Giant kelp thrives off the Pacific Coast, including in this marine sanctuary in California. Where are we? A Monterey Bay B Channel Islands C Alcatraz Together, Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary and Channel Islands National Park protect one of the richest marine environments in the world. Lush kelp forests like the one in our image … Read more
The Bosporus Strait joins the Sea of Marmara to what other body of water? A Mediterranean Sea B Caspian Sea C Black Sea The 20-mile Bosporus connects the Sea of Marmara to the south to the Black Sea at its northern end. The Bosporus also divides Istanbul into two sides, the ‘European side’ and the … Read more
Before 1930, the city of Istanbul was known by what name? A Cappadocia B Constantinople C Byzantium For centuries, Constantinople was the largest and wealthiest city in Europe. It was the capital of both the Roman and Ottoman Empires. After the Turkish War of Independence, Ankara was made the capital of Türkiye and in 1930 … Read more
The Rumelihisarı was built on the banks of the Bosporus Strait. What city are we in? A Istanbul B Cairo C Athens Built in the 15th century, the Rumelihisarı (aka Rumeli Fortress) in Istanbul played a crucial role in the Ottoman siege and conquest of the region. Rumeli, along with the Anatolian Fortress on the … Read more
What are Penrose stairs? A A haunted stairwell B A type of plant C An optical illusion The ‘impossible object’ was independently devised and discovered by Oscar Reutersvärd and Lionel Penrose. It was Penrose and his son that popularized the design of a staircase that defies physics. The sculpture in our photo is considered a … Read more
Where is the world’s longest flight of stairs? A Machu Picchu B Tianmen Mountain C Swiss Alps This grueling staircase runs alongside the funicular cable car route at the Niesen, a peak in the Swiss Alps that’s known for its pyramid shape. The staircase is open just once a year for a (masochistic?) stair-climb race. … Read more
This staircase is called ‘Umschreibung,’ but its nickname is ‘The Stairway to Heaven.’ When did Led Zeppelin release a song with that name? A 1965 B 1969 C 1971 Did we just make you feel old? This anthem is lauded as one of the greatest rock songs of all time. Since it’s Take the Stairs … Read more
A 1242 battle on Lake Peipus, known as the Battle on the Ice, was fought between which religious groups? A Catholics and Muslims B Catholics and Eastern Orthodox Christians C Zoroastrians and Jews On April 5, 1242, during the Northern Crusades, the united forces of the Republic of Novgorod and Vladimir-Suzdal fought and defeated the … Read more
Lake Peipus forms a natural boundary between Estonia and which country? A Finland B Russia C Latvia Peipus is the largest trans-boundary lake in Europe and is the fifth-largest lake in Europe. The correct answer is Russia.
The ice on Lake Peipus in Estonia sometimes forms this unusual, jagged surface. What’s it called? A Hummock ice B Ice shingles C Dragon scales Uneven temperatures and pressure under the sheet of ice on the lake surface can cause parts of the ice to jut up over the top, forming these shingle-like ridges known … Read more