Blackout Trivia Quiz

Answer: Chicago, Illinois

According to statistics, fifty-five million people were directly affected within cities and regions affected by the August 2003 Blackout which spanned a large portion of the northeast United States and most of Ontario. Many of the affected locations declared a state of emergency as a result of the loss of power, media outlets (excluding emergency radio stations), communication towers, and in many places, the water supply.

According to a major study conducted by investigators, the blackout was caused in Ohio where power lines came into contact with overgrown trees and short-circuited the power grid causing over one hundred plants to fall in a domino effect. Since this blackout occurred, one major power outage in Indonesia caused one hundred million citizens to be without power in 2005.

Answer: Barrow, Alaska, US

Founded in the late 19th century, Barrow, Alaska is commonly known as America's northernmost town. As such, its temperatures are very low and it's covered in snow for the majority of the year. In November and December, Barrow experiences consistent night-time with the most light appearing in somewhat of a twilight state.

The adverse happens in the summer months; by the middle of the year Barrow experiences nearly three months of consistent midnight sun. At this time, the town rarely cracks the 'above-freezing mark' in temperature.

They certainly have reason to keep the heaters running year-round and the lights on (at least for winter). Point Barrow, slightly north of the town of Barrow, is the closest point in the United States to the North Pole.

Answer: Benjamin Franklin

A prominent figure in the world of United States politics, Benjamin Franklin is a quite popular figure contributing to the harnessing of electrical power. In addition to the 'key on a kite string' theory, Franklin invented the lightning rod following the hypothesis of his ideas.

There may never have even been an instance where Benjamin Franklin even flew a kite though he did copy out his procedure. In the 2000s, the TV show "Mythbusters" determined that had Franklin actually flown the kite and attracted the lightning, he would've been killed.

Answer: Beta-Carotine

Carrots, among other things, contain a large amount of Beta-Carotine which converts to Vitamin A in the body and is good for both sight and skin. Deficiency of Vitamin A can lead to blindness while eating too much Vitamin A can lead to an oversaturation in your body causing you to become ill.

Some of the more common items on a menu to contain more Vitamin A than carrots include liver and yams (or sweet potatoes). Beta-carotene, being quite the major component in carrots, is also used in strengthening the body's immune system and preventing infection and disease. Of course, if you take too much beta-carotene you may find yourself turning orange. ;)

Answer: Electric Eel

Bioluminescent creatures are those which, through chemical processes, create their own source of light. Fireflies are often the most popular creatures to do this as their glows have been seen in forests worldwide. This form of light usually does not emit heat and has a tendency to attract certain animals.

In the case of the anglerfish, this provides a source of food as unwilling small fish are eaten by the creature when they swim too close to the source. It is hypothesized that most bioluminescent creatures haven't been discovered yet as they're in yet-to-be-reached expanses of the world's seas. Now to find a bottle of fireflies to keep you out of the dark...

Answer: Daredevil

Created in 1964, Daredevil has been a fixture int he Marvel Comics canon for decades. It wasn't until Ben Affleck portrayed the character in the 2003 film "Daredevil" that he broke out of the traditional comic book medium. Set in New York's Hell's Kitchen borough, the story of Daredevil begins with Matt Murdock's being blinded by radioactive fluids.

As a result, all of his other sights are heightened to superhuman standards. Dubbed 'the man without fear', he fights crime in New York against Kingpin, Mysterio, Death-Stalker, and Bullseye amongst others.

The feature film grossed over $170,000,000 overall.

Answer: The Spartan Army

The famous Battle of Thermopylae occurring in Greece in 450 BCE was the setting for this famous quote at which point the Spartan army, led by King Leonidas, led his Spartan troops against the Persian forces headed by Xerxes. Although the Spartans had a small army and fought valiantly, their forces were eventually defeated by the Persians (who lost tens of thousands of their forces in battle). This epic battle was depicted in the the Frank Miller film "300" (released in 2007). Starring Gerard Butler as King Leonidas, the quote became one of the most popular from the film.

This movie was based on the graphic novel of the same name.

Answer: Britney Spears

Perhaps one of those items you won't be looking for in the blackout, Britney Spears' fifth studio album was released in 2007 under the title "Blackout". A relatively popular venture for Spears after her lesser-received "In the Zone" released previously, "Blackout" hit #2 on the Billboard Albums Chart going Platinum in four countries.

The CD's lead single, "Gimme More", was one of the most popular dance songs in its year of release attracting more than forty official remixes and hitting #1 Billboard Hot Dance Club Play and #3 on the Billboard Top 100.

Answer: Clue: The Movie

Written by John Landis and directed by Jonathan Lynn (known for "My Cousin Vinny"), "Clue: The Movie" never made it big in theaters but emerged as a cult classic in the years after its released. The film is notable for its multiple endings. In order to preserve the nature of the 'whodunit', theaters were shipped one of three ultimate endings, all of which appear on the home releases of the film. Once the lights go out, the final murders are committed and the solution is revealed by the butler (played by Curry) once the breaker switch is flicked back into an operational position. All six characters from the "Clue" game (including Mr. Boddy) play pivotal roles.

Answer: Jose Saramago

In this novel, a country is struck with an epidemic in which all of its citizens are struck with what is called 'white blindness'. All but one woman is unable to see in this dystopian world which breaks down due to the outbreak. Chaos ensues as everybody is afraid to put one foot forward and trust only in themselves. Jose Saramaga, the author, wrote "Blindness" in 1995 and a sequel, "Seeing", in 2004.

In 1998, the Nobel Prize Committee awarded Saramaga with a Prize in the field of Literature for his extensive work in fiction.

In 2008, Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo, and Gaea Garcia Bernal starred in the film adaptation directed by Fernando Meirelles (known for the award-winning and critically praised films "City of God" and "The Constant Gardener").