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Scientists Trivia

Scientists Trivia Quizzes

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61 Scientists quizzes and 585 Scientists trivia questions.
1.
  They Remember Me For WHAT? editor best quiz   best quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Imagine that you were one of the greatest and most respected scientists of your time. Now imagine that you have just awakened in the 21st century to discover that you are best known for...well...why don't you take this quiz and find out?
Average, 10 Qns, pu2-ke-qi-ri, Aug 11 09
Average
pu2-ke-qi-ri
9865 plays
2.
Best of the Best  Physicists
  Best of the Best: Physicists   best quiz  
Photo Quiz
 10 Qns
Since ancient times, physicists have been in pursuit of the knowledge that will lead to greater understanding of how things work in the natural world. Can you identify the following physicists from the clues given?
Easier, 10 Qns, ponycargirl, Jul 14 16
Easier
ponycargirl editor
675 plays
3.
Best of the Best  Revolutionary Scientists
  Best of the Best: Revolutionary Scientists   best quiz  
Photo Quiz
 10 Qns
Beginning in the sixteenth century, the Scientific Revolution ushered in a new age that subsequently led to many discoveries. Can you identify these revolutionary scientists from the clues given?
Average, 10 Qns, ponycargirl, Jul 15 16
Average
ponycargirl editor
739 plays
4.
  Run to the Lab! World Changing Experiments.   best quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
This quiz will look at some of the most important scientific breakthroughs that have altered the way we understand the world around us. Can you pick the scientist or the experiment/theory from the information provided?
Easier, 10 Qns, MikeMaster99, Jul 01 12
Easier
MikeMaster99 gold member
3759 plays
5.
  The Nerd Herd editor best quiz   best quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Scientific advances often come from single-minded people who are sometimes called 'nerds'. This quiz is about some people who made huge leaps, as well as some who just made it a bit easier for us to get through our day. How many can you identify?
Average, 10 Qns, CmdrK, Apr 01 19
Average
CmdrK gold member
Apr 01 19
2606 plays
6.
  Best of the Best: More Scientists   best quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
From the clues given, can you identify these scientists, considered to be among the greatest the world has ever known?
Easier, 10 Qns, ponycargirl, Aug 21 22
Easier
ponycargirl editor
Aug 21 22
462 plays
7.
Best of the Best  Women in Science
  Best of the Best: Women in Science   top quiz  
Photo Quiz
 10 Qns
Throughout history, women have made important contributions in the field of science. See if you can answer these questions concerning the work of some very impressive female scientists.
Average, 10 Qns, ponycargirl, Jun 09 16
Average
ponycargirl editor
815 plays
8.
Best of the Best  Scientists
  Best of the Best: Scientists   top quiz  
Photo Quiz
 10 Qns
From the clues given, can you identify these scientists, considered to be among the greatest the world has ever known?
Average, 10 Qns, ponycargirl, Feb 01 17
Average
ponycargirl editor
752 plays
9.
Best of the Best  Giants in Science
  Best of the Best: Giants in Science   great trivia quiz  
Photo Quiz
 10 Qns
Isaac Newton wrote, "If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants". Some believe the comment was an attack on an opponent. However, it may have been a statement of modesty. To which scientific giants might Newton have referred?
Average, 10 Qns, ponycargirl, Jul 27 16
Average
ponycargirl editor
607 plays
10.
Scientists with Fruit Heads
  Scientists with Fruit Heads editor best quiz   great trivia quiz  
Photo Quiz
 10 Qns
What on EARTH could this quiz be about? Exactly what the title suggests! All these scientists have had their heads altered in this fruity themed quiz. Talk about picking your brain!
Average, 10 Qns, trident, Jan 16 22
Average
trident editor
Jan 16 22
1102 plays
trivia question Quick Question
What year did the first American win the Nobel Prize in Chemistry?

From Quiz "Nobel Prize Winners in Chemistry"




11.
  What If: Scientists Who Died Too Young   popular trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
We can only speculate what would have happened if the following scientists had not died before they reached the age of 40. Their achievements while young were significant and hint at what might have happened.
Average, 10 Qns, SixShutouts66, Sep 29 23
Average
SixShutouts66 gold member
Sep 29 23
194 plays
12.
  Wrong is Actually Right   great trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Scientists Accused of Being Wrong
Throughout history scientists have been ridiculed, persecuted, tortured and even killed because of their new ideas and theories. This quiz looks at ten of these famous men who everyone thought were wrong but who turned out to be very right.
Easier, 10 Qns, Midget40, Dec 16 22
Easier
Midget40 gold member
Dec 16 22
1543 plays
13.
  It's Raining Men!   top quiz  
Match Quiz
 10 Qns
Meteorologists
Can you match each of these men associated with the field of meteorology with a brief description of some of their accomplishments?
Average, 10 Qns, looney_tunes, Dec 07 22
Average
looney_tunes editor
Dec 07 22
1357 plays
14.
  Not On Your Nelly   popular trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
That is what the people must have thought when someone told them about these discoveries. They seemed unbelievable, yet existed. See if you can recognize the scientists who created them, and made our life a lot easier.
Average, 10 Qns, remote9, Aug 08 13
Average
remote9
1531 plays
15.
  I Am Not Insane   great trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Sometimes scientists come up with theories or findings that sound mad. Their ideas might turn out to be accepted as game changers or they might not. Here is a selection.
Average, 10 Qns, Upstart3, May 19 19
Average
Upstart3 gold member
May 19 19
573 plays
16.
  Fun with Famous Scientists   great trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 20 Qns
Intended for laypersons. A light quiz on the discoveries of famous scientists, moderately easy but varied. One answer from each question is for fun only. Enjoy!
Average, 20 Qns, dr_vitz, Nov 20 22
Average
dr_vitz
Nov 20 22
5989 plays
17.
  A Cornucopia of Scientists   popular trivia quiz  
Match Quiz
 10 Qns
Match the scientific discipline, discovery or description to the proper person.
Very Easy, 10 Qns, nyirene330, Oct 16 16
Very Easy
nyirene330
593 plays
18.
  Builders of Science   popular trivia quiz  
Match Quiz
 10 Qns
This quiz is based in part on the book by Bill Bryson, "A Short History of Nearly Everything". See if you can match the theory or discovery to the scientist who made it.
Average, 10 Qns, LeoDaVinci, Feb 25 22
Average
LeoDaVinci editor
Feb 25 22
177 plays
19.
  All in the Name of Spineless Science    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
All the scientists in this quiz have one thing in common - among many other amazing achievements they have had at least one species of invertebrate named after them. How many of them do you recognise from my clues?
Tough, 10 Qns, Rowena8482, Nov 04 12
Tough
Rowena8482 gold member
4918 plays
20.
  The Miracle Of Mind   top quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
This quiz asks you to identify relatively notable scientists throughout the ages. These great minds have made significant advances toward the advancement of science.
Very Easy, 10 Qns, christopherm, Feb 26 15
Very Easy
christopherm gold member
1078 plays
21.
  Have You Heard of This Lesser-Known Chemist?    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
This quiz is about some of the lesser-known chemists from history. It was adopted from GWU_Boy, and was originally called "Chemists Through the Ages II".
Average, 10 Qns, NickMc, Jun 03 23
Average
NickMc
Jun 03 23
102 plays
22.
  Scientists and their Contributions    
Match Quiz
 10 Qns
There have been many scientists whose work lets us know about fundamental things concerning how the universe actually works. How well do you remember which accomplishment was made by what scientist? Enjoy!
Easier, 10 Qns, DeepHistory, Jul 27 16
Easier
DeepHistory gold member
858 plays
23.
  Scientists from K-W   popular trivia quiz  
Match Quiz
 10 Qns
Once again, I will give you descriptions and you need to match them with the appropriate scientists.
Easier, 10 Qns, nyirene330, May 18 17
Easier
nyirene330
431 plays
24.
  Scientists from A - J   popular trivia quiz  
Match Quiz
 10 Qns
I provide information on their fields of study, and you match the scientist to the correct description.
Easier, 10 Qns, nyirene330, May 18 17
Easier
nyirene330
439 plays
25.
  French or German?    
Match Quiz
 10 Qns
These laws or inventions are the work of either a French or German scientist. It's up to you to determine which nationality.
Easier, 10 Qns, bwfc10, Sep 29 19
Easier
bwfc10
Sep 29 19
456 plays
26.
  Let Me Be Your Fantasy   top quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Famous names through history have made scientific discoveries and inventions that have transformed the world, but sometimes there are disputes over who actually was responsible. See which scientists "stole" the fantasizing of their contemporaries.
Average, 10 Qns, adams627, Dec 19 09
Average
adams627
719 plays
27.
  Scientists Who Changed the World   great trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Random facts about scientists who made a big impact on the way we live today.
Average, 10 Qns, candii-dreamz, Mar 06 16
Average
candii-dreamz
2731 plays
28.
  Medical Breakthroughs From Madison    
Match Quiz
 10 Qns
The University of Wisconsin has seen lots of cutting edge medical research. Match the scientist with their breakthrough (most of them Nobel Prize winning).
Average, 10 Qns, parrotman2006, Aug 10 22
Average
parrotman2006 gold member
Aug 10 22
87 plays
29.
  Man is the Measure   popular trivia quiz  
Match Quiz
 10 Qns
These people all give their names to scientific units. Can you match them up?
Average, 10 Qns, Lottie1001, May 13 16
Average
Lottie1001 gold member
500 plays
30.
  What do you know about Famous Scientists?   popular trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
This quiz is over a few famous scientists. I tried to keep out some of the very obvious ones that every quiz has, like Einstein and Sir Isaac Newton.
Average, 10 Qns, mcfan321, Feb 11 17
Average
mcfan321
3140 plays
31.
  Ralph and the History of British Science   popular trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Ralph the Llama, as the new lab technician, is tasked with finding out who is responsible for a broken (and rather expensive) centrifuge. However the British scientists in this lab are quick to stick together and reveal little about the culprit.
Tough, 10 Qns, doublemm, Sep 02 12
Tough
doublemm gold member
296 plays
32.
  Scientific Heroes    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
We owe these ten people a great deal for their work in various fields of science. Let's get to know who they are.
Average, 10 Qns, Tarkowski, Jul 22 21
Average
Tarkowski
Jul 22 21
292 plays
33.
  Thinking Outside the Box    
Match Quiz
 10 Qns
Nothing is ever proven in science, but many scientific theories become widely accepted as the truth. Can you match these previously held 'truths' with the scientist who contributed to them being debunked? Good luck!
Tough, 10 Qns, pagea, Jan 11 18
Tough
pagea
Jan 11 18
133 plays
34.
  Who Deserves Credit?   popular trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
While scientists like Darwin, Galileo and Watt get all the credit in the history books, the individuals below live in relative obscurity. This quiz gives some true innovators a chance to shine...see if you can identify them!
Tough, 10 Qns, thejazzkickazz, Apr 28 18
Tough
thejazzkickazz gold member
Apr 28 18
1005 plays
35.
  Pioneers in Computing    
Match Quiz
 10 Qns
The computer systems of today were built on the efforts of these pioneers who laid the foundations for today. Many labored in obscurity behind the scenes. Match the pioneers with their accomplishments.
Tough, 10 Qns, SixShutouts66, Mar 25 19
Tough
SixShutouts66 gold member
Mar 25 19
132 plays
36.
  Scientists of Quantum Theory   popular trivia quiz  
Match Quiz
 10 Qns
Match each description or idea of quantum theory with the scientist who first discovered it.
Average, 10 Qns, AlexT781, Sep 22 18
Average
AlexT781
Sep 22 18
239 plays
37.
  I Want to be a Mad Scientist When I Grow Up    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Many of the men in this quiz made legitimate contributions to the field of science. All of them had questionable ethics and most were eccentrics. Some were cruel, or insane, or downright evil.
Tough, 10 Qns, dcpddc478, Sep 07 11
Tough
dcpddc478
500 plays
38.
  Scientists and Their Discoveries    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
The quiz is all about scientists and their discoveries. For help, the countries of the scientists are given. Enjoy!
Average, 10 Qns, sumanp, Jan 03 17
Average
sumanp
608 plays
39.
  Great Figures of Ancient Science   popular trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
I have selected here some fascinating facts about some of the great scientists, some well-known and some not so well-known, from both the ancient and medieval world. Please feel free to peruse this quiz and learn...
Difficult, 10 Qns, thejazzkickazz, Apr 19 11
Difficult
thejazzkickazz gold member
674 plays
40.
  Behind the Units: Electromagnetism   popular trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Some scientific units - like the meter - aren't named after anybody in particular. Others, though, are named to honor hard work and brilliant contributions. I describe the scientist and work in electromagnetism - you name the unit (not the abbreviation).
Tough, 10 Qns, CellarDoor, Apr 19 11
Tough
CellarDoor gold member
500 plays
41.
  Scottish Pioneers of Science    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
As a Scotsman I have always been proud that our small population has made a massive global impact. This quiz is about Scottish scientists and inventors who have done just that.
Average, 10 Qns, MickeyDGod, Apr 12 20
Average
MickeyDGod gold member
Apr 12 20
189 plays
42.
  Famous Scientists Quiz Challenge    
Multiple Choice
 5 Qns
This quiz is about scientists who are very dead, and very famous ...
Easier, 5 Qns, xspaceghostx, Mar 24 12
Easier
xspaceghostx
4354 plays
43.
  Scientists are Human Too   popular trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Scientists and natural philosophers throughout the ages have discovered some amazing things, but every now and then some of them come up with something strange and out of the blue or suffered the at wicked hand of irony. After all they are human, too.
Tough, 10 Qns, skilburn, Jul 05 15
Tough
skilburn
783 plays
44.
  It Doesn't Take a Rocket Scientist...    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
A quiz about female rocket scientists.
Tough, 10 Qns, pennie1478, Dec 20 16
Tough
pennie1478 gold member
235 plays
45.
  Nobel Prizes in Physics   popular trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
X-Radiation and the Nobel Prize in Physics
Average, 10 Qns, UncleHern, Jan 29 14
Average
UncleHern
634 plays
46.
  Scientists of Regency Britain    
Match Quiz
 10 Qns
Match the scientists of early 19th Century Britain with the scientific discoveries.
Average, 10 Qns, bernie73, Dec 26 19
Average
bernie73 gold member
Dec 26 19
164 plays
47.
  A Woman's Work is Never Done    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Science is often - quite wrongly! - seen as a 'boys' subject'. However, great contributions to the subject have been made by women over the years. This quiz looks at ten women who have really made their mark in the sciences.
Average, 10 Qns, Bethannieh, Dec 21 14
Average
Bethannieh
385 plays
48.
  Chemists Through the Ages    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
See how much you know about chemists from the 18th century to today by playing this quiz.
Average, 10 Qns, GWU_Boy, Jul 20 20
Average
GWU_Boy
Jul 20 20
679 plays
49.
  The Limitations of Science    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
While scientists have obtained many fascinating results and discoveries in the last century, some of the most surprising results have been those which state precisely what we cannot possibly accomplish. Here are 10 questions on some of those discoveries
Difficult, 10 Qns, kevinatilusa, Apr 19 11
Difficult
kevinatilusa
612 plays
50.
  Early Scientists of Alexandria    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Following the the creation of the Egyptian city Alexandria by Alexander the Great himself and the ascension of Ptolemy as Pharoah, the city of Alexandria became the scientific center of the ancient world. Here are some of the key figures...
Difficult, 10 Qns, thejazzkickazz, Apr 19 11
Difficult
thejazzkickazz gold member
414 plays
51.
  Famous Scientific Pioneers    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
How much do you know about important discoveries to modern science? Maybe this quiz will help you figure that out. Enjoy! Oh, and I don't mind feedback, just please don't be rude.
Average, 10 Qns, tumblre, Jun 04 23
Average
tumblre
Jun 04 23
466 plays
52.
  Nobel Prize Winners in Chemistry    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
This quiz is about the chemists who won the Nobel Prize.
Average, 10 Qns, GoodVibe, Jun 20 17
Average
GoodVibe gold member
Jun 20 17
178 plays
53.
  Roman Scientists    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Rome was not known for its scientific or artistic innovations and what few figures did participate in scientific endeavors perhaps were not the most qualified? Here are a few examples of some of the prominent Roman figures who dabbled in science...enjoy
Tough, 10 Qns, thejazzkickazz, Apr 19 11
Tough
thejazzkickazz gold member
356 plays
54.
  Ancient Ionian Scientists   popular trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 5 Qns
The world's first known group of natural scientists were active in Ionian Greece in ancient times. Here are some questions regarding these obscure but very important individuals...have a look!
Very Difficult, 5 Qns, thejazzkickazz, Apr 19 11
Very Difficult
thejazzkickazz gold member
939 plays
55.
  Who Am I ? - Scientists    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Name the scientist from the clues. Good Luck!
Tough, 10 Qns, sportcon, Apr 19 11
Tough
sportcon
1505 plays
56.
  Later Alexandrian Scientists    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Alexandria remained the center for scientific and philosophic inquiry for hundreds of years in the ancient world of the Mediterranean. This quiz highlights some of the key figures of the Alexandria, the intellectual mecca of the ancient Egypt.
Tough, 10 Qns, thejazzkickazz, Apr 19 11
Tough
thejazzkickazz gold member
290 plays
57.
  Interesting Facts about Famous Scientists    
Multiple Choice
 5 Qns
Enjoy these various tidbits on your favorite scientists...
Very Difficult, 5 Qns, thejazzkickazz, Apr 19 11
Very Difficult
thejazzkickazz gold member
650 plays
58.
  Fascinating Facts about Scientists    
Multiple Choice
 5 Qns
In this quiz I have presented 5 random questions on or about various famous scientists of the past. See how far in depth your knowledge of these greats delves!
Difficult, 5 Qns, thejazzkickazz, Apr 19 11
Difficult
thejazzkickazz gold member
669 plays
59.
  Random Questions About Scientists    
Multiple Choice
 5 Qns
More random scientist questions to tantalize the curious soul...
Difficult, 5 Qns, thejazzkickazz, Apr 19 11
Difficult
thejazzkickazz gold member
628 plays
60.
  Later Ionian Scientists    
Multiple Choice
 5 Qns
More ancient Ionian scientists. Hope you learn something.
Difficult, 5 Qns, thejazzkickazz, Apr 19 11
Difficult
thejazzkickazz gold member
353 plays
61.
  The Peripatetics    
Multiple Choice
 5 Qns
Following the great Aristotle were a number of scholars and scientists referred to as the 'Peripatetics'. Here are some questions on the greatest among them. Have fun!
Very Difficult, 5 Qns, thejazzkickazz, Apr 19 11
Very Difficult
thejazzkickazz gold member
727 plays
Related Topics
  Physics [Sci / Tech] (112 quizzes)

  Scientists & Inventors [People] (182 quizzes)


Scientists Trivia Questions

1. Srinivasa Ramanujan (1887-1920) was a self-taught mathematical genius from India, who died at age 32. Which famous English mathematician nurtured Ramanujan and collaborated with him when he moved to England?

From Quiz
What If: Scientists Who Died Too Young

Answer: G. H. Hardy

Ramanujan showed an early aptitude in mathematics, but failed to achieve a university degree in India due to his disinterest in other subjects. He was employed as a clerk in Madras, but gained a reputation in Indian mathematical circles. At their suggestion he sent drafts of his work to famous British mathematicians. Most rejected the papers as typical amateur mistakes, but G.H Hardy recognized the genius in these papers and invited him to England. Ramanujan left for England at age 26 and worked with Hardy for five years. He struggled with many of the aspects of his new home, cultural differences, weather, and food. He returned to India and died shortly thereafter from a disease thought to be related to earlier bouts of dysentery. Though he had almost no formal training in pure mathematics, he made substantial contributions to mathematical analysis, number theory, infinite series, and continued fractions, including solutions to mathematical problems then considered unsolvable. Many of his ideas have generated avenues of research for nearly a century. One of his famous results was his answer to Hardy, who rode in a taxicab numbered 1729, and commented what a boring number that 1729 was. Ramanujan replied that it was not, and 1729 was the smallest number that was the sum of two different pairs of cubes (1 cubed + 12 cubed and 9 cubed + 10 cubed).

2. 266 BC - Eratosthenes "I am not insane! I just want to get this rod vertical and I can measure it". What did he measure?

From Quiz I Am Not Insane

Answer: Earth's circumference

Eratosthenes was the chief librarian at one of the greatest libraries in the world, the Library of Alexandria, who lived between 276 BC and c194 BC. He was a fine mathematician and astronomer, who is considered to be one of the inventors of the discipline of geography. Eratosthenes made a measurement of the Earth's circumference using local knowledge of Egypt and some simple tools. He knew that, at noon on the longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere, the sun was directly overhead in the city of Syene (which is now Aswan). He put a rod vertically in the ground at that time in Alexandria, which is north of Syene, measured its shadow and hence the angle of the sun's rays. He calculated that the angle was 7.2 degrees, and that the distance between Syene and Alexandria was therefore about a fiftieth of the earth's circumference (360 divided by 7.2). His estimate was within 15% of the actual value.

3. Who was the first recipient of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry?

From Quiz Nobel Prize Winners in Chemistry

Answer: Jacobus van't Hoff

The Dutch chemist van't Hoff (1852-1911) won in 1901 for his work in chemical dynamics and osmotic pressure in solutions. A professor at the University of Amsterdam and later Berlin, Van't Hoff was also known for his work in stereo-chemistry, chemical kinetics, and chemical equilibrium.

4. What did rocket scientist Dr. Anita Sengupta invent for NASA to help with the Mars Ascent Vehicle and two ExoMars Trace Orbiter robots?

From Quiz It Doesn't Take a Rocket Scientist...

Answer: Parachutes for space vehicles

Dr. Anita Sengupta is a familiar face to the North American Space Agency Jet Propulsion Laboratory. She works as a Senior System Engineer. Her work put her front and center in the planet exploration missions. Besides working at the North American Space Agency Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Dr. Sengupta taught Aeronautics at the University of Southern California.

5. A member of Britain's Royal Navy helped to standardize weather forecasting by developing a "wind force scale" which reduced subjective observations. Who was he?

From Quiz The Nerd Herd

Answer: Francis Beaufort

Rear Admiral Sir Francis Beaufort (1774-1857) developed the "Beaufort wind force scale" around 1830. As Britain became the preeminent sea power in the world it became desirable to have as much standardization as possible in several key areas. One such area was the description of weather conditions: upon entering a new geographic area one sea captain might describe the wind as 'a strong breeze' where another captain might call it 'a driving gale'. Beaufort, building on the work of others, devised a 13-class scale (0 to 12) of wind and sea conditions. It has been tinkered with over the years but retains the basic elements Beaufort set forth.

6. This Italian physicist was born in 1564. He is known as, "a father of modern physics," along with many other titles. Who is he?

From Quiz The Miracle Of Mind

Answer: Galileo

Galilei Galileo is widely noted for his discovery of the four largest satellites of Jupiter. Galileo also provided the groundwork for a modern theory of classical mechanics. The story of Galileo and the Leaning Tower of Pisa "falling objects" experiment is widely recounted.

7. Which famous mathematician allegedly forbade his followers to eat beans on the grounds that if a bean was buried and covered with dung, 40 days later it would assume human form?

From Quiz Scientists are Human Too

Answer: Pythagoras

Pythagoras also believed in a form of reincarnation and the transmigration of souls. Along with his work with triangles and other aspects of geometry, he also discovered the mathematical relationship between the length of a piece string and musical pitch.

8. Who was the first to prove that the square of the hypotenuse on a right-angled triangle is equal to the sum of the squares on the other two sides?

From Quiz Scientists Who Changed the World

Answer: Pythagoras

Pythagoras' Theorem was probably known to the Babylonians but Pythagoras (581-497 BC) may well have been the first to prove it. It is perhaps ironic that Pythagoras is remembered today for this theorem, the principles of which had previously been known for over a thousand years, and yet his more original discoveries are obscure. As the discoverer of the musical scale, in effect creating a rule book for the musical harmonies that we take for granted, it is arguable that this has had a much more profound impact on the history of the world than a simple, largely borrowed mathematical formula.

9. One half of the first married couple to receive a Nobel prize, who was the French chemist known for his study of the properties of crystals, even before he discovered the phenomenon of piezoelectricity?

From Quiz Have You Heard of This Lesser-Known Chemist?

Answer: Pierre Curie

Curie headed the École de Physique et de Chimie Industrielle in Paris, and it was there that he met his future wife, Marie. Together they won the Nobel Prize for physics, along with Henri Becquerel, as the result of their study of radiation. Other discoveries of Pierre's include a law which explains magnetic susceptibility of paramagnetic materials and the critical temperature above which magnetic properties disappear.

10. This man had to flee to the USA in 1791 from England when his books on chemistry caused an uproar. He founded not only English Unitarianism, but helped found the modern basis of chemistry by discovering oxygen and explaining photosynthesis.

From Quiz Chemists Through the Ages

Answer: Joseph Priestley

Priestley traveled to Europe and met a number of scientists and published an account of his work called "Experiments and Observations on Different Kinds of Air" which appeared in six volume from 1774 to 1786.

11. Which Roman era philosopher wrote the fascinating work of pseudo-science called 'On the Nature of Things'?

From Quiz Roman Scientists

Answer: Lucretius

Lucretius, a follower of the Epicurians, established his belief in the atomic theory of matter, the indestructibility of matter, and of evolutionary theory. Unfortunately, Lucretius did not have a deep knowledge of the sciences and hence did not make true investigations into these topics. Thus the theories of Lucretius are clouded with fantastical ideas regarding the sizes and shapes of atoms and the idea of spontaneous generation, among others.

12. Hipparchus, perhaps the greatest astronomer of the ancient world, also first developed which mathematical discipline?

From Quiz Later Alexandrian Scientists

Answer: Trigonometry

Hipparchus was the first to observe and record the precession of the equinoxes, and also developed a system by which eclipses of the moon and sun could be predicted.

13. In what area did the Peripatetic scholar Theophrastus work?

From Quiz The Peripatetics

Answer: Botany

14. Who was the medical attendant to Persian king Darius I and the author of the first Greek treatise on medicine?

From Quiz Later Ionian Scientists

Answer: Democedes

15. Which scientist first discovered that the angles at the base of an isoceles triangle are equal?

From Quiz Ancient Ionian Scientists

Answer: Thales

Thales may have been the world's first geometer, and is certainly considered by most Westerners to be the first philosopher, in the modern sense of the word. This Meletan scholar posited that water was the basis of all things, and that the Earth floated upon a giant bed of water.

16. This man devised the Periodic Table of Elements.

From Quiz Famous Scientists

Answer: Dmitri Mendeleyev

Dmitri Mendeleyev was Russian and lived from 1834-1907. Mendeleyev was born in Tobolsk, Siberia.

17. Who coined the word 'vaccination'?

From Quiz Random Questions About Scientists

Answer: Jenner & Edward Jenner

Vaccination was derived from the Latin word for cowpox 'vacinna'. Jenner created the smallpox vaccine using the cowpox virus.

18. Einstein's quote....'I cannot believe that God plays dice with the universe'...was a reaction to whose theories?

From Quiz Fascinating Facts about Scientists

Answer: Heisenberg

Einstein was reacting to Heisenberg's uncertainty principle. This idea has remained controversial, yet highly influential, up to the modern day.

19. Cai Lun, Chinese inventor of paper, used what material in his paper making process?

From Quiz Interesting Facts about Famous Scientists

Answer: bamboo

Cai Lun was an official in the imperial court of the Han, and is credited with inventing paper around 105 A.D. He was not the actual inventor of paper, though...but rather improved the paper-making process greatly.

20. Who stated the theories of special and general relativity?

From Quiz Famous Scientists

Answer: Albert Einstein

21. Henry Moseley was killed in 1915 by a sniper at Gallipoli. What had he accomplished by his death at age 26?

From Quiz What If: Scientists Who Died Too Young

Answer: Spectroscopy work leading to updates to the Periodic Table of Elements

In 1913, Moseley observed and measured the X-ray spectra of various chemical elements (mostly metals) that were found by the method of diffraction through crystals. Mendeleev's Periodic Table was based on atomic weight, the mass of the number of protons of an element plus the weighted average of the number of neutrons across its isotopes. Some elements would be placed in the wrong location, based strictly on atomic weight, and gaps in the table were not identified correctly. The modern periodic table is based on the number of protons, made possible by Moseley's methods. Isaac Asimov wrote that Moseley's death may have been the most costly one of World War I to mankind generally.  Moseley's mentor and compatriot, Ernest Rutherford, believed that Moseley's work would have earned him the Nobel Prize (which is never awarded posthumously).

22. 1847 Ignaz Semmelweis: "I am not insane! Doctors are killing their patients and I know how to stop them!" What did Semmelweis propose?

From Quiz I Am Not Insane

Answer: Washing hands

Ignaz Semmelweis (1818-1865) was a Hungarian doctor was an early adopter of antiseptic principles. His work at the Vienna General Hospital identified unexplained differences in mortality of women after childbirth in the two clinics at the hospital. One of the clinics had a mortality rate of 10%, and women begged to be allowed to go to the second, where mortality was less than half that rate, or even give birth in the street. Semmelweis methodically looked at any factors that might account for the difference. The methods and practices all seemed the same - the only difference was the staff working at the two clinics. He concluded that the issues with the first clinic were due to medical students having conducted autopsies and then looking after maternity patients without having washed their hands. They must have "cadaverous particles" on their hands, which infected the mothers. Semmelweis brought in a regime where doctors washed their hands with chlorinated lime after autopsies, and brought the mortality rate down by 90%. Despite his results, the medical establishment were highly reluctant to believe his conclusions. Some doctors were offended that gentlemen would need to clean their hands, others believed "puerpal fever" was infectious and passed between the women. It was only later, when the germ theory of disease was clearly defined by Pasteur and others, that Semmelweis's contribution was fully appreciated.

23. What year did the first American win the Nobel Prize in Chemistry?

From Quiz Nobel Prize Winners in Chemistry

Answer: 1914

Theodore Richards (1868-1928) won for determining the accurate atomic weight of elements. In the days before electronic analysis, Richards was instrumental in discovering isotopes of elements, proving the same element can have different atomic weights. He was a professor at Harvard.

24. Known as the rocket scientist who became an animal airliner, this scientist wanted to be a veterinarian but had to go into physics due to her scholarship. Who is this female rocket scientist?

From Quiz It Doesn't Take a Rocket Scientist...

Answer: Bonny Schumaker

Bonny loved animals so much she was going to be a veterinarian, but her math grades got her a physics scholarship from California Polytechnic. Bonny joined NASA and created the LISA program (Laser Inferometer Space Antenna). This program helped NASA locate black holes by using lasers connected to three spaceships placed in a triangular pattern to send out "waves" to locate black holes and other phenomenon. After leaving NASA, Bonny used her plane to transport animals away from danger zones and relocate abandoned animals to new homes. Bonny became known as the rocket scientist who became an animal airliner.

25. One of the world's foremost theoretical physicists, this man published many books including "A Brief History of Time" and "The Universe in a Nutshell". Who was he?

From Quiz The Nerd Herd

Answer: Stephen Hawking

Theoretical physics involves predictions of physical events which we are, at least currently, unable to see or measure, such as a black hole. Stephen Hawking was a leading theoretical physicist and in many of his books tried to explain some of these fantastic ideas in layman's terms. Hawking had a progressive motor neuron disease, was almost completely paralyzed and communicated through a speech-generating device. He died in 2018 at the age of 76.

26. The "farad," a measure of electric capacitance, is named after a British physicist. Who is it?

From Quiz The Miracle Of Mind

Answer: Faraday

Michael Faraday is quoted as saying, "Nothing is too wonderful to be true if it be consistent with the laws of nature." Born in 1791, Faraday was heavily influenced by Humphry Davy and made significant contributions to the theory of electromagnetism.

27. Which law did Sir Isaac Newton discover in the year 1677?

From Quiz Scientists and Their Discoveries

Answer: Law of gravitation

In 1677, Newton returned to his work on mechanics, i.e. gravitation and its effect on the orbits of planets. This contained the beginnings of the laws of motion.

28. Who is alleged to have leapt from his bath-tub and ran naked through the streets of his town shouting 'Eureka! Eureka!' ('I've found it') upon discovering the principles of displacement and flotation?

From Quiz Scientists are Human Too

Answer: Archimedes

Archimedes is often described as the greatest scientist and mathematician of all time. He discovered the principles of pulley systems, the principles of displacement and flotation; and calculated an accurate figure for Pi among many, many other achievements. Did he actually run naked through the streets or not? We will never know for sure.

29. Who once said to the people of Syracuse, "Give me a place to stand on, and I will move the Earth"?

From Quiz Scientists Who Changed the World

Answer: Archimedes

Archimedes (287-212 BC) was responsible for the science of hydrostatics, the study of displacement of bodies in water. He discovered the principles of static mechanics and pycnometry (the measurement of the volume or density of an object). Known as the 'father of integral calculus', Archimedes' reckonings were later used by, among others, Kepler, Fermat, Leibniz and Newton.

30. Which famous philosopher pioneered the classification of plants and animals?

From Quiz Famous Scientific Pioneers

Answer: Aristotle

Although not primarily a mathematician, Aristotle also made contributions by systematising deductive logic.

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