Beyond the answers - interesting background to this quiz

Magellan never finished the journey he started

Ferdinand Magellan set out from Spain in 1519 with five ships and a plan to reach the Spice Islands by sailing west. He found the strait at the southern tip of South America that now bears his name, but he was killed in the Philippines in 1521 and never completed the voyage. It was Juan Sebastian Elcano who brought the expedition home in 1522, making it the first circumnavigation of the globe. Of the roughly 270 men who departed, only a few dozen returned.

A mountain range shared by eight countries

The Alps stretch in an arc across south-central Europe, and eight countries have territory within them: France, Monaco, Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria, Germany and Slovenia. The range formed as the African and Eurasian tectonic plates collided, which is why it is still slowly rising. Its highest peak, Mont Blanc, sits on the border between France and Italy and is a favourite - and sometimes fatal - challenge for mountaineers.

The Mekong, a river of many nations

The Mekong begins on the Tibetan Plateau and runs through China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam before emptying into the South China Sea. It is one of the great rivers of Asia, supporting fisheries and farming for millions of people. India, Australia and Mongolia are nowhere near its course - though Mongolia does have its own large river system, the Selenge, which drains into Lake Baikal.

A vitamin with a famous deficiency disease

Ascorbic acid, better known as vitamin C, is found in citrus fruit, peppers and leafy greens. Humans cannot make it in their bodies, so it has to come from the diet. A prolonged lack causes scurvy, a disease that once plagued sailors on long voyages before the link to citrus was understood. Vitamin C also helps the body absorb iron and supports the production of collagen, a protein that holds skin, blood vessels and bones together.