1. Who invented the ballpoint pen?
a) Biro Brothers
b) Waterman Brothers
c) Bicc Brothers
d) Write Brothers
Explanation: The Hungarian brothers, Laszlo and George Biro, made the first ball point pen in 1894. It followed the first workable fountain pen which was invented by L.E. Waterman in 1884.
2. In which decade was the first solid state integrated circuit demonstrated?
a) 1950s
b) 1960s
c) 1970s
d) 1980s
Explanation: On September 12, 1958, Jack Kilby demonstrated the first working IC while working for Texas Instruments, although the U.S. patent office awarded the first patent for an integrated circuit to Robert Noyce of Fairchild.
3. What J. B. Dunlop invented?
a) Pneumatic rubber tire
b) Automobile wheel rim
c) Rubber boot
d) Model airplanes
Explanation: Scotsman John Dunlop developed the first practical pneumatic tire in 1888.
4. Which scientist discovered the radioactive element radium?
a) Isaac Newton
b) Albert Einstein
c) Benjamin Franklin
d) Marie Curie
Explanation: Marie Curie discovered the radioactive element radium.
5. When was barb wire patented?
a) 1874
b) 1840
c) 1895
d) 1900
Explanation: Joseph F. Glidden was born in New York on Jan. 18, 1812. He invented barbed wire in 1873 and was granted the patent on Nov. 24, 1874. After a three year battle over the patent, which he eventually won, Gidden became known as the "Father of Barbed Wire".
6. What is the name of the CalTech seismologist who invented the scale used to measure the magnitude of earthquakes?
a) Charles Richter
b) Hiram Walker
c) Giuseppe Mercalli
d) Joshua Rumble
Explanation: The Richter scale was developed in 1935 by American seismologist Charles Richter (1891-1989) as a way of quantifying the magnitude, or strength, of earthquakes.
7. What James Watt invented?
a) Diving bell
b) Steam boat
c) Hot air balloon
d) Rotary steam engine
Explanation: James Watt invented rotary steam engine.
8. Where is the village of Branston, after which the famous pickle is named?
a) Yorkshire
b) Lancashire
c) Staffordshire
d) Norfolk
Explanation: The village of Branston is in Staffordshire, just south of Burton-on-Trent.
9. Who invented Jet Engine?
a) Sir Frank Whittle
b) Gottlieb Daimler
c) Roger Bacon
d) Lewis E. Waterman
Explanation: Dr. Hans von Ohain and Sir Frank Whittle are recognized as the co-inventors of the jet engine. Each was working separately and knew nothing of the others work. Although Whittle started first, von Ohain was first to design and develop a turbojet engine to power an aircraft.
Of the many honors received by both, the most significant honor was probably "The Charles Draper Prize" in 1992 which was given to both Hans von Ohain and Sir Frank Whittle for their efforts and contributions to aviation and mankind. "The Charles Draper Prize" is recognized as the equivalent to the Nobel Prize in technology.
10. What invention caused many deaths while testing it?
a) Dynamite
b) Ladders
c) Race cars
d) Parachute
Explanation: Many people who tried to test the first parachutes died by jumping from high places. One attempt was a parachute hat, but the inventor broke his neck while testing it. The first successful parachute was tested from a hot air balloon in 1797, in France, by Jacques Garnerin.