assistance. Other famous self-driving car companies include Tesla, General Motors, Ford, Nissan and Mercedes-Benz. It’s quite the race!

#3. What bird lays the largest egg?

Ostriches are the largest living bird and they lay eggs that regularly weigh 1,500 grams – about 30 times a standard chicken egg! The kiwi is much smaller, but it lays eggs that weigh 370 grams. That’s nearly 15% of its body weight! In comparison, the ostrich egg is only 2% of an ostrich’s body weight.

#4. According to a nation-wide bird count, what is the most commonly spotted Australian bird?

The Aussie Bird Count is a nation-wide citizen science project where Australians can record the birds they spot. For 10 years in a row, the rainbow lorikeet topped the list as the most commonly spotted bird. (Magpies are a close runner-up). Scientists say that the most common birds tend to be bold and have broad diets.

#5. We have 3 kinds of colour-sensing cells in our eye. What colours are they most sensitive to?

The colour-sensing cells in our eyes are called cones and there are 3 kinds: red-sensing, green-sensing and blue-sensing. Your brain combines information from lots of cones to see the rainbow spectrum. Scientists estimate we can detect up to 10 million different colours!

#6. Which of the following materials were used to prepare mummies?

Ancient Egyptians used lots of ingredients to prepare mummies. First, they dried the body with a salt called natron. Next, they made lotions with animal fats, beeswax and smelly oils to fight bacteria. Finally, they wrapped the mummies in linen and covered them with resin, a sticky substance made by plants.

#7. Which of the following is the strongest password?

A strong password uses uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers and symbols (like !, @, #, $). It’s also important to use passwords that are different from past ones. Strong passwords are harder to remember so it is a good idea to use a password manager.

#8. What is the maximum number of astronauts aboard the International Space Station?

The International Space Station normally has a crew of 7, but sometimes it holds more. When the Space Shuttle was operating, the ISS sometimes had up to 13 astronauts inside at the same time.

#9. In biology, an “orbit” is the part of the skull that holds an eyeball. Which of the following animals has the largest orbit?

Blue whales have eyes the size of grapefruit! Though this is very small compared to their overall body size. Owls have big eyes for their size, but a blue whale’s eye is bigger than most owls’ heads!

#10. What instrument do scientists use to detect earthquakes?

A seismograph is a scientific instrument that detects the seismic waves created by an earthquake. Seismic waves make the ground wiggle and a seismograph records these movements. The first seismographs were invented in the 1800’s.

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