Answers 8th Dec 2010

Q1. Which element was discovered during a solar eclipse in India in 1868, separately by two scientists at Guntur & Vijaydurg?

A: Helium. It was discovered by Pierre Janssen at Guntur and Norman Lockyer at Vijaydurg. Janssen's discovery: http://www.hinduonnet.com/2001/08/19/stories/0419201g.htm | Lockyer's discovery: http://madhavgokhale.blogspot.com/2006/01/vijaydurg-can-fly-high-curtsey-helium.html

Q2. Who gave the theory that humans possess innate ability for language? He's also an outspoken critic of US foreign policy.

A: Naom Chomsky. He theorized about a Language Acquisition Device (LAD) that all humans are born with and which enables humans to acquire language through instinct. His influential theory is an important part of the nativist argument about language that is opposed to the idea that language is learned through conditioning. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noam_Chomsky#Contributions_to_linguistics

Q3. Unscramble RCBATREOUTR – device that blends fuel and air in internal combustion engines.

A: CARBURETTOR.

Q4. What equation gives an estimate of the number of intelligent civilizations that may exist in our galaxy the Milky Way?

A: Drake's Equation. It was given by Dr. Frank Drake (who conducted the first radio search for extraterrestrial life) in 1960. Check it out: http://www.space.com/searchforlife/seti_drake_equation.html

Q5. What stimulant is added to colas/softdrinks such as Pepsi and Coke?

A: Caffeine.

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