Beyond the answers - interesting background to this quiz

A bridge that became a symbol of Venice

The Rialto Bridge is the oldest of the four bridges spanning Venice's Grand Canal. For centuries it was the only permanent crossing over the canal, and its single stone arch, completed in the late 16th century, was considered such a bold engineering feat that some architects predicted it would collapse. It still stands today, lined with shops and crowded with visitors, and remains one of the most photographed spots in the city.

A vast strip of land on the edge of the Sahara

The Sahel is a semi-arid belt that stretches across Africa, forming a transition zone between the Sahara desert to the north and the savannas to the south. Mali is one of the countries that lies within it, along with neighbours such as Niger, Chad and Senegal. The region is known for its dry climate, its vulnerability to drought and the seasonal rains that shape life and farming there.

The day the Bastille fell

The Storming of the Bastille on 14 July 1789 is widely seen as the moment the French Revolution truly began. The fortress-prison in Paris was a symbol of royal authority, and when a crowd seized it, the event sent shockwaves through the country. The date is now celebrated in France as Bastille Day, a national holiday.

The planet that rolls through space

Most planets spin with a modest tilt, but Uranus is the odd one out: its axis is tilted so far that it effectively rotates on its side. Scientists believe a colossal collision early in its history may have knocked it over. As a result, its poles take turns facing the Sun, giving each one decades of continuous sunlight followed by decades of darkness.

An internet giant with a modest beginning

Google was founded in 1998 by Larry Page and Sergey Brin, two students who met at Stanford University. What began as a research project quickly grew into one of the world's most influential companies. By contrast, Microsoft was founded in 1975 and IBM dates back to 1911, making Google a relative newcomer in the tech world.