Beyond the answers - interesting background to this quiz

A mountain range that almost became a country's name

The Pyrenees form a natural border between Spain and France, and they also enclose Andorra, a tiny principality tucked into the valleys between the two larger neighbours. That geography explains why Andorra has historically looked to both sides for trade, defence and diplomacy. Its official language, Catalan, reflects the region's cultural ties to Catalonia rather than to Paris or Madrid.

The dinosaur that outgrew T. rex

Spinosaurus has overtaken Tyrannosaurus Rex in the record books as the largest known carnivorous dinosaur, thanks largely to a long, crocodile-like skull and a distinctive sail along its back. Fossils found in North Africa suggest it spent much of its time around water, hunting fish as well as land prey. That makes it a very different kind of predator from the classic Hollywood image of T. rex.

Dante's journey through the afterlife

Dante Alighieri wrote "The Divine Comedy" in the early 14th century, and it remains one of the foundational works of European literature. The poem follows Dante himself through Hell, Purgatory and Paradise, guided first by the Roman poet Virgil and later by Beatrice. Its structure, three realms of thirty-three cantos each, has influenced writers and artists for centuries.

Why gold is Au, not Go

Gold's chemical symbol, Au, comes from the Latin word aurum, meaning gold. Many element symbols follow the same pattern: they use Latin roots rather than the modern English name. That is why iron is Fe from ferrum and lead is Pb from plumbum. The system was standardised in the 19th century, but the Latin abbreviations stuck.

Carcross, a desert in the Yukon

The Carcross Desert in Yukon, Canada, is often called the world's smallest desert, covering roughly one square mile. It is technically a series of sand dunes left behind by glacial lakes, and the local climate is too dry for much vegetation to take hold. Unlike the Namib or Atacama, it sits in a cold, northern landscape, which makes its desert label all the more surprising.