Beyond the answers - interesting background to this quiz

A planet that practically lies on its side

Uranus is often called the odd one out of the solar system because its axis is tilted by about 98 degrees, meaning it essentially rotates on its side. This unusual orientation is what gives the planet such extreme seasons: each pole can face the Sun for roughly 42 years while the other stays in darkness. Astronomers are still debating what caused the tilt, with a giant impact being one leading explanation.

The quiet mastery of Vermeer

Johannes Vermeer worked in Delft in the 17th century and is admired for his calm interiors and extraordinary handling of light. "Girl with a Pearl Earring" is not a portrait of a named sitter but a tronie - a study of a head or character. The painting's plain dark background and the single bright highlight on the pearl draw the eye with remarkable economy.

Bergman and the art of introspection

Ingmar Bergman, the Swedish director behind "Wild Strawberries", built a career on films that explore memory, mortality and doubt. Released in 1957, the film follows an elderly professor travelling to receive an honorary degree, drifting between dreams and recollections. Its reflective tone influenced generations of filmmakers who treat cinema as a space for inner life, not just plot.

From a prime to a first flight

The number 19 is prime because it has no divisors other than 1 and itself - a simple idea that still underpins modern cryptography. Around the same era of rapid invention, the Wright brothers achieved the first successful powered flight in 1903, near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. A short hop by modern standards, it marked a turning point in how humans moved through the world.