Astronomy

In 2004, European scientists launched Rosetta in an effort to land on what space object 10 years later?

A comet
http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Science/Rosetta/The_long_trek

Holidays

In 1870, what U.S. president officially declared December 25 as a federal holiday?

Ulysses S. Grant
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_holidays_in_the_United_States

Holidays

In 1939, what Christmas character was created by a Jewish man, Robert L. May?

Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_L._May

World History

What region of the world started hanging Christmas trees upside down as early as the 12th century?

Eastern Europe
http://easteuropeanfood.about.com/od/christmaseve/a/Upside-Down-Christmas-Trees.htm

Biology

Xenophyophores are the largest known single-cell organisms in the world. Living on the ocean floor, about how many centimeters in diameter can they get?

20 cm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xenophyophore

U.S. History

Clement Clarke Moore first published his most famous poem anonymously, but it has arguably had more influence on the world than any other poem written by an American. What poem did he write?

'Twas the Night Before Christmas
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clement_Clarke_Moore

Holidays

Many British Commonwealth nations (Canada, UK, Australia, etc.) celebrate Boxing Day on December 26. What is the purpose of Boxing Day?

Employers give gifts or bonuses to their employees
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boxing_Day

Chemistry

PVC is the third most widely produced plastic, and can be found everywhere from sewer pipes to fake Christmas trees. What does PVC stand for?

Polyvinyl chloride
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyvinyl_chloride

General Knowledge

What does the "CE" button on the calculator stand for?

Clear Entry
http://www.ask.com/question/what-do-the-buttons-on-calculators-mean

Holidays

Thanksgiving Day in the U.S. was established as the last Thursday in November when Abraham Lincoln was president. Canada celebrates Thanksgiving on the second Monday of what month?

October
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thanksgiving

Musical Instruments

Scottish bagpipes are inflated by blowing air into the bag. Irish uilleann pipes, however, are inflated by what method, allowing the player to sing while playing?

A bellows inflates the bag when squeezed between the elbow and waist
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uilleann_pipes

Geography

What nation became the proud new owners of a newly created volcanic island on Nov. 21 2013?

Japan
http://www.ksl.com/?sid=27723447&nid=1200&title=volcano-raises-new-island-far-south-of-japan&fm=home_page&s_cid=queue-8

Geography

What monster of a lake in Scotland is so deep that it holds more fresh water than all the lakes of England and Wales combined?

Loch Ness
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loch_Ness

Geography

The Flying Dutchman is a mythical ship supposedly lost at sea near what nice-sounding location, discovered by Bartolomeu Dias in 1488?

The Cape of Good Hope
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_Dutchman

Astronomy

A "maven" is a Hebrew word meaning "one who understands". NASA recently used the term MAVEN as an acronym for its latest mission that launched on November 18, 2013. What does NASA's MAVEN stand for?

The Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/maven/main/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maven

Sports

In 1957, the Brooklyn dodgers moved from New York to Los Angeles. What other MLB team moved from New York that same year?

The Giants (From New York to San Francisco)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Brooklyn_Dodgers

Biology

Ratites are large, flightless birds that generally live in the southern hemisphere. What are the 5 living families of ratites?

Ostrich, Emu, Cassowary, Rhea, and Kiwi
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ratites

Languages

The name "James" in English is the same as "Tiago" in Portuguese, "Diego" in Spanish, and "Jacques" in French. But all are derived from what other Old Testament name?

Jacob
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James,_son_of_Zebedee

Flags

Six U.S. states have flags with only 2 colors. Which six are they?

Alabama, Alaska, Indiana, New Mexico, Oregon, South Carolina
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flags_of_the_U.S._states

Geography

At an elevation of 7,260 ft and founded in 1610, what state capital city is both the highest and oldest in the U.S.?

Santa Fe, New Mexico
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Fe,_New_Mexico

U.S. History

Two months before the Declaration of Independence was signed, which colony declared its independence from Great Britain on May 4, 1776. They were also the last colony to ratify the constitution?

Rhode Island
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhode_Island

Geography

With a population of less than 8,000, what U.S. state capital is the smallest?

Montpelier, Vermont
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montpelier,_Vermont

U.S. History

What U.S. city rejected to host the 1976 Winter Olympics, due to cost?

Denver
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1976_Winter_Olympics

Geography

Nearly half of the world's land drains into which ocean?

The Atlantic
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drainage_basin

Geography

At over 40,000 miles long, what mountain range is the longest on Earth?

The Mid-Ocean Ridge
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mid-Ocean_Ridge

Geography

San Marino claims to be the oldest Constitutional Republic in the world. What European country completely surrounds it?

Italy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Marino

Halloween

The term "Jack-o'-lantern" comes from Ireland, where some of the first vegetables they carved weren't pumpkins. What root was commonly used instead?

Turnips
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack-o'-lantern

U.S. History

In 1976, Tom Miller pushed a peanut using his nose to the top of what mountain, whose view also inspired the song "America the Beautiful"?

Pike's Peak
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pikes_Peak

Geography

The Karakoram Highway is the highest paved road in the world. Over 1,000 people from what two countries died while building it?

China and Pakistan
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karakoram_Highway

World History

Ruling for over 72 years, what French king had a longer reign (or shine, if you like puns) than any other major European monarch?

Louis XIV, aka. the Sun King
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_XIV_of_France

Music

The erhu and the berimbau are both string, bowed musical instruments, but they are played differently, originated on opposite sides of the earth, and produce very different, iconic cultural sounds. From what countries did they each originate?

erhu - China
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erhu

berimbau - Brazil
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berimbau

Geography

Antipodes refer to two places that are directly opposite on the earth. If you drilled from Botswana, Africa to its antipodal location, what U.S. state would you be in?

Hawaii
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antipodes

U.S. History

The term "Yankee" originated with the Dutch Americans prior to the revolutionary war. Yankee Doodle is the official song of what U.S. state?

Connecticut
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yankee_Doodle

Geography

Once known as Zaire, what country has one of the lowest GDP, while also containing 30% of the world's diamond reserves?

Democratic Republic of Congo
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Republic_of_the_Congo

General Knowledge

The vast majority of radio stations in the United States use a 3 or 4 letter call sign. What is the conventional dividing line between the stations that start with K and those that start with W?

The Mississippi River
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Call_sign

Geography

A Guernsey is a breed of cow that originated on a European island of the same name. In what body of water will you find the island of Guernsey?

The English Channel
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guernsey_cattle

Inventions

Percy Spencer invented the first microwave after walking past an active radar that reacted with what food item in his pocket?

A Candy Bar
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Percy_Spencer

Geography

Lake Volta is the largest reservoir (by surface area) in the world. The name of the country where it is located means "Warrior King". What African nation is it?

Ghana
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghana

World History

53 member states make up the Commonwealth of Nations - mostly former British territories. How many people have served as Head of the Commonwealth?

2: Queen Elizabeth II and her father, King George VI
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealth_of_Nations

World History

The largest transcontinental city in the world, Istanbul, was once Constantinople. But what name did the Greeks give it before that?

Byzantium
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byzantium

Inventions

A janitor from Ohio patented his invention of the first modern vacuum cleaner, and sold it to his cousin whose company, named after himself, became synonymous for vacuums. What company was it?

Hoover. (William Henry Hoover was the cousin's name)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vacuum_cleaner

U.S. History

In an effort to welcome back the south, Abraham Lincoln, a republican, selected a southern democrat, Andrew Johnson, as his running mate as the Civil War was ending in 1864. What state was Johnson from?

Tennessee
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Johnson

World History

What Caribbean nation was formed after what is considered the most successful slave rebellion ever?

Haiti
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haitian_Revolution

Flags

The flags of Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Guatemala all share a common theme from when they were all part of one nation. But that design originated from what other Latin American country?

Argentina
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Republic_of_Central_America

Republic of Central America:

Argentina: