Special Sub-Topic: It's the End of the World Click Here To Play: It's the End of the World

What is the significance of the personal "end of the world" for Americans William Kemmler and Martha M. Place?

First man and woman to be executed in the USA using the electric chair. They were the first man and first woman to be executed in the electric chair - Kemmler in 1890 and Place in 1899. Kemmler was convicted of the hatchet murder of Tillie Ziegler, his common law wife, and Place was convicted of killing her step-daughter Ida.

Which book by Margaret Atwood features "Snowman" as the last man on earth, with wolvogs, pigoons and racunks for company?

Oryx and Crake. "Oryx and Crake" was first published in 2003, and was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize for Fiction in that year. The character of Snowman appears dressed in a bed sheet and a Red Sox cap.

Which singer, born Mary Frances Penick, had a massive hit in 1962 with the song "The End of the World"?

Skeeter Davis. "End of the World" was a top five hit on four different Billboard charts in the USA in 1963. Skeeter Davis is the only woman ever to have a hit on all four charts at one time. The song also went to number 18 in the UK Singles Charts of 1963.

Which country owns "Faro del Fin del Mundo" or the "Lighthouse at the End of the World" on Isla de los Estrados?

Argentina. The island is 29km from the Argentine portion of Tierra del Fuego. Its name translates to English as Staten Island, being named for the Dutch States-General.

"The Last Man" is often considered to be the first 'apocalyptic science fiction' novel. Who wrote it?

Mary Shelley. "The Last Man" was published in 1826. Shelley's most famous novel "Frankenstein" was first published anonymously in 1818, and she was not acknowledged publicly as the author until the third edition in 1831.

Complete this line of dialogue from "The Simpsons" - "It's the Rapture! Quick, get Bart out of the house __________"

Before God Comes. From the episode titled "Sideshow Bob Roberts" (1994) where "the dead rise up and vote Republican," and Sideshow Bob is elected Mayor of Springfield. This one of the best Simpsons lines ever in my opinion.

In the Book of Revelation of the Bible, who is described as the "King of Locusts"?

Abaddon. The actual wording differs from version to version of the Bible, but they all say that the Hebrew name for King of the Locusts is Abaddon, and his name in Greek is Apollyon.

What term, used to describe a genre of novels in which a group of disaster survivors "get on with it" and rebuild themselves a hopeful new society, was coined by Brian Aldiss in his book "A Billion Year Spree"?

Cosy Catastrophe. Aldiss' remarks were originally aimed at John Wyndham's works, in particular "Day of the Triffids," even though Bill, the central character actually undergoes some very trying experiences, and his life is endangered several times. The "Cosy Catastrophe" label is also given to 'small scale' disaster stories, particularly those dating from around 1900, where the protagonist has a safe viewpoint to watch events unfold and affect "other people."

The 'apocalyptic' song "99 Luftballoons" by Nena was only the second German language song to go Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the USA. Which fictional character's name appears in both the English and German lyrics of 99 Luftballoons? ("Everyone's a silver hero, everyone's a ________")

Captain Kirk. "99 Luftballoons" was released in 1984. The first German song to go Billboard Top 10 was called "Sailor (Your Home is the Sea)" by Lolita, released in 1961. In the UK the English language "99 Red Balloons" version of the song was a much bigger hit than the German one.

Which dystopian film, based loosely on a book by Harry Harrison, was Edward G. Robinson's 101st, and last movie?

Soylent Green. "Soylent Green" was based loosely on the book "Make Room! Make Room!" by Harry Harrison. The catch phrase "Soylent Green is People" caught on and became iconic at the time of the film's release in 1973, although in the book there is no soylent green, and none of the food is made from people. Charlton Heston co-starred with Robinson in "Soylent Green," and Robinson died nine days after filming was completed.