Which Swiss engineer invented Velcro after noticing how burrs clung to his dog's fur during a 1941 hunting trip?

General Knowledge

What optical instrument did the inventor of Velcro use to closely study the burrs stuck to his dog's fur?

Velcro was invented by a Swiss engineer who noticed burrs stuck to his dog after a hunting trip and examined them under a microscope.

General Knowledge

Which country invented the printing press?

Gutenberg's 1455 Bible was the first major book printed using movable type in Europe, and only 49 copies survive today.

General Knowledge

In what year did two engineers first create the plastic sheeting that would later become known as bubble wrap?

Bubble wrap was invented as wallpaper in 1957, but failed until it was repurposed as protective packaging for fragile goods.

General Knowledge

Which of an octopus's three hearts stops beating when the animal swims?

Octopuses have three hearts: two pump blood to the gills, one to the body—and it stops when they swim.

General Knowledge

Which U.S. government agency began using Velcro after its lengthy 15-year development process was complete?

Velcro was inspired by burrs sticking to a hunter's dog fur in 1941, but took 15 years of development before NASA adopted it.

General Knowledge

Which Soviet cosmonaut became the first human to die during an actual spaceflight when his capsule's parachute failed in 1967?

Soviet cosmonaut Vladimir Komarov died in 1967 when his Soyuz 1 parachute failed—the first human spaceflight fatality.