Season 237

Which economic theory, named after two economists, uses the example of a barber to explain why a haircut costs ten times more in a rich country than in a poor one, even though the work takes the same amount of time?
It argues that high productivity in manufacturing drives up wages across the entire economy, forcing up the price of local services.

Which 1996 American ensemble film directed by Ted Demme follows a group of childhood friends reuniting in their snowy hometown for a high school reunion, confronting nostalgia, failed ambitions, and midlife malaise?
Featuring a broad cast including Natalie Portman, Uma Thurman, Matt Dillon, Timothy Hutton, Lauren Holly, Rosie O’Donnell, Mira Sorvino, and Michael Rapaport, it blends comedy and drama in a portrait of small-town life.

Which 13th-century Icelandic work, written by a scholar and politician, preserves the mythological and poetic traditions of the Norse world through tales of gods, giants, and the cosmos?
Serving as both a manual for aspiring skalds and a key source for Norse mythology, it remains a cornerstone of medieval Scandinavian literature.

Which organelles, known as the "powerhouses of the cell," produce ATP through aerobic respiration and are found in nearly all eukaryotic organisms?
Inherited almost exclusively from one’s mother, they contain their own DNA and are widely used to trace maternal ancestry through genetic studies.

Which long-running satirical work, launched in 1970 and known for blending fictional characters with real-world political events, has covered everything from Vietnam to Silicon Valley to the Trump era, often through the lens of a college dorm, a war vet, and a talking cigarette?
It was the first comic strip to win a Pulitzer Prize for editorial cartooning.

Which atrocity took place in late 1937 after Japanese forces captured the Chinese capital, resulting in the mass murder of civilians and prisoners of war, along with widespread atrocities committed over several weeks?
The event remains one of the most controversial and politically sensitive episodes of the Second Sino-Japanese War.

Which Olympic sport, introduced for men in 1924, includes the grueling 10,000-meter event and has been dominated by Dutch athletes, in particular Sven Kramer, who is the most decorated male competitor in its Olympic history?
Demanding a razor-sharp balance of power, rhythm, and stamina, it pushes athletes to the edge of human endurance.

Which Israeli political party, founded in 1973, emerged from a coalition of right-wing and liberal factions rooted in Revisionist Zionism?
It has dominated national politics under leaders like Benjamin Netanyahu and Ariel Sharon, though the latter left the party in 2005 to found a new centrist faction.

The following events all took place in the same year. Which year?
The presidential palace La Moneda is bombed as General Augusto Pinochet overthrows the democratically elected Salvador Allende in a violent coup d'état in Chile.
On a sidewalk in Manhattan, Motorola engineer Martin Cooper makes the world’s first handheld mobile phone call, reportedly ringing up his rival at Bell Labs to brag.
Queen Elizabeth II officially opens the Sydney Opera House, designed by the Danish architect Jørn Utzon, changing the skyline of the harbor forever.
The Supreme Court issues its landmark 7–2 ruling in Roe v. Wade, affirming that the Due Process Clause of the 14th Amendment extends to a woman's decision to have an abortion.
Pink Floyd releases their prism-adorned masterpiece The Dark Side of the Moon, an album that will go on to spend a record-breaking 741 consecutive weeks on the Billboard charts.

Which precious gemstone, a variety of corundum typically found in deep blue, ranks as a 9 on the Mohs scale, making it second only to diamond in hardness?
Historically worn by medieval clergy to symbolize heaven and used as a given name for women, it is most famously the centerpiece of the engagement ring worn by Princess Diana and Kate Middleton.

Which television series follows an American football coach unexpectedly hired to manage a struggling English soccer team, despite having no experience with the sport, gradually winning over players and fans with kindness, humour, and relentless optimism?
The show became a breakout streaming hit, praised for its heart, writing, and unexpected emotional depth.

Born in the brothels of the Río de la Plata, this dance is defined by intense passion and scandalous intimacy. Known for its dramatic pauses and the figure-eight ochos traced on the floor, it was initially shunned by high society before conquering the world.
Driven by the distinctive sound of the bandoneón—and often satirized in film by a rose between the teeth—what is this seductive Argentine export?

Which historic region in central Romania, once part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, is known for its medieval towns, forested mountains, and fortified churches, and has gained lasting fame through its association with a certain nocturnal literary legend?
Its real history includes Saxon settlements, shifting borders, and a striking mix of Central and Eastern European cultures.

Which entertainer, known for her decades-spanning career, won an Oscar for playing a widowed Italian-American in Moonstruck, topped charts with hits like “Believe,” and first rose to fame in a 1960s musical duo with her then-husband?
She’s widely recognized for her distinctive contralto voice, bold fashion, and singular status as a pop culture icon.