Beyond the answers - interesting background to this quiz

The man behind the swirling sky

Vincent van Gogh painted The Starry Night in 1889 while staying at a hospital in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence. The view was not purely imaginary: elements of the village and the cypress tree reflect the surrounding landscape, but the dramatic sky was heavily reworked from memory and emotion. The painting now hangs in the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

Cro-Magnon is not a species of its own

The name Cro-Magnon comes from a rock shelter in southwestern France where early human remains were found in 1868. Today scientists prefer the term European early modern humans, since these people were anatomically the same species as living humans. They are associated with sophisticated tools, cave art, and the Upper Paleolithic period.

Joseph Lister and the fight against invisible killers

In the 1860s Joseph Lister introduced antiseptic principles into surgery, drawing on the germ theory of disease associated with Louis Pasteur. He used carbolic acid to clean wounds and instruments, dramatically reducing postoperative infections and deaths. His methods transformed hospitals from dangerous places into safer environments for patients.

Genoa, a Mediterranean city with a maritime soul

Genoa lies on the Ligurian Sea, a part of the broader Mediterranean, and has been a major port for centuries. It was one of the powerful maritime republics of medieval Italy and the birthplace of Christopher Columbus. Its historic centre is known for narrow lanes, grand palaces, and a long seafaring tradition.

Dresden, a cultural capital without capital status

Dresden is a major city in eastern Germany and the capital of the state of Saxony, but it is not a national capital. Before the Second World War it was famous for its Baroque and Rococo architecture, and today it remains an important cultural and economic centre. The confusion is understandable, since Dresden has often played a prominent role in German history.