Beyond the answers - interesting background to this quiz

The three small bones that let you hear

The middle ear contains three tiny bones known as the ossicles: the malleus, incus and stapes. Together they transmit sound vibrations from the eardrum to the inner ear. The stapes is the smallest bone in the human body. The term "saddle" belongs to a different part of the skeleton entirely, where it describes a type of joint found at the base of the thumb.

A river shared by several South American nations

The Paraguay River is one of the major waterways of central South America. It runs through Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay and Argentina before joining the Paraná River. In Argentina it forms part of the border with Paraguay and flows through the wetlands known as the Esteros del Iberá region, an area rich in wildlife.

The chemical symbol that does not match the English name

Magnesium has the symbol Mg, which follows directly from its name. The confusion with Mn and Mo is understandable: Mn stands for manganese, while Mo stands for molybdenum. Many chemical symbols derive from Latin or Greek names, as with iron (Fe from ferrum) or sodium (Na from natrium), but magnesium is one of the simpler cases.

Gutenberg and the spread of printing in Europe

Johannes Gutenberg is credited with introducing movable-type printing to Europe in the mid-15th century in Mainz, Germany. His workshop produced the famous Gutenberg Bible. Movable type itself had earlier origins in East Asia, but Gutenberg's system, including an adapted press and oil-based ink, transformed book production across Europe.

The African roots of a global drink

Coffee is widely associated with plantations in Central and South America today, but the plant is native to Africa, particularly the highlands of Ethiopia. According to a common tradition, its energising effect was noticed by a goat herder named Kaldi. From Ethiopia the crop travelled to the Arabian Peninsula and later to the rest of the world.