Beyond the answers - interesting background to this quiz

A press that changed reading forever

Johannes Gutenberg's movable-type printing press, developed in the fifteenth century, is often named among the most consequential inventions in European history. His best-known project, the 42-line Bible, showed that books could be produced in quantity rather than copied one at a time by hand. Within decades, print shops had spread across Europe, and the cost of owning a book began a long, steady fall.

The Mediterranean's crowded shoreline

The Mediterranean is bordered by 22 countries, a figure that surprises many people who picture only the well-known northern coast. Those nations stretch across three continents: Europe, Africa and Asia. The sea has served for millennia as a highway for trade, migration and empire, which is one reason its shores are so densely and variously populated.

A capital that keeps moving

Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, carries one of the more restless histories of any capital city. It was renamed Nur-Sultan in 2019 in honour of long-serving president Nursultan Nazarbayev, then reverted to Astana in 2022. The city itself is relatively young as capitals go, having taken over the role from Almaty in 1997.

Rome's staircase to the world

The Spanish Steps in Rome take their name not from Spain but from the Spanish Embassy that once stood nearby. Completed in the eighteenth century, the sweeping staircase links the Piazza di Spagna below with the Trinità dei Monti church above. They remain one of the city's most photographed spots - and sitting on the steps is now officially discouraged.

A tournament born in South America

The first FIFA World Cup was held in 1930, and Uruguay hosted it - and won it. Only thirteen teams took part, a far cry from the thirty-two (soon forty-eight) of the modern era. The tournament's early years were shaped by travel difficulties and the aftermath of global conflict, which is why the competition took time to become the worldwide event it is today.