Truth, Stranger Than Fiction? Trivia Quiz

Answer: United Kingdom

Snail racing is an eccentric contest where garden snails compete to be the fastest, though 'fast' is a relative term! The contests are held on a circular track, and the race begins with snails placed in the centre and tasked with reaching the outer edge. The events are lighthearted and often accompanied by the rallying cry: 'Ready, steady, slow!' Spectators cheer as snails advance toward victory, sometimes taking several minutes to complete the short course.

One of the most famous snail racing events is the World Snail Racing Championships in Congham, Norfolk, England. It originated here in the 1960s and has become an annual tradition, drawing competitors and fans worldwide. Snails are often given humorous names, like 'Speedy' or 'Shelly', and some owners claim to train their molluscs with special diets and rest routines, though science remains sceptical.

Answer: Phil Shaw

Extreme ironing is a tongue-in-cheek sport that combines the mundane chore of pressing clothes with the thrill of performing it in outrageous, often dangerous locations. Participants haul ironing boards and irons to places like mountaintops, forests, underwater lakes, and yes, even into the clouds while skydiving or parachuting. The goal is to iron garments in the most extreme setting imaginable, all while maintaining impeccable technique and wrinkle-free results.

The phenomenon began in England in the late 1990s, when Phil Shaw decided to spice up his laundry routine by taking his ironing board rock climbing. What started as a quirky stunt evolved into a global movement, complete with international tours, a governing body (the Extreme Ironing Bureau), and even a world championship held in Germany. Competitors are judged not just on the extremity of their location, but also on the quality, style, and speed of their ironing.

Whether dangling from cliffs, bungee jumping mid-press, or smoothing shirts at Everest Base Camp, extreme ironing is a celebration of absurdity, creativity, and the human urge to turn even the dullest task into a daring adventure.

Answer: Objectophilia

In 2007, American archer Erika LaBrie held a commitment ceremony in Paris to declare her love for the Eiffel Tower, adopting the surname 'Eiffel' to mark the union. Her story isn't just a quirky headline, it's part of a broader identity known as objectophilia, where individuals feel romantic or emotional attraction to inanimate objects.

Erika has long described her connection to the Eiffel Tower as deeply personal, spiritual, and physical, saying the structure's geometry and strength resonate with her on an intimate level.

Her relationship with the Tower sparked public fascination and debate, especially as she later expressed affection for other objects, including a red fence she described as 'perfect' and 'sweet'. Erika's story challenges conventional ideas of love and intimacy, and shows how humans form attachments and find meaning in unexpected places. It proves that love can take many forms.

Answer: To prevent droppings from making a mess indoors

While chickens don't naturally need clothing, thanks to their insulating feathers and scaly legs, some humans, nowadays, have taken it upon themselves to dress their feathered friends in tiny trousers. These novelty garments, often handmade or sold online as 'chicken diapers', are designed to catch droppings and prevent messes indoors. But beyond practicality, the trend has taken on a life of its own, with viral videos and social media posts showcasing chickens strutting around in colourful pants, ruffles, and even suspenders.

One standout example is a chicken named Charlie, who gained internet fame for confidently running around in bright blue pants. Seeing a bird wearing pants is undeniably absurd, but it taps into a broader human impulse to anthropomorphise animals, giving them personalities, wardrobes, and starring roles in our domestic dramas.

Though most poultry experts advise against dressing chickens unless absolutely necessary, the sight of a well-panted hen remains a delight. It's part fashion statement, part farmyard farce and fully committed to making you do a double take!

Answer: The Emu War

In 1932, Australia launched a military operation to combat an unexpected enemy: emus. These large, flightless birds had descended in massive numbers, around 20,000, on farmland in Western Australia, trampling crops and creating chaos for struggling farmers during the Great Depression. In response, the government deployed soldiers armed with machine guns to cull the birds and protect the wheat fields.

What followed was a bizarre and often comical campaign. Despite their firepower, the soldiers found the emus surprisingly agile and difficult to target. The birds scattered in unpredictable patterns, outran vehicles, and absorbed bullets with alarming resilience. After weeks of battle, only a fraction of the emus were killed, and the operation was a failure. The emus had effectively won, and the press dubbed it the 'Emu War'.

Though it sounds like satire, the Emu War is a real episode in history, a cautionary tale of underestimating nature and overestimating military might. Today, it's remembered as one of the most absurd conflicts ever waged, where the birds marched on and the humans retreated in defeat.

Answer: Mudskipper

Some fish don't just swim. They walk, jump, and even climb. Chief among these evolutionary oddballs is the mudskipper, a fish that thrives in muddy mangrove swamps and can scale tree roots and low branches using its muscular fins. With bulging eyes perched on the top of its head and skin that absorbs oxygen from the air, the mudskipper is a master of both land and water. It can survive out of water for days, hopping across mudflats and clinging to vertical surfaces.

Then there's the climbing gourami, also known as the climbing perch. Native to Southeast Asia and Africa, this fish can wriggle across land and reportedly use its spiny gill plates to climb trees in search of better habitats. It's hardy enough to survive without water for up to 10 days, making it a stealthy invader of new ecosystems, sometimes even hitching rides on fishing boats.

These fish defy expectations, blurring the line between aquatic and terrestrial life. They're living proof that evolution has a sense of humour.

Answer: Goats wander around and interact with participants during poses

Goat yoga is a trend that blends traditional yoga practice with the unpredictable charm of live goats. Originating in Oregon in 2016, it began as a lighthearted way to combine animal therapy with physical exercise. During a typical session, participants stretch and pose on mats while friendly goats roam freely, climbing on backs, nuzzling faces, and occasionally interrupting with a bleat or a headbutt.

The goats aren't just there for laughs (though they deliver plenty). Their presence is said to boost mood, reduce stress, and release feel-good hormones like oxytocin and serotonin. The result is a yoga experience that's less about perfect form and more about joyful chaos, laughter, and connection, with nature, animals, and fellow humans.

Whether practised on a farm or in a studio, goat yoga turns serenity into silliness and transforms mindfulness into a shared giggle.

Answer: Japan

In the quiet coastal town of Susami, Japan, there's a fully functioning red mailbox anchored 10 meters beneath the sea. Installed in 1999 as a tourism initiative by local postmaster Toshihiko Matsumoto, it quickly became a global curiosity and earned a Guinness World Record as the world's deepest underwater postbox. Far from being a mere novelty, it receives over a thousand waterproof postcards annually, each written with oil-based markers and dropped off by scuba-diving senders.

Divers purchase special water-resistant cards from local shops, scribble their messages, and descend into the bay to post their letters. Every few days, a dedicated diver collects the mail and delivers it to the Susami Post Office, where it's dried, stamped, and sent through Japan's regular postal system. The result? A postcard that begins its journey in the deep blue can end up in a mailbox halfway across the world.

It's a blend of tradition and innovation, proof that even beneath the waves, human connection finds a way.

Answer: In his trousers

In March 2025, a man from Pennsylvania was flagged by TSA agents at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey, when a body scanner detected something unusual in his groin area. Upon questioning, he reached down the front of his pants and pulled out a live turtle. It was wrapped in a small towel. The reptile was identified as a red-eared slider, a popular pet species known for its distinctive red markings and surprising resilience.

Authorities were understandably shell-shocked! While TSA agents are trained to spot weapons and contraband, this was reportedly the first time they'd encountered a live animal hidden in someone's trousers. The man missed his flight and was escorted out by police, while the turtle was handed over to wildlife officials. Thankfully, the animal appeared unharmed by its impromptu journey.

It's a tale that blends absurdity, audacity, and a touch of reptilian mischief, proof that truth really can be stranger than fiction.

Answer: Styled it like an octopus

Isaiah Webb isn't just a man with a beard. Known online as 'Incredibeard', he transforms his facial hair into jaw-dropping designs that defy gravity and convention. From a beard shaped like a ramen bowl (complete with chopsticks) to his now-iconic octopus beard, with eight waxed tentacles curling outward like a deep-sea creature clinging to his chin, he treats his beard as both a canvas and a conversation starter.

His creations aren't just for show, as they've earned him a place in the global beard competition circuit, where artistry and absurdity reign supreme. Events like the 'World Beard and Moustache Championships' and 'Beard Battle LA' celebrate facial hair in all its forms, with categories ranging from Natural Full Beard to Freestyle, where competitors sculpt their beards into wild, imaginative shapes. Webb dominates the Freestyle category, turning heads and winning hearts with designs that blend humour, craftsmanship, and surreal flair.

Supported by his wife, who helps brainstorm and style many of his looks, his beard journey is part performance art, part personal expression. His work challenges norms, celebrates individuality, and proves that even something as ordinary as a beard can become extraordinary with a little wax, wire, and wild imagination.