Finals - Felicity Open Quiz 2017

Felicity 2017
The Open Quiz
Finals

Content and Presentation
Sameer Dharur

Acknowledgements
Navin Rajaram
Major Chandrakant Nair
Rohan Naidu
Ranganathan Ramkumar

 2 Written Rounds.
 2 Infinite Pounce Rounds.
 48 questions in all.
 Good luck!
The Deal

 8 questions.
 10 points per answer.
 No negatives, feel free to take guesses.
 Theme – Scientific Research, my humble tribute to IIIT-H.
Written Round I

1.
Among the most ambitious projects undertaken in recent times by the
DRDO’s Centre for High Energy Systems and Sciences (CHESS) in
Hyderabad was that of Directed Energy Weapons (DEW) – which operate
via electromagnetic pulses, and are in the top priority area for the
Defence Ministry in view of modernizing the country’s military arsenal.
This ‘system’ emitting beams of concentrated energy or subatomic
particles has been tested in the city’s 800 meter campus and might soon
be fitted onto large aircraft and warships to test for optimum capability.
What iconic entity from science fiction, that also inspired the logo of the
AT&T Corporation, did news organizations in the city compare it to?

2.
Alan Plaskett is a British electrical scientist whose biggest contribution to the
world was in 1999 while studying audio signal systems.
He modelled his invention by recording the sound of a certain frequency,
using a resonance filter to keep out the ambient noise – which was then
amplified and plotted at the receiver’s end with the help of an oscilloscope, an
instrument typically used to monitor life in hospitals. It came into prominence
in the early 2000s and has been used all over the world ever since.
What creation, that has helped resolve many a conflict over the years?

3.
The Sapir-Whorf hypothesis proposes the concept of linguistic relativity
where the structure of a language affects its speakers’ world view or
cognitive abilities.
Jessica Coon, a British professor in the subject, was approached a couple of
years ago to shed light on this – and she came up with a set of suggestions
that could convince a large audience of non-linguists, which have had their
share of criticism from fellow researchers for over-simplification.
Where would you have seen her work on this subject, that reminded many
of the Rorschach test for psychological interpretations?

4.
The Americium-141 is a radioactive element that emits alpha rays and is
soluble in acid. Following extensive research by nuclear scientists, it has
been deemed safe for its widespread usage owing to the protection
offered by a ceramic chamber that is in turn located inside a larger,
tamper-proof aluminum chamber.
The alpha rays are known to ionize the air within and a low voltage
current is then injected. Manufacturers are also mandated to take back
these discarded items to ensure a safe disposal.
When or how was Am-141 discovered? How are millions of people
exposed to it on a daily basis?

5.
Birhana is a small village located in the Fatehabad district of Haryana that
has been the subject of much archaeological research over the years.
Using a simple moisture flux method, it has been estimated that the
region suffered an unusual low-monsoon period for a couple of centuries
around 4000 years ago which converted the perennial rivers into dry
ones and forced a change in crop patterns from large-grained cereals like
wheat and barley to drought-resistant species of millet and rice, moving
from a large storage system to an individual household one.
What fatal effect did the resulting de-urbanization lead to in the decades
that followed?

6.
Halo Neuroscience is a Silicon Valley startup that unveiled this special set
of headphones for a certain group of people last year.
They employ a technique called transcranial direct current simulation
(tDCS) that involves sending a mild current through the brain which,
according to these researchers, help the brain send ‘strong and
synchronous’ signals to the muscles when used for about 20 minutes
before performance. It was cited as among the key reasons for the
success for this group despite their falling short at the last hurdle.
Whom were these headphones designed for – a group that has often
taken advantage of its proximity to Silicon Valley?

7.
Carl William Scheele was a Swedish pharmaceutical chemist who invented a
special shade of green pigment named after him that was cheap and easy to
process, owing to which it began to be widely used in a variety of household
items in the 1770s.
It was only about a hundred years later that its harmful effects were noticed –
which included the production of copper arsenic upon dampening. Its
presence was found to be fatally high in a house of historical importance on a
certain South Atlantic island held by the British around the early 19th century.
What long-standing, controversial issue is all this research intending to
resolve?

8.
Human evolution – a slow process over several millennia – sometimes has
its distortions, as evidenced in a recent anatomical study at the University
of Vienna.
From the latter half of the 20th century, there has been a 20% increase
worldwide in the condition of fetopelvic disproportion that occurs
primarily from enlarged heads of the fetus or the narrowness of the birth
canal – that has puzzled evolutionary scientists for decades, but recent
research narrows it down to a unique form of natural selection.
What reason, with European nomenclature and roots in World War II, was
found to be the reason for the increase in this condition?

The collapse of the Indus Valley Civilization.

Caesarean births, whose success has an evolutionary
response that normalizes the disproportion.

 16 questions.
 +10, -5 on the pounce.
 No partial pounces applicable.
 Good luck!
Infinite Pounce I

1.
General Motors first entered the Indian market in 1994, tying up with
Hindustan Motors to manufacture and sell a few cars tailored for our market.
However, arguably their greatest product placement to the Indian public was
about a decade before that – in the form of a robust vehicle that offered
comfort, safety and visibility and could seamlessly navigate through the most
extreme conditions, in this case lush green paddy fields, dry landscapes and
busy thoroughfares of cities. Travelling over 75,000 kilometers, it also found
its way into the Guinness Book of World Records.
What eventually successful and trend-setting purpose did GM manufacture
this vehicle for? How did Toyota gain popularity in a similar way a few years
later, that evoked more controversy than this time?

NTR’s rath yatra in the run-up to his first
election in 1983.

LK Advani’s rath yatra in the movement for a
Ram Mandir at Ayodhya.

2.
Briton Hadden and Henry Luce – as spearheads of a prominent media
organization in the 1920s – were guilty of not giving due importance to a
historic event from New York that lasted over a day and eventually
culminated in a deserving special prize among the Allies instituted by one
Raymond Orteig.
The organization decided to befittingly remedy this the following year
after much public criticism.
What event did they ignore? How did they make up for their error, a
tradition that lives on to this day?

Charles Lindbergh’s flight across the Atlantic.

Started off the Person Of The Year tradition
at TIME magazine.

3.
Constructed in 1961, this structure in a farmland west of Sydney has been
thronged by curious enthusiasts ever since and also featured in the 2000
Hollywood film The Dish.
The film depicts the site’s worldwide claim to fame occurred in a few years
following its construction on a wintry night that saw engineers battle severe
weather, power failures and personality clashes to accomplish a historic
mission despite the disturbances famously described as an ‘ocean of
storms’ across its acre-long surface area.
How did this place have a worldwide impact around that time?

Beamed the live pictures of the Apollo 11
moon landings.

4.
In 1956, as part of his mission to push infrastructure, President Eisenhower
introduced the Interstate Highway Act that ensured over 10,000 miles of
new asphalt roads, putting the older highways and the small businesses
along them completely out of order in a few years.
In its aftermath, it alienated a large number of small town communities
around the nation whose lives depended on highway businesses –
especially in states like Arizona. Commentators say this would’ve
remained unknown for a long time if it weren’t brought to light by the
efforts of a certain British-American.
How did these conditions come to the fore for the first time a few years
after the act was put in place?

The deserted state of Bates Motel in Psycho.

5.
‘Sakoku’ was a closeted foreign policy initiative of Japan in the 19th century that
prohibited any entry of foreigners or exit of illustrious locals. It all changed in
1850s with the arrival of US ships – which paved the way for foreigners of
various fields to explore Japanese culture.
One of the areas of popular interest was Japanese woodblocks whose exhibits
then arrived on European shores as commercial products. The following
samples had a profound impact on someone, towards the end of the century,
for their exclusive depictions of natural entities.
To whom are these woodblocks attributed? What did they inspire the European
to create around that time?

Inspired Claude Monet to sketch his
water lilies.

6.
Among the strongest counterterrorism forces in the world is France’s
National Gendarmerie Intervention Group (GIGN) comprising 200 people
and specially trained to handle hostage situations.
Its most famous operation occurred in 1979 when it was sent to another
continent to tackle a rebellious siege that concerned millions of people
around the world. Following a 2 week struggle, the mission was successful
but not without the troops having to undergo a temporary change in
identity.
Where exactly did this crisis take place, overcome through the place’s little
known underground tunnels? What necessitated this change in identity?

The seizure of the Grand Mosque in Mecca.

The troops had to convert to Islam to be
eligible to enter the city.

7.
Hedda Hopper was a popular gossip columnist in the LA Times during the
1930s who was alarmed by an upcoming event in her field of interest and
immediately told her boss about it.
What followed was a vindictive witch-hunt as they together wielded their
influence getting the FBI to launch investigations against an alleged
‘Communist’ who was vocal in his support of the Foster Parents’ Plan for War
Children, a food relief organization. The cases launched had their intended
adverse impact a few years later with several major chains refusing to partner
with the man in the dock, although history managed to set the balance right.
Who was this boss, offended by the news Hopper gave him? How did this
witch-hunt have its adverse effect on the subject in the years that followed?

Slandered Orson Welles to stall the release
and popularity of Citizen Kane.

8.
Ralf Breker is a forensic software developer and digital imaging expert who
came out with a VR film a couple of years ago following extensive studies
conducted in a European town for a special purpose.
He spent over 3 months staying at the place, ensuring every obstacle to
human viewing – fences, barracks and watchtowers – was accurately
accounted for as specified, simulating across seasons at different times of the
year to ensure foolproof accuracy against interpretations. The process was
seen as a last ditch attempt by his clients to meet their long overdue
demands, with time running out quickly.
What place is featured in these VR simulations? What purpose does this
detailing serve?

The concentration camp in Auschwitz.

To prosecute former Nazis by dismissing any alibi of
being ‘unable to witness the concentration camps’.

9.
Ephesus Lighting is a fast growing American company that manufactures
LEDs for a specific range of places around USA and Canada.
Besides the usual benefits of energy efficiency, the five places (and more to
come) using them do so as a first in this field for heightened ‘entertainment’
value and the ability to specifically direct light to desired places – which
would never have been possible with traditional metal halide lighting that
casts shadows. Using the latter was also infeasible since they would have
disrupted the essential conditions required in this form of ‘entertainment’.
Where exactly is this LED lighting being tried out, with successful results?
What is this other inevitable reason for preferring LED over traditional lights?

Ice hockey arenas, for better visibility.

LEDs emit much lesser heat than traditional lighting –
which ensures the ice remains frozen.

10.
During its construction in the 19th century, European architect Augustus Pugin
brought about a couple of innovations that would be replicated at several
other similar structures world over.
In a first, he used a longer-than-usual 4.5 metre rod made from concentric
tubes of zinc and steel. The differing composition helped guard against
certain fluctuations over months seen in other variants that just used steel. A
dedicated team of 4 people working throughout the year also places these
coins whenever necessary to solve another recurring problem.
What two issues are thus resolved in this iconic structure that will soon
undergo its biggest ever refurbishment?

The coins are added or removed to alter the
pendulum’s centre of mass to ensure time accuracy.

The two metals expand and contract at different
rates and are connected in a way to ensure no loss
of time regardless of temperature variations.

11.
R.S. Owens and Co is a Chicago based manufacturing company that uses
large quantities of steel, zinc and lead for its products. Its best known
product is made of Britannia – a pewter alloy (containing 80-90% tin) best
known for its smooth surface.
Apart from creating new ones, they’ve also helped repair about 160 of
them since 1995 spoilt by chemical solutions used for protective purposes
by its owners on these 8-and-a-half pound objects that have always been
plated with this alloy, except during a brief period in the 20th century.
What objects are these, around 50 of which get made annually? Why or
when did they escape the usual plating?

Made of only plaster during WWII owing to the
shortage of metals.

12.
In the wake of Brexit, people all over the country began to demand that
the European Union version of the UK passport be done away with for the
older, traditional one with the navy blue colour.
In addition to the colour and the version, another change was demanded
on the cover of the passport. However, historians and media organizations
were quick to point out that even this change – or any other such – would
not make the passport truly ‘British’ as was demanded.
What was the other change called for? Why would any of these changes
be futile in the attempt to make the passport completely indigenous?

The French phrases ‘Dieu et mon droit’ and ‘Honi
qui mal y pense’ seen on the English coat of arms.

The word ‘passport’ itself derives from the French
words ‘passer’ and ‘port’.

13.
The nomadic tribes on Central Asia around the 10th century were known for
their close affinity to horses – which were not just used for transport but
also for innovations that would later spread all over the world.
The cold climate around places like Mongolia made it ideal for a product
which revolutionized a popular industry, especially in Europe a few centuries
later. The easy availability of the compound resin is also evidence of the
Central Asian origins of the object, as it helped serve a similar purpose in
another renowned sport around the time.
What revolutionary introduction, best known in its modern form through a
17th century Italian, did horses from this region pioneer? Which traditional
sport was resin instrumental in facilitating?

The violin’s bow made of horsehair.

Resin was and is used extensively by archers to
maintain the integrity of the string in a bow.

14.
Around 2005, these items were up for sale on eBay owing to the limelight
they shot to a few years before. Contentious and heavily criticized for
their change in pattern, they became a point of much division for nearly a
year after use.
Jim Dobyns, a familiar face on news channels, felt they might be of great
heritage value in future, bought 1,200 of them from his beach side area of
residence and made a fortune out of auctioning them in the years ahead.
Where or when did these items first generate controversy, a decision
whose repercussions are endlessly debated to this day?

The revised voting machines used in Florida that
decided the 2000 US Presidential election.

15.
MinaLima is a design studio based in central London that specializes in
making exclusive print material on specific requests.
Its most high profile client was from the entertainment industry in the early
2000s that requested a product modelled on the Nazi and Soviet era
propaganda material for their clarity of communication and sense of
authority. As a value addition, their work had to be further touched upon by
the client’s visual effects team to bring about the desired effect to millions of
viewers around the world.
What exactly did they design? What irritant (to many) did this inspire in the
online world a couple of years ago, with the intention of offering a more lively
experience and fetching more revenue?

The Daily Prophet newspapers for the Harry
Potter movies.

The auto-playing of videos on social media
newsfeeds.

16.
Hazrat Mian Mir was a popular Sufi saint of the Qadariyya order of Lahore
whose teachings attracted wide acclaim through the 16th and 17th
centuries. He was known for preaching the values of religious tolerance
and secularism.
As a result, he was summoned to lay the foundation stone for the
excavation of a water body 50 kms away on rarely acquired free land
from the local zamindar, whose surrounding constructions were
completed in 1604 and renovated substantially in the 1760s following an
attack, which gives it its current façade.
Where would you find this excavation? How does the appropriate name
of the place survive to this day?

The water tank at the Harmandir Sahib.

Amritsar, literally translating to ‘holy water’,
which lent its name to the town.

 8 questions.
 10 points per answer.
 No negatives, feel free to take guesses.
 Theme – Accidents.
Written Round II

1.
Instrument Meteorological Conditions is an aviation flight category
connected to the weather that requires pilots to fly primarily with regard to
instruments, as opposed to external visual references.
Equipment for pilots on such flights is designed to tackle all possible
hostile weather conditions. The standards are set based on the terrain and
path of travel, and communicated well before take-off to ensure the safety
of the flight.
How did a misunderstanding of this difference influence events roughly 7
years ago in the Nallamalla forests of the Eastern Ghats?

2.
Operation Avalanche refers to the Allied amphibious landing in Italy in
1943 which paved the way for an eventually successful invasion with
multi-pronged operations.
However, there was a brief period of unforeseen damage that nearly
derailed the effort with the complete destruction of over 80 of their
planes in the following location, also effecting injuries upon several US
troops and forcing their evacuation from the place.
What was the cause of all this commotion?

3.
Giotto was a robotic spacecraft mission launched by the European Space
Agency about three decades ago which was equipped to specialize in long
distance measurements, eventually zeroing in on a 15 KM area comprising
carbon monoxide, methane, ammonia and other hydrocarbons and also
suffered terminal damage in the process of analyzing them.
It was assisted by two probes each from Russia and Japan in the collective
effort after initial plans to get support in the form of observation equipment
from NASA fell through.
What was the subject of this spacecraft’s study? Why did NASA fail to help in
the mission?

4.
In a landmark ruling of public importance, a two-year inquest jury ruled last
year on a case that had nagged the families of its 96 victims for nearly two
decades.
Holding the South Yorkshire Police and the city’s ambulance services solely
responsible for the deaths, the verdict completely absolved the victims of
any blame – bringing much needed closure and justice to the families and to
several fans all over the world.
Which unprecedented accident was this, that marred an annual event? What
apt song did the families break into, after the jury ruled in their favour?

5.
Dr. Phil McGraw is an American TV host and a psychologist best known for
his talk show featuring important victims of mental illness.
His recent guest was from Blanco, Texas – who narrated her struggles
through depression which ironically originated in her days of worldwide
popularity in the 1980s as an accidental consequence of working at her
most high profile project as she was deliberately isolated, over-stressed and
mistreated at her workplace in order to be in the best state to deliver
optimum results as per plan – across a harrowing 500 day period that she
recalls with agony, despite the fame it brought her.
Who was this? OR What popular venture that she was part of that brought
about this condition?

6.
The President of Philippines Rodrigo Duterte – best known for his
unconventional talk – raised concerns late last year over an upcoming
event in his country.
Claiming to speak on behalf of the country’s offended fans, he vowed to
negotiate with the international organizers of the event about the issue to
bring about a certain desired change of personnel – which was eventually
refused owing to a 3 year contract that will continue till 2018.
What was the objection about, an accident that once brought temporary
disappointment to his people?

7.
The Talisman Saber is a biannual military exercise between the US and
Australian Navy Forces that occurs in Queensland.
It has run into rough weather with environmentalists over the last few
editions for its use of military-grade sonar and underwater detonations
resulting in accidental territorial overreach, despite clear demarcations
made by the government for conservationist purposes.
What exactly are these objections all about, intensifying due to the
increasing damage being caused by multiple factors?

8.
The largely peaceful history of the famous Babelsberg Film Studio in
Potsdam was almost marred by a potentially fatal fire accident averted in the
nick of time last decade when fires raged at 1200 degrees centigrade instead
of the 400 that was planned, melting all the steel facades that were erected
to depict another time in history. The actors who barely survived the ordeal
described it as a ‘cathartic act that almost went too far’.
Where would you have seen this near-accident play out, filmed in a set piece
that was inspired from the following place in LA?

1.
Instrument Meteorological Conditions is an aviation flight category
connected to the weather that requires pilots to fly primarily with regard to
instruments, as opposed to external visual references.
Equipment for pilots on such flights is designed to tackle all possible
hostile weather conditions. The standards are set based on the terrain and
path of travel, and communicated well before take-off to ensure the safety
of the flight.
How did a misunderstanding of this difference influence events roughly 7
years ago in the hostile conditions of the Nallamalla forests?

The eruption of Mount Vesuvius.

To study the passing of the Halley’s Comet.

4.
In a landmark ruling of public importance, a two-year inquest jury ruled last
year on a case that had nagged the families of its 96 victims for nearly two
decades.
Holding the South Yorkshire Police and the city’s ambulance services solely
responsible for the deaths, the verdict completely absolved the victims of
any blame – bringing much needed closure and justice to the families and to
several others all over the world.
Which unprecedented accident was this, that marred an annual event? What
apt verses did the families spontaneously break into, after the jury ruled in
their favour?

5.
Dr. Phil McGraw is an American TV host and a psychologist best known for
his talk show featuring important victims of mental illness.
His recent guest was from Blanco, Texas – who narrated her struggles
through depression which ironically originated in her days of worldwide
popularity in the 1980s as an accidental consequence of working at her
most high profile project as she was deliberately isolated, over-stressed and
mistreated in order to be in the best state to deliver optimum results as per
plan – across a harrowing 500 day period that she recalls with agony,
despite the fame it brought her.
Who was this? OR What popular project was she was part of that brought
about this condition?

Shelley Duvall’s portrayal of Wendy Torrance
in The Shining.

Steve Harvey hosting the Miss Universe
pageant in 2017 after the last edition’s gaffe.

Accidental damage caused to The
Great Barrier Reef.

The burning down of Shosanna Dreyfus’
theater in Inglourious Basterds.

 16 questions.
 +10, -5 on the pounce.
 No partial pounces applicable.
 Good luck!
Infinite Pounce II

17.
Charlie Lyne is a young British film-maker whose recent project stirred up
some controversy.
He crowd-funded and released an bizarre 607 minute film that revolved
around the painting of a wall in his backyard – intending to make an
important statement.
What was his motive? How does it connect with the following video clip?

It was a protest against the censor board by
making them sit through a pointless film.

Anurag Kashyap omitted the word ‘paanch’ from
the chorus of the song after his film of the same
name was banned previously.

18.
Qatar and Britain have enjoyed an important strategic relationship since the
18th century, starting off with the concern of pirates emanating from Qatar
around that time – a nuisance that was eventually solved together after
much diplomatic and coercive cooperation.
In 1932, the British Navy proposed that Qatar have a flag – comprising the
colours of white and red. However, this soon made way for a new design
comprising white and a distinctive shade of maroon in 1949, a change that
was ‘inevitable’ for the country.
Why did the British initially propose white on the flag? Why was red changed
to maroon soon after, a change that has more or less remained consistent?

To commemorate the surrender of the pirates
that brought peace to the waters.

The desert climate in the region naturally turned
red to maroon – later formally adopted as the
official color on the flag.

19.
Skidmore, Owings and Merrill is among the top construction companies in
the world that has consistently brought out some of the best innovations in
the field.
Among their most high profile projects to date was one in the mid-2000s in
which they had to design roughly 28,000 panels of double-layered glass of 18
different strength specifications and 200 different sizes, consisting of reflexive
glazing, aluminium and textured stainless steel panels with vertical tubular
fins – features intended to weather extreme conditions, all of which were
famously tested in the presence of a World War II airplane engine.
For what purpose were all these panels made? How were they brought to the
attention of millions of people around the world about 5 years ago?

The exterior cladding on the Burj Khalifa.

Tom Cruise’s stunt sequence in Mission
Impossible – Ghost Protocol.

20.
Egyptomania was a phenomenon felt in the Western countries in the 1800s –
a fascination with the ideas and imagery of ancient Egypt, especially among
young republics looking to portray ancient roots.
Their motifs were meant to signify permanence and stability, conjuring both
ancient wisdom and the solidity that remains standing through the ages. This
influence was instrumental in making an important structural and
commemorative decision in the mid-19th century over conventional and local
alternatives, a portion of which was on display at Tiffany’s jewelry store in
New York as the first ever architectural use of aluminium.
What unusual structural choice, that took nearly 38 years for completion?
What was the reason for the prolonged delay around this time?

The choice of an obelisk for the Washington
Monument.

The shortage of personnel and material
during the Civil War.

21.
Artists of various professions in 16th century England often suffered from
the lack of exposure to people and regions in other parts of the globe.
International travel was treacherous and expensive – which meant none of
them ever left the country to expand their worldview.
This changed to a good extent thanks to the efforts of Abraham Ortelius
whose work improved this unsuccessful armchair travel and gave several
artists a window to the world – managing to imbibe aspects (however
biased) of various cultures into the artistic landscape of the country.
What essential product, now ubiquitous especially among students, did he
pioneer in 1570? What iconic phrase of a famous work did these events
inspire towards the end of the century?

The world’s first ever atlas.

Inspired Shakespeare to coin “All The World’s A
Stage” for the opening verse of ‘As You Like It’.

22.
When the reign of Queen Elizabeth I began in the 1580s, Britain was a divided
country with the Protestant-Catholic discord being stronger than ever before.
The Queen herself was Protestant while crown Mary of Scotland was Catholic
and widely believed to be a more ‘legitimate’ occupant of the throne given
that nearly all neighbouring countries were also dominated by Catholics.
This division necessitated the creation of a profession that recruited people like
alchemists, magicians, astrologers among others who travelled around the
country and the continent – with John Dee being among the most famous of
them, who wrote back to the Queen with a special insignia.
What profession of people did this division create? How has this quirk in John
Dee’s communication been popularized since the mid-1900s?

Established the first ever network of spies, to
protect the Queen’s life.

John Dee signed off his letters with ‘007’,
contributing to the character of James Bond.

23.
Western Union telegraph cables in the USA through the 1960s underwent a
minor infrastructural change – of having white canisters with refractive lenses
intended to capture energy.
They contained photocells that were designed to detect a special wave shape
of two pulses – one fast and short, the second slower and longer, while no
other disturbances would be detected. It was an advanced move – well
ahead of the times – that made it the most sophisticated communications
system in the world.
Why was this addition made, viewed as a necessity in the times?

To detect nuclear radiation and alert them in case of
an attack by the Soviets during the Cold War.

24.
The 1964-65 World’s Fair held in the USA rented out a place built by the Singer
Sewing Company seating 18,000 people. It later hosted several music concerts in
the coming years by Ella Fitzgerald, Jimi Hendrix, The Doors among others that
shaped its identity.
Since then, its premises has been restructured by a Boston based materials
company that specializes in compositions of asphalt, silica and rubber prepared
to perfection by a computerized manufacturing plant in proportions arrived at
after intensive research and trials with individuals and associations.
Whom did this place become an unlikely tribute to after his death nearby in the
1970s, in memory of his numerous performances here? What is the purpose
served by this company’s annual restructuring of the place?

Louis Armstrong, who lends his name to the stadium
at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

DecoTurf, the company that prepares the mixture
for the surfaces on the US Open courts every year.

25.
In 2014, the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) was
in legal trouble following a sharp rise in crime along a 5 km stretch. It washed
its hands off the matter, telling the HC it wasn’t liable for the incidents.
However, suggestions have been incorporated to curb the menace – such as
installing 30 high quality CCTV cameras, having designated security guards to
keep a watchful eye and special biking squads to act on any information. A
proposed increase in size in one of the design elements could’ve resolved the
issue but was struck down by engineers and environmentalists alike.
What growing crime at a seemingly ideal location, that has accounted for over
a dozen people over the last couple of years? What 1970 pop classic by a
famous duo was appropriately used as a headline to describe this problem?

Suicides on the Bandra Worli sea-link

26.
Barcelos is a tiny town in Brazil’s Amazon rainforest that has, for over the
last 50 years, been the epicenter of a unique trade throughout the world.
Nearly all families in the town have henceforth been occupied with
collecting these exportable ‘products’ of the Characidae family in plastic
trays for which several stations are setup across the river that flows
through the town. Possible only in the dry season when the waters have
receded, this practice has been observed to be mutually beneficial to
both the occupants of this region and the environment – resulting in over
10 million exports annually.
What exactly are being exported, a unique and vibrant variant with a
worldwide appeal that is unlikely to diminish?

Cardinal tetra, the fish used in aquariums
around the world.

27.
Constitutional amendments in the USA go through a complicated process
of completion – which involves further ratification by each individual state,
and then transmitted to the national archivist to put it on the record.
Dr. Ranjan Batra – a Mississippi based academician – looked up in 2013
that his state had failed to comply with these procedures for one of the
country’s most significant amendments that was brought in during the
19th century but was still technically legal in the state since it wasn’t
notified to the US archivist after ratifying it in 1995.
What loophole was this, that embarrassed the state and could’ve
threatened its unity? How was it spotted, thanks to the law and its history
gaining countrywide prominence around that time?

The 13th Amendment which abolished slavery.

By watching Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln which
depicted the legal history of the amendment.

28.
Francois Bernier was a French explorer who travelled to India in the 17th
century and famously wrote about a certain location – “Among these islands,
it is in many places dangerous to land, for it constantly happens that these
ferocious beings enter even boats and attack people who’re asleep.”
This biological anomaly has been ascribed by some to the flow of waters from
the North that have conditioned the animal in question to a certain peculiar
habit made possible until 1975 when the Farrakka Barrage was constructed – a
trait seemingly passed on to the next generation and continues to this day.
What biological anomaly is this? What was attributed as the reason for it?

The tigers from the Sunderbans eating
humans.

Supposed to be a habit from eating the corpses
of the dead flowing down from Varanasi
through the Ganges.

29.
In the late 1800s, farms in the American mid-west saw a rapid increase in
the use of barbed fencing.
Besides their regular use of keeping plots safe and secure, they were
improvised with the help of leather straps, corncobs, snuff boxes, rubber
tubes – as a means of countering ‘rural neglect’ of companies looking for
best revenues for inventions in the urban areas. This use persisted until
the 1970s especially in the event of wildfires and sporting events – with
meticulous collaboration among several households.
Why exactly was this elaborate restructuring carried out?

To serve as primitive telephones for communicating
in the absence of networks being established in the
rural regions.

30.
Starting from the 1920s, this establishment in Kansas City became a
storehouse of about 3,800 precious artworks from artists such as Norman
Rockwell, Salvador Dali, Edward Hopper, Jackson Pollock among others.
As its importance grew, the owner also began arranging for special
lecture series with some of these artists from the 1940s at the place to his
employee audience of about 500. It soon had to be expanded to include
pioneers from a different profession – of an old school nature – to
complement the existing employees to meet changing demands.
What establishment is this? What additional profession of people were
necessary to improve the products of the place?

The headquarters of Hallmark, where artists used
works as inspirations for sketching greeting cards.

Writers, who had to complete the cards with
suitable poetry for each occasion.

31.
Starting from the 1960s, East Germany had a significant improvement in
their performances at the Olympic Games. However, this was called into
question in one of the most bizarre investigations by the IOC in the 1980s.
About half the athletes seemed to show a remarkable rise in RBC
containing hemoglobin, that carried about 30% more oxygen to the
muscles, imparting an advantage in aerobic capacity and increased
stamina. In 2005, about 190 of them filed cases against the government
for enforcing this with the help of a Swiss doctor – which caused multiple
long term complications to their bodies.
What was this unusual scandal all about, that was formally outlawed by
the IOC in the years to come?

Abortion doping – where female athletes would get
pregnant 2-3 months before the Games and be
helped by the biological changes that came with it.

32.
Among the biggest achievements of Mir Osman Ali Khan’s tenure as Nizam
of Hyderabad was the construction of India’s first ever thermal power plant in
1920. Serving the twin cities in adequate capacities till 1992, it was finally
demolished three years later.
However, its location continues to be popular thanks to a deal struck a
decade later between a Hyderabad based entity with a Canadian company
that was one of the priciest ones in its history worth over ₹33 crore for the
procurement of an object 72 feet high that required specially imported
machines to carry and install it in place.
What object was this, that has recently run into controversy over its alleged
redundancy?

The screen at Prasad’s IMAX.

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