Fascinating Questions on History and Inventions

  • Context: History 
  • Thread starter Thread starter marlon
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    History
Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around historical questions related to discoveries, inventions, and notable figures in history. Participants explore various topics including the discovery of blood circulation, the first heart transplantation, the invention of scissors, the origin of the word "assassination," heliocentrism, and other historical anecdotes.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Historical

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants suggest that William Harvey discovered blood circulation, while others mention Galen.
  • Dr. Barnard is identified by some as the first to perform a heart transplantation.
  • Copernicus is proposed as the inventor of heliocentrism, but Aristarchus of Samos is also mentioned as a possible earlier figure.
  • There is a claim that Shakespeare coined the term "assassination," while others discuss its possible etymology related to the Hashashin sect.
  • Participants debate who invented scissors, with one suggesting Leonardo da Vinci.
  • Hitler is mentioned in connection with the Volkswagen, but participants clarify that he was not an engineer.
  • Albert Einstein is proposed as the individual who declined the presidency of Israel, with some uncertainty about the timeline of this event.
  • Coca-Cola's original use is discussed, with one participant stating it was originally mouthwash.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a mix of agreement and disagreement on various historical claims, with multiple competing views on several questions. The discussion remains unresolved on many points, particularly regarding the origins of certain terms and the contributions of historical figures.

Contextual Notes

Some claims are based on incomplete information or assumptions, and there are unresolved details regarding the timeline of events and the definitions of terms discussed.

marlon
Messages
3,779
Reaction score
11
Here are some nice questions :

1) who discovered the boold-circulation and how it works ?

2) Who perfomed the first heart-transplantation ?

3) Who invented the sissors ??

4) Who invented the word assassination ?

5) Who invented the heliocentrism ?

6) Who dedicated a symphony to Napoléon Bonaparte but later publically changed his/here mind when Napoléon crowned himself to emperor ?

7) What was Coca-Cola originally used for ? (yes, you had to drink it, so that is not a valid answer)

8) Who invented the Volkswagen and who ordered the construction of this car ?

9) Who was asked to become the first president of Isreal but declined the offer?

10) And which actor refused the academy award for best actor because of the US-policy against native-americans...

regards
marlon
 
Science news on Phys.org
2) Who perfomed the first heart-transplantation ? - Dr. Barnard
 
5) Copernicus, I'll guess.
 
8b) Hitler. Don't know the answer to 8a)
 
7.) Coca-Cola was originally mouthwash

I know the answer to 4.) too!
 
8) Who invented the Volkswagen and who ordered the construction of this car ?
Two very separate questions. Hint: Hitler was not an engineer.
 
10) Marlon Brando.

I also might know the answer to 5, but I'm not sure I remember his name right. His theory is the one that inspired Copernicus.
 
4) Shakespeare.
 
1) Harvey, I think
 
  • #10
Adam said:
5) Copernicus, I'll guess.


No , he "stole " it from someone , yeah he really did. I am not trying to be interesting

marlon, who always knows the truth
 
  • #11
Adam said:
Two very separate questions. Hint: Hitler was not an engineer.


Ahh, i did not know that :-p :-p

It appears to me, dear Adam, you do not know the concept of a quiz :biggrin:

marlon, who is becoming an engineer
 
  • #12
Evo said:
2) Who perfomed the first heart-transplantation ? - Dr. Barnard


right on Evo :smile:
 
  • #13
Questions 1,2,4,7,8b and 10 were answered correctly.

The guy of heliocentrism was a greek scientist, who also was not happy with the work of Ptolemaeus and his deferents and epicycles...
 
  • #14
I don't think this is the answer, so I'll post it, but didn't the Pythagorean school propose something that had a leats superficial simlairites with heliocentrism?
 
  • #15
marlon said:
Questions 1,2,4,7,8b and 10 were answered correctly.

The guy of heliocentrism was a greek scientist, who also was not happy with the work of Ptolemaeus and his deferents and epicycles...


I always thought Assassination was an Islamic deriviation after Hashashin, which were a group of people that smoked dope and killed people in ancient times... obviously I am wrong but at least I got my question right!
 
  • #16
5) Aristarchus of Samos. Of the ancient greek school
 
  • #17
jimmy p said:
I always thought Assassination was an Islamic deriviation after Hashashin, which were a group of people that smoked dope and killed people in ancient times... obviously I am wrong but at least I got my question right!

The word 'Assasin' does have it's etymology in a certain Islamic sect (tho' IIRC the dope smoking and the killing people were slight exaggerations), but the word 'assasination was coiend by Shakespeare in one of his plays.
 
  • #18
jcsd said:
The word 'Assasin' does have it's etymology in a certain Islamic sect (tho' IIRC the dope smoking and the killing people were slight exaggerations), but the word 'assasination was coiend by Shakespeare in one of his plays.


My bad then. :-p
 
  • #19
:cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:

I missed it all ...

:cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:
 
  • #20
jcsd said:
The word 'Assasin' does have it's etymology in a certain Islamic sect (tho' IIRC the dope smoking and the killing people were slight exaggerations), but the word 'assasination was coiend by Shakespeare in one of his plays.

If I remember this correctly, Shakespeare was the first to use the word 'assassination' for the act performed by an assassin. The word 'assassin' itself was in sporadic use at the time and does derive from the hashashins (the Nizariyas, a sub-sect of the Shia) of 11th Century Iran and Syria. I think, the exploits of the hashashins were first brought to the West through the memoirs of Marco Polo. Latin switched the 'sh' sound for the 's' sound.

Shakespeare uses 'assassination' first in end of Act I of Macbeth, where Lady Macbeth is convincing Macbeth to kill Banquo. In this same scene, Shakespeare also coined the phrase "be-all and end-all".

(I have this in a book at home...and I'll check to make sure this is not grossly incorrect)
 
Last edited:
  • #21
Ha ha...#6 is not taken yet. It's Beethoven, of course ! :biggrin:

Neither is #9...interestingly, this same question is in a Quiz I put up in the Quizzes section. <though it was in a solved example>
 
Last edited:
  • #22
meteor said:
5) Aristarchus of Samos. Of the ancient greek school


correct. :smile:

marlon
 
  • #23
marlon said:
Here are some nice questions :

9) Who was asked to become the first president of Isreal but declined the offer?

regards
marlon


This was in 1948, so i am not really sure if this person would be the FIRST president of Isreal.
If i am mistaking, please accept my apologies. :blushing: :cry:

But this definitely took place in 1948


regards
marlon
 
  • #24
Gokul43201 said:
Ha ha...#6 is not taken yet. It's Beethoven, of course ! :biggrin:

Neither is #9...interestingly, this same question is in a Quiz I put up in the Quizzes section. <though it was in a solved example>


yes Beethoven it was...

we all know the person of question 9, trust me. He was a superstar (well, euuhh to some extent :rolleyes: )

regards
marlon
 
  • #25
Another anecdote about #9: Supposedly someone in the provisional government of Israel asked the question, "What shall we do if he accepts our offer?"--for he was not known as a particularly worldly individual.
 
Last edited:
  • #26
marlon said:
This was in 1948, so i am not really sure if this person would be the FIRST president of Isreal.
If i am mistaking, please accept my apologies. :blushing: :cry:

But this definitely took place in 1948


regards
marlon

I think it was 1952, just after Chaim Weizmann's death. So it should be 'second President'.
 
  • #27
1 galen the classic roman Dr

8a Dr porsche
 
  • #28
1) who discovered the boold-circulation and how it works ?

WIlliam Harvey

2) Who perfomed the first heart-transplantation ?

Some African-American whose name I don't recall.

3) Who invented the sissors ??

Don't know =/

4) Who invented the word assassination ?

Don't know

5) Who invented the heliocentrism ?

A Greek before Copernicus.

6) Who dedicated a symphony to Napoléon Bonaparte but later publically changed his/here mind when Napoléon crowned himself to emperor ?


dunno
7) What was Coca-Cola originally used for ? (yes, you had to drink it, so that is not a valid answer)

don't care

8) Who invented the Volkswagen and who ordered the construction of this car ?

don't care

9) Who was asked to become the first president of Isreal but declined the offer?

Einstein

10) And which actor refused the academy award for best actor because of the US-policy against native-americans...

don't care
 
  • #29
ray b said:
1 galen the classic roman Dr

8a Dr porsche

correct

marlon

the answer to question 9 is Albert Einstein...

It was Da Vinci who invented the sissors (at least as how we know them)

regards
marlon

i think everything is solved now
was it as much fun for you as it was for me.
If not, i will not post another quizz. If it was i well get some more nice questions :smile:
at your service :cool:
 
  • #30
Nice quiz marlon, we'd love another one. :smile: