Beyond the answers - interesting background to this quiz

The mountain range that shapes a continent

The Andes stretch along the western edge of South America, running through seven countries, with Peru home to some of the most famous peaks and ancient sites. They form the longest continental mountain range in the world, created by the collision of tectonic plates. The range also influences the climate and agriculture of the entire region.

A milestone year for blockbusters

Back to the Future arrived in cinemas in 1985 and became one of the defining films of the decade. Directed by Robert Zemeckis, it starred Michael J. Fox as Marty McFly, a teenager who accidentally travels back to 1955 in a time-travelling DeLorean. The film's mix of comedy, science fiction and nostalgia made it an enduring favourite and spawned two sequels.

Einstein and the cosmic speed limit

The speed of light in a vacuum is 299,792,458 metres per second, a figure that plays a central role in physics. Albert Einstein's theory of special relativity established that this speed is the ultimate limit for anything travelling through space. It also means that looking at distant stars is a way of looking back in time.

From the gym to the governor's mansion

Arnold Schwarzenegger built a career as a champion bodybuilder before becoming one of Hollywood's biggest action stars. In 2003, he was elected Governor of California and served until 2011. His path from Austrian village to the world stage remains one of the more unusual political biographies of modern times.

Chemical symbols and their Latin roots

Many chemical symbols come from Latin names rather than English ones, which is why iron is Fe, from ferrum. Phosphorus, by contrast, takes its symbol P directly from its name. Understanding these origins can make the periodic table far less intimidating to learn.