Season 255

Most commonly observed in large flocks of European starlings at dusk, this spectacular natural phenomenon sees thousands of birds move in astonishingly synchronized, fluid formations that help confuse predators such as peregrine falcons.
By what evocative term is this collective aerial display known?

First introduced in the 1950s as a cheerful defense of the messy, utensil-free way customers preferred to eat, a specific advertising phrase became inseparably associated with Colonel Harland Sanders and Kentucky Fried Chicken.
By what iconic slogan is this fast-food chain known?

Distilled from botanicals including grand wormwood, green anise, and fennel, this emerald-green spirit became the unofficial drink of the Belle Époque and was famously associated with artists such as Vincent van Gogh, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, and Oscar Wilde.
Nicknamed "The Green Fairy," by what name is this alcoholic beverage known?

Serving as the main venue for the Australian Open and featuring the first retractable roof ever built for a Grand Slam tournament, this stadium is named in honor of the only player in singles history to complete two calendar-year Grand Slams.
By what name is this arena known?

Founded in London in 1968 by Storm Thorgerson and Aubrey Powell, this influential graphic design collective created some of rock music's most memorable album covers, including Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon and Wish You Were Here, as well as works for Led Zeppelin, Genesis, and 10cc.
What is the portmanteau name of this legendary design studio?

Popularized by political scientist Graham Allison, this theory argues that war becomes significantly more likely when a rising power threatens to displace an established dominant power.
Named after the ancient Greek historian who attributed the Peloponnesian War to the rise of Athens and the fear it inspired in Sparta, what concept does this describe?

In January 1917, British naval intelligence intercepted and decrypted a secret diplomatic communication originating from the German Foreign Office.
Which infamous document proposed a military alliance between Germany and Mexico in the event of the United States entering World War I, promising the recovery of Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico?

This actor is known for his Golden Globe-nominated performance as Rocky Dennis in Mask (1985), starring in the teen classic Some Kind of Wonderful (1987), and playing the frantically unprepared drug dealer Lance in Pulp Fiction (1994).
Which redhead is also famous in film lore for playing Marty McFly in Back to the Future for a total of five weeks?

Represented in the International Phonetic Alphabet by the inverted letter ⟨ə⟩, this mid-central vowel is the most common speech sound in English and typically occurs in unstressed syllables, such as the first vowel in about or the final vowel in sofa.
By which German-derived linguistic term is this sound known?

Rising nearly 200 meters above the surrounding plains of central Sri Lanka, this immense granite monolith was transformed into a royal citadel by King Kashyapa I during the 5th century CE.
Famous for the massive carved paws flanking its entrance, its Mirror Wall, and vibrant frescoes of celestial maidens, by what name is this UNESCO World Heritage Site known?

Developed in 1968 by a group of New Jersey high school students, this non-contact field sport strictly dictates that a player cannot run while possessing the 175-gram scoring object.
Forced to establish a pivot foot, the thrower has ten seconds to pass before a verbal "stall count" expires.
Famous for a self-officiating ethos known as "Spirit of the Game," what team sport awards exactly one point for successfully catching this object in the opposing end zone? 

The following events all took place in which year?
Nirvana releases the landmark album Nevermind, bringing grunge music into the mainstream.
Computer scientist Tim Berners-Lee introduces the World Wide Web project to the public on the Usenet network.
South Africa's parliament votes to repeal the Population Registration Act, effectively ending the legal framework of apartheid.
A hikers' couple discovers the mummified remains of Ötzi the Iceman in the Ötztal Alps.
Basketball legend Magic Johnson shocks the sports world by announcing his retirement after testing positive for HIV.

Unlike a thrombosis, which forms at the site of obstruction, this potentially life-threatening medical condition occurs when a traveling clot, air bubble, fat droplet, or other material lodges in a distant blood vessel and blocks circulation.
Responsible for many cases of ischemic stroke, what is this condition called?

Featuring an infectious, propulsive synthesizer hook and a distinctive vocal delivery from a singer fighting his own American accent, this 2004 indie disco anthem details an agonizingly vivid scene of a partner's infidelity.
Which track, originating from Las Vegas but fundamentally shaping the sound of British indie rock, features a pre-chorus asking "How did it end up like this?" and takes its title from a falsely optimistic nickname?