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Red Pill, Blue Pill Trivia Quiz

Many sci-fi authors over the years have used various diseases and toxins as plot devices. How many of these fictional "nasties", and some fictional cures, have you heard of?

A multiple-choice quiz by Rowena8482. Estimated time: 6 mins.

Author
Rowena8482

Time
6 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
316,007

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
6 / 10

Plays
356

Question 1 of 10

1. Meta-cyanide is particularly unpleasant, and is used in the world of "Dune" when the Bene Gesserit use it "in the death-alternative test of human awareness".
The test apparatus is a box into which the test subject places their hand. Their hand is then subjected to intensifying levels of pain, but if they move to withdraw it, they are pricked with a needle tipped with meta-cyanide, and die.
What name is given to this needle? Hint

Yueh Kan

Bene Tleilax

Gom Jabbar

Melange Du

NEXT>

Question 2 of 10

2. In which series of books is Thionite the most insidious, addictive, illegally trafficked drug? Hint

Star Trek

Lensman

Dr. Who

Last Legionary

NEXT>

Question 3 of 10

3. KR-3 is an experimental drug which "uncouples" the user from reality and also allows their new alternate realities to affect people around them.
Which novel by Philip K. Dick features the effects of KR-3 on the lives of brother and sister Felix and Alys Buckman? Hint

Flow My Tears, The Policeman Said

The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch

Now Wait For Last Year

The Man Whose Teeth Were All Exactly Alike

NEXT>

Question 4 of 10

4. In the "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" books and TV show, what drug are the Jem'Hadar born addicted to? Hint

Menacel Blue

Aracel Four

Ketracel White

Zenfacel One

NEXT>

Question 5 of 10

5. This 'patent medicine', sold as a restorative, was actually a poisonous mix including cocaine and aniline, and killed dozens of people including the inventor's wife.
Sold by an ancestor of Detective Aloysious Prendergast in "The Cabinet of Curiosities", what was this noxious stuff? Hint

Totally Awesome Sweet Alabama Snake Liquid

Habafropzipulops Communion Wine

Kickapoo Joy Juice

Hezekiah's Compound Elixir and Gladular Restorative

NEXT>

Question 6 of 10

6. In "A Clockwork Orange", Serum 114 is used to induce extreme nausea and pain as part of an aversion therapy technique to "cure" criminals of their violent tendencies.
What name is used for this technique? Hint

Pavlovian System

Ludovico Technique

Donetti Technique

Moravian Method

NEXT>

Question 7 of 10

7. In Clark Ashton Smith's short story "The Plutonian Drug", what name is given to the drug synthesised from fossilised lichen found on the moon? Hint

Selenine

Plutonine

Hecatine

Dianine

NEXT>

Question 8 of 10

8. The novel "Storm Front" features a drug called ThreeEye which gives users "The Sight" and temporarily allows them to see into the "Never Never", and see beings there "as they really are". Users without innate magical ability think they are hallucinating when this happens.
Of which series is "Storm Front" the first volume? Hint

Rachel Morgan

The Nightside

Twilight

The Dresden Files

NEXT>

Question 9 of 10

9. When James Blish wrote his four "Cities in Flight" novels, he invented a name for the anti-aging drugs used by his characters to extend their lives well beyond a normal human span.
This name has since been used for a real drug, discovered and developed since the books were written. What is this name? Hint

Vancomycin

Auranofin

Methotrexate

Ascomycin

NEXT>

Question 10 of 10

10. This fictional drug is used as a cure rather than a toxin or narcotic. The long suffering Bursar of the Unseen University in Ankh-Morpork takes dried frog pills as required. Apart from thinking he can fly, what other illusion do the pills give him? Hint

That he can solve mathematical problems

That he is sane

That everything is just a dream

That he can work magic

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Meta-cyanide is particularly unpleasant, and is used in the world of "Dune" when the Bene Gesserit use it "in the death-alternative test of human awareness". The test apparatus is a box into which the test subject places their hand. Their hand is then subjected to intensifying levels of pain, but if they move to withdraw it, they are pricked with a needle tipped with meta-cyanide, and die. What name is given to this needle?

Answer: Gom Jabbar

"Dune" (1964) was written by Frank Herbert, and was followed by five sequels set in the same universe. It won the Hugo and Nebula Awards in 1966, and was made into a film directed by David Lynch in 1984.

2. In which series of books is Thionite the most insidious, addictive, illegally trafficked drug?

Answer: Lensman

The "Lensman" stories by E E 'doc' Smith were originally published as serials in pulp sci-fi magazines of the 1930s and 40s. Eventually Smith reworked some of the connections and they were published as novels between 1948 and 1954.

3. KR-3 is an experimental drug which "uncouples" the user from reality and also allows their new alternate realities to affect people around them. Which novel by Philip K. Dick features the effects of KR-3 on the lives of brother and sister Felix and Alys Buckman?

Answer: Flow My Tears, The Policeman Said

"Flow My Tears, The Policeman Said" was first published in 1974. It was nominated for both the Hugo and Nebula Awards, and won the prize for best science fiction novel at the John W. Campbell Awards in 1975.

4. In the "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" books and TV show, what drug are the Jem'Hadar born addicted to?

Answer: Ketracel White

Ketracel White is a synthetic hormone and is the only sustenance an adult Jem'Hadar needs. They are genetically engineered by the Founders of the Dominion as troops, and emerge from 'birthing pods' rather than being born. The Dominion appears to be able to produce as many of them as they require, and a newly emerged Jem'Hadar will grow rapidly to young adulthood in just a few days.
If Ketracel White is withheld from a Jem'Hadar, it will start to lose control of its faculties, becoming violent and disturbed. Eventually, if the drug is not administered, it will die.
The TV show "Deep Space Nine" premiered in 1993, and the various novelisations set in the same universe followed. By 2009, at least 87 "DS9" novels had been published, by more than twenty authors.

5. This 'patent medicine', sold as a restorative, was actually a poisonous mix including cocaine and aniline, and killed dozens of people including the inventor's wife. Sold by an ancestor of Detective Aloysious Prendergast in "The Cabinet of Curiosities", what was this noxious stuff?

Answer: Hezekiah's Compound Elixir and Gladular Restorative

Hezekiah Prendergast is just one of several dubious ancestors of Aloysious to get a mention in the "Agent Prendergast" series of books written by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. They were first published between 1995 and 2009.
Kickapoo Joy Juice appeared in the "Lil Abner" cartoon strip, where it is made by Lonesome Polecat and Hairless Joe. There is also a real soft drink called Kickapoo Joy Juice, sold in the US.
Habafropzipulops or Frop as it is sometimes known, is an "undefined substance" and comes from the "Book of the Subgenius", first published in 1983. This book is a "Bible" in the same way as the "Gospel of the Flying Spaghetti Monster".
Totally Awesome Sweet Alabama Snake Liquid is said to "get you so high your brains will blow chunks into the Milky Way" and comes from the "Metalocalypse" TV Show on the Adult Swim cable network.

Answer: Ludovico Technique

The criminal undergoing the treatment, in this case Alex, is forced to watch extremely violent scenes on film whilst under the effects of Serum 114. The idea is that whenever he gets a violent urge in future, he will again feel pain and nausea and thus be prevented from acting on his urge.
"A Clockwork Orange" (1962) was written by Anthony Burgess, and made into a film directed by Stanley Kubrick in 1971. In the film, Alex was played by Malcolm McDowell.

7. In Clark Ashton Smith's short story "The Plutonian Drug", what name is given to the drug synthesised from fossilised lichen found on the moon?

Answer: Selenine

Selenine is said to be a miraculous "cure all" drug which will put an end to human suffering from diseases including cancer.
"The Plutonian Drug" was first published in "Amazing Science Fiction" magazine in September 1934.

8. The novel "Storm Front" features a drug called ThreeEye which gives users "The Sight" and temporarily allows them to see into the "Never Never", and see beings there "as they really are". Users without innate magical ability think they are hallucinating when this happens. Of which series is "Storm Front" the first volume?

Answer: The Dresden Files

"The Dresden Files" are written by Jim Butcher and feature private investigator Harry Dresden. "Storm Front" was first published in 2000, and "The Dresden Files" TV show premiered in 2007 in both the US and the UK.
Rachel Morgan is a witch in a series written by Kim Harrison. The first book "Dead Witch Walking" was published in 2004.
"Twilight" is of course the first in the series of vampire romance novels by Stephanie Meyer, and was published in 2005.
"The Nightside" is the setting for the books by Simon R. Green, featuring "finder" John Taylor. The first volume, "Something from the Nightside" was first published in 2003.

9. When James Blish wrote his four "Cities in Flight" novels, he invented a name for the anti-aging drugs used by his characters to extend their lives well beyond a normal human span. This name has since been used for a real drug, discovered and developed since the books were written. What is this name?

Answer: Ascomycin

The real drug Ascomycin is an immunosuppressant, also known as Immunomycin. It is made from a species of Streptomyces bacteria.
The four novels of the "Cities in Flight" series are "They Shall Have Stars" (1956) which was also published under the title "Year 2018", "A Life for the Stars" (1962), "Earthman Come Home" (1955), and "A Clash of Cymbals" (1959) which was published in the US as "The Triumph of Time".

Answer: That he is sane

Having been driven mad by the stress of being the Bursar, the Bursar takes dried frog pills in large quantities to make him believe he is sane. His fellow wizards also make sure he only gets "blunt food" to eat, and only with a spoon.
All the wizards of the Unseen University can be found in the "Discworld" series of books written by Terry Pratchett.

Source: Author Rowena8482

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor agony before going online.
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