Answers 16th Nov 2010

16Nov10 #Q1. Where in India is the world's earliest known dock located?

A: Lothal, Gujarat. This is an Indus Valley Civilization site. It is more than 4000 years old. Oceanographers opine that the dock must have been constructed after an indepth study of tides in the region. Lothal was the main port for trade with West Asia. The people of Lothal achieved a high level of civilization, accompanied by advancements in science and technology, art and architecture. Read about Lothal's contributions: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lothal#Civilization

Correct answers: @kirankarlmarx, @quietist

16Nov10 #Q2. Which satellite system is used for Direct-to-Home (DTH) television (Tata Sky etc.) in India?

A: INSAT or Indian National Satellite System. Most satellite-based communication and broadcasting services in India are handled through the INSAT system. Your DTH dish antenna receives signals directly from an INSAT satellite.

16Nov10 #Q3. The most abundant element in the universe is Hydrogen. Which element is the second most abundant?

A: Helium. The two lightest elements Hydrogen and Helium make up 74% and 24% of the mass of the universe respectively. The remaining elements make up only 2%. This is because Hydrogen and Helium were formed during the very birth of the Universe just after the Big Bang, while the heavier elements formed much later in stars through nuclear fusion of Hydrogen and Helium: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abundance_of_the_chemical_elements#Abundance_of_elements_in_the_Universe

Correct answers: @kirankarlxmarx, @avinashbhat01

16Nov10 #Q4. The widely used 'anti-fever' drug, para-acetyl-amino-phenol, is commonly known as?

A: Paracetamol, from para-acetyl-amino-phenol. It is basically the shortened version. It is more commonly known as Crocin etc. @kppradeepdr has the best explanation: http://twitter.com/kppradeepdr/statuses/4570822924570624

Correct answers: @kirankarlxmarx, @quietist, @KVSarmaJ, @kppradeepdr, @aaindian, @ssudhirkumar

16Nov10 #Q5. Who is called "Father of the atomic bomb"? He's known to have quoted a verse from Bhagvadgita after the 1st n-explosion in 1945

A: Robert Oppenheimer. Oppenheimer was already a highly accomplished physicist before he became director of the Manhattan Project. Manhattan Project is the codename for a World War II US-led project to develop nuclear weapons [before the Nazis could :-) ]. He reportedly quoted from Bhagvadgita: "If the radiance of a thousand suns were to burst at once into the sky, that would be like the splendor of the mighty one." and "Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds," completely out of context of course.

Enrico Fermi is also called "Father of the atomic bomb." He was also a member of the Manhattan Project and made crucial contributions. For example, he demonstrated the first artificial self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction. Earlier, he won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1938 for his groundbreaking work in the nuclear field.

Correct answers: @nondescriptguy, @niknathind, @KVSarmaJ, @quietist, @kirankarlmarx

Scores

@kirankarlmarx 40

@quietist 30

@KVSarmaJ 20

@kppradeepdr 10

@aaindian 10

@ssudhirkumar 10

@niknathind 10

@nondescriptguy 10

@avinashbhat01 10

Congratulations to all !