Beyond the answers - interesting background to this quiz

Dhaka's rise as one of the world's densest capitals

Dhaka is not only the capital of Bangladesh but also one of the most densely populated major cities on Earth. It sits on the Buriganga River and has grown rapidly since the country gained independence in 1971. The city is a hub for the garment industry, which plays a central role in Bangladesh's economy, and its vibrant street life and rickshaw culture give it a distinctive character among South Asian capitals.

Dan Brown and the Robert Langdon series

The Lost Symbol is the third novel by Dan Brown to feature Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon, following Angels & Demons and The Da Vinci Code. Published in 2009, the story is set primarily in Washington, D.C., and revolves around Freemasonry and hidden symbolism in the city's architecture. Unlike the earlier books, The Lost Symbol was initially released with a focus on the United States rather than European settings, marking a shift in Brown's geographic focus.

Kekulé and the dream of the benzene ring

Friedrich August Kekulé is credited with proposing the cyclic structure of benzene in the 1860s, a breakthrough that reshaped organic chemistry. According to a famous account, Kekulé described envisioning a snake seizing its own tail in a daydream or dream, which inspired the idea of a closed carbon ring. While the story's exact details have been debated by historians, the structural insight itself became foundational for understanding aromatic compounds.

The ringgit and Malaysia's monetary identity

The ringgit is the official currency of Malaysia, and its name means "jagged" in Malay, originally referring to the serrated edges of Spanish silver dollars that circulated in the region centuries ago. The currency was formerly known as the Malaysian dollar before being officially renamed in 1975. Today, the ringgit is issued by Bank Negara Malaysia and remains one of the more traded currencies in Southeast Asia.

How giraffes use their height to feed

Giraffes are browsers rather than grazers, meaning their diet consists primarily of leaves, shoots and twigs from trees and shrubs. Their extraordinary height, combined with a prehensile tongue that can extend up to 45 centimetres, allows them to reach foliage that most other herbivores cannot access. Acacia trees are a favourite food source, and giraffes spend a large portion of their day feeding to sustain their massive bodies.