It's a World First! Trivia Quiz

Answer: The use of the S.O.S. distress call

On June 6th, 1909, the S.S Slovenia became the first ship to officially use the S.O.S distress call. Three years later, this distress call would be used again when the Titanic sank.

The first digital watch was invented in 1972 by the Hamilton Watch Company.

The first use of an x-ray machine occured in Germany in 1895.

The first nuclear submarines were built in Conneticut, USA, in 1954.

Answer: Antarctica

Until the 19th century, we didn't know that Antarctica existed. On February 7th, 1821, American John Davis became the first person to stand on the Antarctic mainland.

Answer: Air-conditioner

Ding Huan invented the first rotary fan air-conditioning system in China in the 2nd century. In 1902 the American inventor, Willis Carrier, invented the first modern electrical air-conditioning unit.

Answer: Everest

This was the ninth time that anyone had attempted to climb Mount Everest. Sadly, since this time, a total of 219 people have died while attempting to reach the summit, fifty-eight of whom did in fact reach the summit but never completed the descent.

Answer: Light bulb

Edison invented the phonograph in 1877. Two years later, he introduced the world to his most famous invention, the light bulb (without them we'd all be in the dark!) In 1891 he invented the first motion-picture camera.

The electric washing machine didn't appear until 1904 though its inventor is unknown.

Answer: Telephone

The first words ever spoken into a telephone were: "Mr. Watson, come here, I want to see you".

Today, there are almost six billion mobile and fixed-line telephones. The first mobile phone was invented in the mid 1970s.

Answer: The first automobile

In 1815 Josef Bozek created and built the first automobile, an oil-fired steam car. Twenty-three years later, in 1838, Robert Davidson invented the first electric car.

Answer: Pens

Where would we be without the humble pen?

In the 18th century, the quill pen was a popular writing instrument. 2000 years later, it was replaced by the reed pen.

In May 1827, Petrache Poenaru invented the first fountain pen. 111 years later, in 1938, Laszlo Biro invented the first ballpoint pen.

In the 1960s, Yukio Horie invented the first felt-tipped pen and, finally, in the 1970s, the world was introduced to rollerball pens.

Answer: A man first set foot on the moon

"That's one small step for [a] man...one giant leap for mankind."

About 500 million people heard these words on July 21st, 1969, when Neil Armstrong became the first man to walk on the surface of our nearest neighbour in space, the Moon. The lunar module had landed on the moon the day previously (July 20th).

Answer: 1656

Christiaan Huygens invented the first wall clock in 1656. Three hundred years later, Josef Pallweber invented the first mechanic-digital clock.