Quiz 1 of QUEST-ion quiz series in IIT Patna's technical fest, Celesta '20. Hosted on 11th December 2020 at Dare2Compete.

3. 1.
Supernatural explanations gave rise to X, an attempt to control nature by means of ____. X is
based on people’s confidence that nature can be directly controlled. X thought is convinced
that by performing certain ____, a specific event will take place. James Frazer has suggested
that there is a link between X and science, since both believe in the cause-and-effect
principle. In X, the causes are somehow unclear and they tend to be based upon spontaneous
thoughts, while in science, through careful observation and reasoning, the causes are better
isolated and understood. Science is founded on the idea that experience, effort, and reason
are valid, while X is founded on intuition and hope. In ancient times, it was common for
science to be merged with X, religion, mysticism, and philosophy, since the limits of the
scientific discipline were not fully understood.

4. Magic

5. 2.
This ancient Greek astronomer, X, while making his catalogue of stars is believed to have taken out
‘bad data’ from his readings so that his observations match with the calculations of his table. Later
astronomers find that his observed values match more with his ‘incorrect table’ than with the
actual values. A physicist even published a book in 20th century by the name of “The Crimes of X”.
Even Isaac Newton questioned the credibility of his data and remarked that his book Y did more
damage to Astronomy than any other work.
Y remained the book for astronomy for over a millenia. The name of the book, Y, meaning ‘the
greatest’, is made by combining an Arabic and a Greek word.
Identify X and his work Y.
2.

6. Claudius Ptolemy
Almagest ( Al+magest )

7. The Latin name of this element gives the name to a profession owing to the fact how the
Romans used it. It’s usage has declined hugely since, more so because of the fact that it
has been identified as a toxic element.
Identify the latin word for the element.
3.

8. Plumbum (lead)

9. The mythological references of this varies across mythologies-
1. A girl who threw the embers from a fire into the sky
2. A dog who spread the cornmeal
3. Pool of milk
4. Pathway of the birds
5. Tears of the daughter of sky that fell on her veil
6. Tail of a dragoness
7. Way of the White Cow
8. Road of the Warriors
What am I talking about?
4.

10. Milky way

11. 5.
Their Scientific name is after the French botanist who first identified them in Senegal, Africa.
This species has a very unusual and unique shape and many mythologies around the world
explain its shape.
1. The devil yanked the tree out of the ground and then put it back in upside down.
2. When every animal was given a sapling to plant; the hyena who didn’t like the sapling
given to it planted it upside down.
3. One myth states that when God planted it, it started walking so God planted it again
upside down to prevent it from walking.
Identify this ‘upside-down’ tree.
5.

12. Baobab tree

13. 6.
Nowadays, X procedure is very common. People, often aged above 60, go the hospital in
the morning and come back in the evening after this surgery. But, this seemingly
effortless surgery has been practised in India from 6th century BC. Even though the
effectiveness has increased considerable, the steps performed are roughly the same as
compared to this aged procedure.
Name this operation.
6.

14. Cataract Operation

15. 7.
Facultative Parthenogenesis or virgin birth is a phenomenon which has been observed across a
number of species including boas, pythons, sharks and birds. This basically means asexual
reproduction by a female of a species that reproduces sexually. Initially it was thought that
species undergo this process only in extreme situations as the last possible way to continue the
bloodline when no other option is left, but it has been observed that female pythons kept captive
in zoo without any interaction with a male member of the species for years have laid eggs. This
phenomenon hasn’t been seen yet in vertebrates.
But if possible in humans, it could possibly explain the birth of X, but it still would be a matter of
debate how a mother can give birth to a boy because Y chromosomes come from the father only.
Tell me X.
7.

16. Jesus Christ

17. 8.
Although these beasts are popular in myths across the world - with wings in Europe and wingless in Asia. There
have been speculations if these could exist in the real world too -
1. Could be they so large? There have been fossils found that point to the fact that they could be so big. The
reason why modern creatures have smaller size is due to change in Earth’s atmosphere and climate.
2. Chrysopelea spp. is a type of snake that can easily glide in air for upto 100m. Thus the asian counterparts of
these beasts can exist without violating any physical law.
3. Although _____ which is the most associated feature of this beast is still not seen in the animal kingdom but
is theoretically possible. Also animals like the bombardier beetle stores hydroquinones and hydrogen
peroxide in its abdomen, which it ejects when threatened. The chemicals mix in the air, essentially spraying
the offender with boiling hot fluid.
Which mythical beast are we talking about?
8.

18. Dragon

19. 9.
Screenshots from a Youtube video which recreated a very old gear device with Lego (in the
next slide).
The original device consisted of many gears which allowed the calculations of various
things with precision.
Which device?
9.

20. 9.

21. Antikythera mechanism

22. 10.
The world’s first X, as per Greek mythology, had “blood” like “molten lead” and a
strong-orange skin. A famous archaeologist suggested that the single “vein” in its body
plugged, is in fact an early reference to an advanced method of casting. X was said to
go around the shores of the Island of Crete three times a day and protected it from
pirates, invaders and harm.
Identify X.
10.

23. robot

24. 11.
X suffered from Y which is a neurological condition in which information meant to
stimulate one of your senses stimulates several of your senses. This condition led to a
fascinating incident where X once passed through blacksmiths hitting their hammers
against the anvils at work and made a mathematical discovery. X also regarded the
movement of the planets to be governed by mathematical equations which meant that
their resonance produces a symphony of music, but inaudible.
Identify X and Y.
11.

25. Pythagoras
synaesthesia

26. The English word for X comes from the capital city of a modern West Asian country. It was made of Y, which
was extracted in Southern India and Sri Lanka as early as 300 BC.
In modern terms, you would call this material as hypereutectoid and ultra-high carbon _____. The claim to
fame was that X which were made of Y, were very strong but still could be bent enough for ends to touch
other. By etching them in an acidic medium, some parts would become dark while the unetched part would
show up as light, creating a pattern which resembled water flowing through on its surface. This pattern was
unique to X and intrinsic to the structure of Y.
The popularity of X drew the attention of chemists and Y being one of the first few materials to be studied
under microscope, played an important part in the field of Material Sciences.
Tell me either X or Y.
12. 12.

27. Damascus Sword
Wootz Steel

28. 13.
This unit of distance which is approximately the length of a man from left to right with
arms outstretched. Most commonly was used to measure the depth of water. As a verb
it means to wrap your mind around something or understand something.
Which unit am I talking about?
13.

29. fathom

30. The story about which is the oldest recorded evidence of X is a story of twists and turns. In the year 2017 itself
the title of oldest recorded evidence of X changed hands three times!
Firstly, a small temple in Gwalior held this distinction, one surviving inscription on the temple walls talks about a
land of 187 by 270 units which was granted for flowers and 50 flowers had to delivered to the temple everyday.
When in January 2017, a previously lost inscription was declared to be found, the Gwalior temple lost the title.
Just 9 months later, a radioactive dating of a manuscript found in Peshawar near the ancient university of Taxila
revealed that it preceded the previous claim by 300 years.
What is X?
14. 14.

31. zero

32. In 1972, scientists were experimenting and testing some X taken from Y. The expected
concentration of X was 0.72% but instead they found it to be 0.083% less. This
difference in amount is what led the place X to settle down. A couple more weeks of
investigation led to the conclusion that Y was in fact the remains of a two-billion year
old natural Z.
Identify the exact site, Y (1 word, not the country)
15. 15.

33. Okla