Season 238

Which 1895 collection of short stories by Robert W. Chambers helped shape early weird fiction and later cosmic horror?
Several of its tales revolve around a forbidden play that induces obsession and madness in those who read it.

What is the name of the household registration system in China that ties individuals to their place of birth, affecting access to education, housing, and healthcare?
Introduced in the 1950s, it remains a key mechanism of internal migration control and social policy.

What are the small calcium carbonate crystals located in the vestibular system of the inner ear that help the brain detect gravity and linear acceleration?
These structures move in response to head position, providing critical input for balance and spatial orientation.

Which American musician and producer, once the guitarist for the band fun, later formed Bleachers and became a Grammy-winning songwriter and producer?
Known for his collaborations with Taylor Swift, Lorde, and Lana Del Rey, he has shaped the sound of 21st-century pop.

Which fictional boy, created by Frances Hodgson Burnett in 1886, is the American child who charms his irritable English grandfather after unexpectedly inheriting an aristocratic title?
Known for his velvet suits and lace collars, the character became synonymous with sentimental childhood and elaborate fashion in late 19th-century literature.

What surgical procedure, often performed in orthopedics to relieve joint pain and restore mobility, has a name derived from Greek words meaning “joint” and “molding”?
Commonly used in severe arthritis cases, it typically involves reshaping or replacing parts of the hip or knee.

Which three modern Southeast Asian countries once formed about 95% of the territory of French Indochina, the colonial region established by France in the late 19th century?

Which simple, open-top bag with parallel handles, originally made from sturdy canvas, became popular for both shopping and everyday use in the 20th century?
Once a utilitarian item, it is now a staple of fashion, branding, and environmental consciousness.

What semi-aquatic animal native to South America is the largest living rodent species on Earth, often found in groups near rivers and lakes?
Known for its calm temperament and webbed feet, it is closely related to guinea pigs and thrives in tropical wetlands.

The following events all took place in the same year. Which year?
Elvis Presley performs his Aloha from Hawaii concert, the first entertainment special broadcast live via satellite to a global audience of over one billion people.
The world mourns the death of Pablo Picasso, the Spanish painter and sculptor who dominated 20th-century art, who dies at a dinner party in Mougins, France.
The Paris Peace Accords are signed, ending direct U.S. military combat in the Vietnam War and initiating a ceasefire.
NASA launches Skylab, America’s first space station, which suffers severe damage during liftoff and requires a dramatic spacewalk repair by the first crew.
In response to Western support of Israel, OPEC nations announce an oil embargo, quadrupling oil prices and triggering a global energy crisis.

Which song, opening with the lyrics “Load up on guns, bring your friends / It's fun to lose and to pretend,” became a defining anthem of youth disillusionment and rebellion and propelled its band into reluctant superstardom?
Notably, the title of the song never appears in the lyrics.

Which Yorkshire football club, nicknamed the Owls and founded in 1867, is one of the oldest professional football clubs in England?
The team also plays on Saturdays.

Which Roman Catholic basilica, still under construction over a century after its cornerstone was laid in 1882, is known for its fusion of Gothic and Art Nouveau styles and its surreal, organic architecture? Located in Barcelona, it remains the most ambitious and recognisable project of a Catalan architect whose visionary designs helped define the city's skyline.

Which Austrian-born politician served as the 38th Governor of California from 2003 to 2011, winning office during a rare gubernatorial recall election?
Though politically unaffiliated for most of his life, he ran as a Republican and became known for moderate policies on climate change and fiscal reform.