Where the Winds Blow

15 Points Per Correct Answer - No time limit  

1. The lesser known British explorer, Bertram Thomas, has the distinction of being the first documented Westerner to cross the Arabian desert known as the Empty Quarter. What is the native Arabic name of this large sand desert? Rub' al Khali Aral Karakum Dasht-e Lut Kyzyl Kum

2. American explorer Roy Chapman Andrews led a series of expeditions into the Gobi Desert in the early 20th century. Which of these important discoveries did he make during his excursions into this region? Oil deposits Genghis Khan's tomb Diamond mines Dinosaur eggs

3. Strong winds blow in the Sahara. What French palaeontologist and Sulpician priest explored the vast Saharan desert in fossil-hunting exploits, contributing greatly to our knowledge of dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures, so much so that prominent Argentine palaeontoligist José Bonaparte named the dinosaur Lapparentosaurus in his honor? Henry Fairfield Osborn Othniel Marsh Barnum Brown lbert-Felix de Lapparent

4. Many have crossed the hot sands and windy storms of the Sahara, but none as young as Jeremy Curl. How old was this young man and intrepid explorer when he tamed the African desert? 6 42 12 26

5. Asian deserts are windy too. Ripley Davenport led a solo expedition on foot, traveling an amazing 1012 miles in 2010 and again in 2011, this time covering 1000 miles in a brief 52 days. Which Asian desert was the area that Davenport explored? The Gobi The Gibson The Atacama The Rub' al Khali

6. Pretty much anyone who leaves the boundaries of one of Australia's cities finds themselves in a desert of some description. Which two explorers (some of Australia's best-known) led a 3250 km (2000 mi) expedition in 1860-61 from Melbourne (in the south) to the Gulf of Carpentaria (in the north)? Charles Sturt and Robert O'Hara Burke Matthew Flinders and John Forrest Robert O'Hara Burke and William John Wills John Forrest and William John Wills

7. While not technically a desert, the Nullarbor Plain, stretching between the west of Australia and the "rest" of Australia, it would have seemed like one to this young English explorer. Which man, along with his Aboriginal friend, Wylie, was the first to cross Australia from East to West along the Nullarbor Plain? John Oxley George Bass Gregory Blaxland Edward John Eyre

8. Ahmed Hassanein was an Egyptian courtier, diplomat and Olympic athlete. An additional feather in his cap was his exploration of which African desert where he discovered centuries old rock art and long forgotten sources of water? Namib Danakil Nubian Libyan

9. Australia is a land of many different climates, one being windy desert landscapes. Which Australian desert was first crossed by Peter Warburton, who traveled from Alice Springs and arrived at De Grey Station, in an odyssey that lasted from April 1873 to January 1874? The Great Sandy Desert The Gibson Desert Death Valley The Great Victoria Desert

10. The intrepid British woman Freya Stark was another early explorer of the Arabian deserts. Which present day country was she one of the first Westerners to map, in the process of discovering the legendary "Valley of Assassins"? Mongolia Egypt Iran Uzbekistan