Genius Sparks: Famous Inventions Quiz

Test your wits on the inventions that changed the world — from curious origins to clever breakthroughs. Ready to spot the genius?

  1. Which inventor created the alternating current (AC) system that enabled long-distance electrical power transmission?
    1. James Watt
    2. Thomas Edison
    3. George Westinghouse
    4. Nikola Tesla
  2. Who developed the first practical method for mass-producing penicillin, saving millions of lives?
    1. Louis Pasteur
    2. Alexander Fleming
    3. Ernst Chain
    4. Howard Florey
  3. Which engineer invented the transistor, the foundation of modern electronics?
    1. Thomas Midgley
    2. William Shockley
    3. Walter Brattain
    4. John Bardeen
  4. Who invented the World Wide Web, transforming global information sharing?
    1. Vint Cerf
    2. Tim Berners-Lee
    3. Bob Kahn
    4. Marc Andreessen
  5. Which inventor's safety razor innovation enabled inexpensive mass shaving and founded a major consumer brand?
    1. W. H. Gillette
    2. King C. Gillette
    3. King Camp
    4. James Gillette
  6. Who developed the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), revolutionizing molecular biology and diagnostics?
    1. Kary Mullis
    2. Frederick Sanger
    3. James Watson
    4. Linus Pauling
  7. Which inventor created the first practical airplane capable of controlled powered flight?
    1. Alberto Santos
    2. Wright Brothers
    3. Samuel Langley
    4. Gustave Whitehead

Answers and explanations

  1. Question: Which inventor created the alternating current (AC) system that enabled long-distance electrical power transmission?
    Answer: Nikola Tesla
    Explanation: Tesla's polyphase AC system allowed efficient high-voltage transmission and transformed power distribution; fun fact: he once worked for Edison before they became rivals.
  2. Question: Who developed the first practical method for mass-producing penicillin, saving millions of lives?
    Answer: Howard Florey
    Explanation: Florey led the team that turned Fleming's discovery into a scalable antibiotic through purification and mass production; fun fact: collaboration with US labs was crucial.
  3. Question: Which engineer invented the transistor, the foundation of modern electronics?
    Answer: John Bardeen
    Explanation: Bardeen co-invented the transistor at Bell Labs, enabling miniaturized electronics; fun fact: he won two Nobel Prizes in Physics.
  4. Question: Who invented the World Wide Web, transforming global information sharing?
    Answer: Tim Berners-Lee
    Explanation: Berners-Lee devised HTTP, HTML, and URLs to link documents across the internet; fun fact: he released the web's code royalty-free.
  5. Question: Which inventor's safety razor innovation enabled inexpensive mass shaving and founded a major consumer brand?
    Answer: King C. Gillette
    Explanation: Gillette introduced cheap disposable blades with a reusable handle, creating a profitable consumables model; fun fact: his business model foresaw the 'razor and blades' sales strategy.
  6. Question: Who developed the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), revolutionizing molecular biology and diagnostics?
    Answer: Kary Mullis
    Explanation: Mullis invented PCR to amplify DNA sequences exponentially, enabling rapid genetic analysis; fun fact: he received a Nobel Prize in Chemistry for it.
  7. Question: Which inventor created the first practical airplane capable of controlled powered flight?
    Answer: Wright Brothers
    Explanation: Orville and Wilbur developed control surfaces and achieved sustained powered flight in 1903 at Kitty Hawk; fun fact: their wind tunnel tests were key to success.