Beyond the answers - interesting background to this quiz

A river that crosses a continent

The Danube is one of Europe's great waterways, and Romania is one of the countries it passes through on its long journey to the Black Sea. It flows through several Central and Eastern European nations, which is why it has served for centuries as a trade route and a cultural link between very different regions. Its delta, where the river meets the sea, is one of the largest and most important wetland areas in Europe.

Shakespeare's most performed tragedy

Romeo and Juliet is among the most staged and adapted plays in the world. Shakespeare drew on an older Italian tradition of stories about feuding families and doomed young lovers, reshaping the material into the version audiences know today. The play's structure - a brief romance set against an old, bitter quarrel - has made it endlessly useful for reinterpretation, from theatre to film to musicals.

Ravel and a ballet with a Greek heart

Maurice Ravel composed Daphnis et Chloé as a ballet, premiered in Paris in the early twentieth century. The story comes from an ancient Greek pastoral tale about two young shepherds, and Ravel's score is famous for its rich orchestration and shimmering atmosphere. It is often performed in concert as a suite, separate from the stage production it was written for.

The dolphin's turn of speed

Dolphins are widely considered the fastest mammals in the ocean, capable of reaching remarkable speeds in short bursts. Their streamlined bodies and powerful tails make them efficient swimmers, and they are also highly social animals that hunt and travel in groups. That combination of speed and intelligence has fascinated humans for centuries.

Edison and the lamp

Thomas Edison is the name most often attached to the practical incandescent light bulb. His team's contribution was less about a single flash of inspiration than about sustained work on a durable filament and a system that could deliver electricity to homes and streets. Earlier inventors had experimented with similar ideas, which is why the story of the light bulb is really a story of many hands.