According to legend, Ireland’s mythical hunter-warrior Fionn mac Cumhaill was imbued with universal wisdom after inadvertently eating the Salmon of Knowledge. This boundless knowledge ultimately led Fionn to become leader of the Fianna, the famed heroes of Irish myth. Many geographical features in Ireland are attributed to the legendary giant, including the basalt columns of the Giant’s Causeway. What land mass was supposedly formed in the Irish Sea when Fionn flung a chunk of earth at a rival? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Strictly defined, the phrase “illuminated manuscript” refers only to texts decorated with gold or silver. Now, however, the term is commonly used to describe any decorated or illustrated manuscript from the Western or Islamic traditions. The majority of surviving manuscripts date back to the Middle Ages, during which period they were often produced in monasteries. Illumination was a complex and costly process. What insects were used to make the red pigments that decorate these manuscripts? 
In 1938, American aviator Douglas “Wrong Way” Corrigan made his infamous, unauthorized transatlantic flight from New York to Ireland. He claimed that during a planned flight to California, heavy cloud cover and low light conditions obscured landmarks and led him to misread his compass. In the years leading up to Corrigan’s “navigational error,” he had applied several times for permission to make the transoceanic trip, but was always rejected. What punishment did he receive for his actions? 
While doing research into the nature of hemorrhagic shock, Blalock found that surgical shock results primarily from blood loss. His recommendation that blood plasma and whole blood products be administered to those suffering from shock saved many lives during WWII. His later work on “blue baby syndrome,” formally known as Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF), led to the development of the Blalock-Taussig shunt, a pioneering procedure in the field of pediatric cardiology. What makes TOF patients “blue”? 
This informal network of safe houses and transport facilities was established by 19th century US abolitionists in the northern states prior to the Civil War. Volunteers, or “conductors,” offered sanctuary and assistance to escaped African-American slaves and helped lead the slaves to safety in the North. Conductors on the railroad included escaped slaves like Harriet Tubman, who is credited with having led more than 300 slaves to freedom. Who was the “Father of the Underground Railroad”? 
Crown-of-thorns starfish are found on coral reefs throughout the Indo-Pacific region. These echinoderms, which can grow as large as 15.75 inches (40 cm) in diameter, are covered with thorny spines that release a neurotoxin capable of causing pain, nausea, and swelling in humans. They are voracious predators and are partly responsible for the destruction of coral reefs; a crown-of-thorns can consume as much as six square meters of reef annually. What sea creatures prey on these starfish? 
Burmese diplomat U Thant served as UN Secretary-General for ten years. During his first term of service, he played a major role in defusing the Cuban Missile Crisis and ending the civil war in the Congo. He was elected to a second term in 1966, but had less success in dealing with the major crises of this later period, which included the Vietnam War and the Six Day War. On the day of U Thant’s funeral, a group of students stole his coffin. What short-lived crisis did their actions spark? 
Switzerland’s unofficial national flower, Edelweiss, is a perennial alpine plant belonging to the daisy family. The white, woolly, star-shaped bloom grows in rocky limestone areas and high altitudes and is often found in the mountains of Europe and Asia. It is considered a symbol of purity by the Swiss and has been used in traditional folk medicine to fight disease. “Edelweiss,” mistakenly believed by many to be the Austrian national anthem, is a song featured in what popular musical production? 
The economy of Dubai is increasingly dependent on tourism to generate revenue and bring foreign dollars into the emirate, and the three Palm Islands were commissioned to do just that. Shaped like palm trees, these artificial islands are the largest in the world and house luxury hotels, exclusive residential beachside villas and apartments, shopping malls, restaurants, sports facilities, and health spas. What method is used to construct the complex artificial islands? 
Read, an Englishwoman who was born in the late 17th century, spent much of her life disguised as a man and working in industries generally reserved for men. She was on a ship bound for the West Indies when it was captured by pirate captain Calico Jack Rackham. Read joined his crew and became one of the most notorious female pirates of the time. When Rackham’s ship was captured and the crew sentenced to death, Read received a stay of execution after she “pled her belly,” a reference to what?