What Is This? Mystery Objects Quiz

Guess what curious items are from photos and fun clues — test your observation and world-knowledge skills. Ready to uncover the mystery?

  1. This object was used by sailors to determine latitude before GPS; what is it?
    1. Compass
    2. Sextant
    3. Astrolabe
    4. Chronometer
  2. This natural phenomenon makes the sky appear greenish before some storms; what is it?
    1. Aurora
    2. Tornado
    3. Rainbow
    4. Hailstorm
  3. This ancient writing system used wedge-shaped marks on clay tablets; what is it?
    1. Hieroglyphs
    2. Cuneiform
    3. Runes
    4. Linear B
  4. This tiny particle inside atoms determines the chemical element's identity; what is it?
    1. Proton
    2. Electron
    3. Neutron
    4. Quark
  5. This musical instrument has 88 keys and strings struck by hammers; what is it?
    1. Organ
    2. Piano
    3. Harpsichord
    4. Keyboard
  6. This device translates spoken words into text in real time; what is it?
    1. Translator
    2. Voice mail
    3. Speech-to-text
    4. Captioning
  7. This historical route connected Europe and Asia for trade, including silk; what is it?
    1. Amber Road
    2. Spice Route
    3. Silk Road
    4. Silk Route

Answers and explanations

  1. Question: This object was used by sailors to determine latitude before GPS; what is it?
    Answer: Sextant
    Explanation: A sextant measures the angle between a celestial object and the horizon to find latitude; people often confuse it with a compass, but a compass shows direction, not celestial elevation.
  2. Question: This natural phenomenon makes the sky appear greenish before some storms; what is it?
    Answer: Hailstorm
    Explanation: A greenish sky often signals large hail or severe storms because storm clouds scatter light differently; many think it's tornadoes specifically, but the green tint is linked to hail-containing clouds.
  3. Question: This ancient writing system used wedge-shaped marks on clay tablets; what is it?
    Answer: Cuneiform
    Explanation: Cuneiform was used in ancient Mesopotamia and impressed into wet clay with a stylus; people sometimes mix it up with hieroglyphs, which are pictorial symbols from Egypt.
  4. Question: This tiny particle inside atoms determines the chemical element's identity; what is it?
    Answer: Proton
    Explanation: The number of protons (atomic number) defines an element, unlike electrons which influence charge or neutrons which affect isotopes.
  5. Question: This musical instrument has 88 keys and strings struck by hammers; what is it?
    Answer: Piano
    Explanation: A piano produces sound when keys trigger hammers that hit strings; people sometimes call it a keyboard, but electronic keyboards lack the acoustic hammer-string mechanism.
  6. Question: This device translates spoken words into text in real time; what is it?
    Answer: Speech-to-text
    Explanation: Speech-to-text software converts audio into written text using voice recognition; it's not the same as transcription services which may be manual and edited for accuracy.
  7. Question: This historical route connected Europe and Asia for trade, including silk; what is it?
    Answer: Silk Road
    Explanation: The Silk Road was a network of trade routes linking East and West; it's often thought of as one road, but it was many interconnected paths for goods and ideas.