thetrooper
Misanthrope
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I've seen some exotic toilets then...
New Cumulative General History Quiz
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I've seen some exotic toilets then...
Johann MacLeod
Duc de Lorraine
yes it is the symbol for copper, i guess its not actually a catherdarl just a whopping big church. when i went there i remeber being suprised to see that there. i think its actually in a coat of arms like sheild underneath the cross. but its been a couple years since i saw it.
thetrooper
Misanthrope
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OK Johann. So I got it then.
Let us ponder a little more on alchemy, the precursor to my current profession
These are the chemical elements known to the Ancients:
Carbon as charcoal came with the discovery of fire.
Sulfur was to be found near volcanoes.
Copper was the first metal to be worked (~5000 BC).
Gold and Silver objects were first produced ~3000 BC.
Iron smelting led to Iron Age.
Tin was used earlier to forge bronze, an alloy of copper that was much stronger, but the element itself was not smelted as such until ~2100 BC.
Mercury was reported ~1500 BC. This forms when the ore cinnabar (HgS) is heated, and it also occurs naturally in cinnabar deposits.
Lead appeared ~1000 BC and was extensively mined. It became the most important metal in the Roman Empire.
Antimony objects date from ~1600 BC although this metal was not much used.
Then there were no discoveries until the Middle Ages and alchemy.
The discovery of one of the elements is seen as a turning point between alchemy and chemistry.
With no further ado: I want you to name two elements disvovered by alchemists, appr. year of discovery, the names of the alchemists and which element was the turning point.
Let us ponder a little more on alchemy, the precursor to my current profession
These are the chemical elements known to the Ancients:
Carbon as charcoal came with the discovery of fire.
Sulfur was to be found near volcanoes.
Copper was the first metal to be worked (~5000 BC).
Gold and Silver objects were first produced ~3000 BC.
Iron smelting led to Iron Age.
Tin was used earlier to forge bronze, an alloy of copper that was much stronger, but the element itself was not smelted as such until ~2100 BC.
Mercury was reported ~1500 BC. This forms when the ore cinnabar (HgS) is heated, and it also occurs naturally in cinnabar deposits.
Lead appeared ~1000 BC and was extensively mined. It became the most important metal in the Roman Empire.
Antimony objects date from ~1600 BC although this metal was not much used.
Then there were no discoveries until the Middle Ages and alchemy.
The discovery of one of the elements is seen as a turning point between alchemy and chemistry.
With no further ado: I want you to name two elements disvovered by alchemists, appr. year of discovery, the names of the alchemists and which element was the turning point.
Doc Tsiolkovski
Deity
Nice questions .
However, I'm not sure of you missed one element in your list, or if that one is already one of the answers:
Zinc: Brass was already used by 1000-1400BC, and is reported in purified form around ~1000AD in India and the Arab world. Also, there are some odd prehistoric objects from Rumania, made of like 90% pure zinc. Alchemist
?
Phosphor: The classical example for alchemy making a scientific breakthrough. Henning Brand, Hamburg, 1669.
Maybe you'd be so helpful to clarify a bit on zinc?
.However, I'm not sure of you missed one element in your list, or if that one is already one of the answers:
Zinc: Brass was already used by 1000-1400BC, and is reported in purified form around ~1000AD in India and the Arab world. Also, there are some odd prehistoric objects from Rumania, made of like 90% pure zinc. Alchemist
?Phosphor: The classical example for alchemy making a scientific breakthrough. Henning Brand, Hamburg, 1669.
Maybe you'd be so helpful to clarify a bit on zinc?
Gelion
Retired Captain
I guess I was ignored again....Gelion said:Symbol of Copper?
thetrooper
Misanthrope
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Zinc was known as copper-zinc alloy, brass, around 20 BC (according to my sources).
Though listed as discovered pre-1500, unknown discoverer. So - sorry about that one Doc. It was not the element I looked for.
On the other hand, you are correct on the Phosphorus part. Hennig Brandt, Hamburg 1669. And the discovery of Phosphorus was the turning point. I've got a nice pic of the discovery in front of me now: Brandt looking like he had met the big G.
Phosphorus burst into flames spontaneously when exposed to air and it glows in the dark. Nice pic, but sadly I have no scanner here now.
Among those discovered during the Middle Ages, only two are mentioned as discoverers. Can you solve the last one?
But of course you'll get this one if there are no other answers
And a nice little surprise for all participants in this quiz:
Greek, phosphoros = bringer of light. We all know who that is 
Though listed as discovered pre-1500, unknown discoverer. So - sorry about that one Doc. It was not the element I looked for.
On the other hand, you are correct on the Phosphorus part. Hennig Brandt, Hamburg 1669. And the discovery of Phosphorus was the turning point. I've got a nice pic of the discovery in front of me now: Brandt looking like he had met the big G.
Phosphorus burst into flames spontaneously when exposed to air and it glows in the dark. Nice pic, but sadly I have no scanner here now.Among those discovered during the Middle Ages, only two are mentioned as discoverers. Can you solve the last one?
But of course you'll get this one if there are no other answers
And a nice little surprise for all participants in this quiz:
Greek, phosphoros = bringer of light. We all know who that is
thetrooper
Misanthrope
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Gelion said:
Sorry about that Gelion! But you didn't say alchemy symbol for copper.
I hope I didn't step on any toes when I just made a new question?
Gelion
Retired Captain
Neah, its allright.... I'm still thinking what to answer
thetrooper
Misanthrope
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Okay - I'll admit that the story about the second element that we are looking for is a little nebulous. So I hand out some clues here:
1. Think great about the discoverer
2. The greek word for the element means something like yellow orpiment.
3. The discoverers last name is quite common as a first name in Norway and Sweden.
Anyway - I think that Doc should ask the next Q, but I'll leave this open for suggestions on the other element and its discoverer until tommorow.
1. Think great about the discoverer
2. The greek word for the element means something like yellow orpiment.
3. The discoverers last name is quite common as a first name in Norway and Sweden.
Anyway - I think that Doc should ask the next Q, but I'll leave this open for suggestions on the other element and its discoverer until tommorow.
Doc Tsiolkovski
Deity
Arsen, first described by Albertus Magnus in 1250 (Arsenik As2O3 was known a long time already, but Albertus seems to have discovered the reduction of the oxide to the metal form).
thetrooper
Misanthrope
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Doc you got it 
Science and technology declined in the Dark Ages in Europe, later to be revived by the Arabs and spread out with them during their years of expansion. Alchemy had its adherents and some elements were discovered (accidentally most of them) during this period. Arsenic appears to have been isolated by the German alchemist Albertus Magnus in the middle of the thirteenth century; phosphorus was made by Hennig Brandt in 1669.
Magnus is a common first name in Norway and Sweden.
These two elements (arsenic and phosphorus) were the first two elements to which we know the discoverers. Zinc, bismuth and platinum were also discovered during the middle ages but alas we have no names...
I'll leave the floor to Doc T. now.
Science and technology declined in the Dark Ages in Europe, later to be revived by the Arabs and spread out with them during their years of expansion. Alchemy had its adherents and some elements were discovered (accidentally most of them) during this period. Arsenic appears to have been isolated by the German alchemist Albertus Magnus in the middle of the thirteenth century; phosphorus was made by Hennig Brandt in 1669.
Magnus is a common first name in Norway and Sweden.
These two elements (arsenic and phosphorus) were the first two elements to which we know the discoverers. Zinc, bismuth and platinum were also discovered during the middle ages but alas we have no names...
I'll leave the floor to Doc T. now.
Doc Tsiolkovski
Deity
Imagine someone has too much free time, and instead of spending in front of the screen and Civving 
, he travels around the globe and sends you those postcards:
Now, what was the theme of his trip?
In other words, what do all those cities/places have in common?
(Note what I'm looking for isn't anywhere on those pics, with one minor exception).
I expect combined efforts to fiddle out the places, but that still leaves the connection...
, he travels around the globe and sends you those postcards: Now, what was the theme of his trip?
In other words, what do all those cities/places have in common?
(Note what I'm looking for isn't anywhere on those pics, with one minor exception).
I expect combined efforts to fiddle out the places, but that still leaves the connection...
Doc Tsiolkovski
Deity
Oops, forgot two cards:
wildWolverine
L'Etat, c'est moi
Cities that contain the government of their respective governments (i.e., capitals)? I think the clock picture is in Bern, and that looks an awful lot like the Jefferson Memorial in Washington. The whole sphinx thing kind of throws a wrench in that, though...
edit:
nice.
edit:
YNCS said:
nice.
Serutan
Eatibus Anythingibus
the travels of Alexis de Toquville?
Doc Tsiolkovski
Deity
Ok, I admit, not the most interesting question I came up with so far.
More a sightseeing quiz than a history one.
So, I'll give some additional, more 'historical' clues about those cities on the pictures.
And let me repeat it: The 'theme' isn't related to what you see on those pictures. Only to those cities.
More a sightseeing quiz than a history one.
So, I'll give some additional, more 'historical' clues about those cities on the pictures.
- Obviously, we have Washington DC (Jefferson memorial), New York (Brooklyn Bridge) and Giza (Sphinx). Would be outright silly to not give away those 3.
- Then, we have surprisingly many cities that were members of the Hanseatic League; pure coincidence for this question. One of those was the northernmost member of the league.
- Two cities shown were important for William the Conqueror.
- One pic shows a site that's not famous for what you still see there, but for what was there - a prison.
- Another picture shows the townhall of a city that was originally named for the sister of one of the most infamous Roman Emperors.
- We also have a pic of a city that was for about 40 years Germanies largest (in terms of size as well as inhabitants) city - though there was another city with even more German inhabitants at that time .
- One city happens to be the place where a 19 year old girl was burned on the stake.
- And we have the city where one of the most famous, and most bloodthirsty national anthems was composed.
- The smallest city shown holds one of 4 original copies of what usually is referred to as the 'first step towards constitutional law'
And let me repeat it: The 'theme' isn't related to what you see on those pictures. Only to those cities.
sydhe
King of Kongs
Are they cities that at one point contained the tallest building in the World?
Doc Tsiolkovski
Deity
Correct.
Cities are Giza, Lincoln (Lincoln Castle on the pic, Magna Charta), Tallinn (pic #1, northernmost hanse member), Strassbourg (last pic, Marseillaise), Hamburg (the Xmas townhall pic; Hamburg was the largest city of Germany from 1949-1990, since West-Berlin was no German territory), Rouen (the clock, Joan), Cologne (Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensis; Agrippa the Younger, sister of Caligula), Washington DC, Paris (Place de la Bastille), and New York.
In that order, they were home of the tallest man-made structure on Earth; Great Pyramid, then churchtowers, then Obelisk-like thingies (Wash, Paris), finally skyscrapers.
Over to sydhe.
Cities are Giza, Lincoln (Lincoln Castle on the pic, Magna Charta), Tallinn (pic #1, northernmost hanse member), Strassbourg (last pic, Marseillaise), Hamburg (the Xmas townhall pic; Hamburg was the largest city of Germany from 1949-1990, since West-Berlin was no German territory), Rouen (the clock, Joan), Cologne (Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensis; Agrippa the Younger, sister of Caligula), Washington DC, Paris (Place de la Bastille), and New York.
In that order, they were home of the tallest man-made structure on Earth; Great Pyramid, then churchtowers, then Obelisk-like thingies (Wash, Paris), finally skyscrapers.
Over to sydhe.
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