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. Which of the following animal species has the longest lifespan?
Bowhead whales are one of the longest-living animals on Earth. They regularly live to over 200 years! African elephants can live to be in their 70’s while naked mole-rats are long-lived for rodents (they get to their late 30’s). Giant tortoises regularly live beyond 100 years.
#2. If red is the first colour of a rainbow, what is the second colour?
Orange. The colours in a rainbow are ordered by the energy of that colour of light. A photon of red light has the lowest energy while violet has the highest energy. Orange is just a little more energetic than red, so it comes second. Sidenote: we love the energy you’re bringing to this quiz!
#3. RV Investigator is CSIRO’s 94-metre research ship that can patrol the ocean for 60 days at a time. Which of the following can it do while at sea?
CSIRO’s RV Investigator is equipped with high-tech sensors that can collect data both above and below the ship. This includes weather radar, water sampling equipment, and several sensors that use sound to detect the ocean floor or even schools of fish.
#4. Where does your food go after leaving your stomach?
Food enters your mouth first. When you’re ready to swallow, it goes down the long oesophagus into your stomach. From there, food goes into the small intestine where the body takes up most of the nutrients. The food then goes into your large intestine and is passed as poo out of your rectum.
#5. 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.
#6. A tsunami is a giant ocean wave often caused by underwater earthquakes. Which country coined the word tsunami?
Tsunami comes from two Japanese words: “tsu” meaning port or harbour and “nami” meaning wave. Japan sits in a very geologically active place, meaning they are more likely than most other countries to experience earthquakes and tsunamis.
#7. Which of the following is NOT considered part of your digital footprint?
At least for now, our real-time conversations are not recorded and uploaded! It is important to know that our digital footprint consists of active activities like posting to social media, sending emails and shopping online. It also consists of passive activities like information collected while visiting websites that use cookies.
#8. 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.
#9. What’s warmer, 30 degrees Celsius or 30 degrees Fahrenheit?
30 degrees Celsius is a very warm day while 30 degrees Fahrenheit is just below freezing! The two scales measure the same temperature at negative 40 degrees.
#10. About how far would you have to travel to get to our nearest star (other than the Sun)?
The Alpha Centauri system is about 4.2 light years away. So, if you had a spaceship that travelled at the speed of light, it would take 4.2 years to get there (and another 4.2 years to get back!). 4 billion kilometres only gets you from Earth to Neptune. An astronomical unit (AU) is the average distance between Earth and the Sun so 4 AU from Earth gets you about to Jupiter. One parsec is equal to 3.26 light years so 4 parsecs overshoots our nearest star.
Want even more? Try past megaquizzes:
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