Topic: World history quiz thread

[Sinitrena]

Let's hope this is a bit easier than my last one:

In accordance with the wishes of his father he studied law. But, as he told it, when lightning struck right next to him, he called out to God and promised to become a monk instead, which he did. He later married a former nun. He was excommunicated beforehand. While not his primary concern, his work proved to be very important for the German language.

[Snarky]

Martin Luther

[Sinitrena]

Correct.

[Snarky]

This massive public works project was launched in 1858, took more than 15 years to complete, and was officially inaugurated by the Prince of Wales.

[CaptainD]

The Crystal Palace?

[LameNick]

This is a shot in the dark but maybe London underground?

[Snarky]

Nope and nope (though there was some synergy with one of them).

[LameNick]

The London sewage system?

[Snarky]

Yeah. In the 19th Century, London had sewage running (in some places openly down the streets) straight into the Thames, and cholera epidemics were frequent. After the Great Stink of 1858 (exactly what it sounds like) made the city almost uninhabitable, Parliament approved funding for a proper sewer system, and Joseph Bazalgette was put in charge of the massive project. The improvement in sanitation that resulted was practically immeasurable.

Because Bazalgette had the foresight to build in way more capacity than they needed at the time, his sewers still serve as the backbone of London's sewer system 150 years later.

[LameNick]

She was a prominent mathematician, astronomer, inventor and philosopher and she was murdered by an angry mob.
Who's she?

[Darth Mandarb]

Hypatia (of Alexandria)

[LameNick]

That's right, Hypatia of Alexandria (born 350-370; died 415) a pagan Greek mathematician living in Egypt killed by a Christian mob when a power feud escalated between the Prefect Orestes and the bishop Cyril of Alexandria.

[Darth Mandarb]

I have a sort of obsession with ancient Greece. From Hero[n] of Alexandria, Galen of Pergamon, Archimedes of Syracuse, the Antikythera Mechanism, the list goes on and on. I find it a fascinating era of human history. So incredible to think how close they came (with so many things) to what we would call "modern" technology. There's a book by a fellow named Derek De Solla Price called Gears from the Greeks that really highlights how sophisticated their "ancient" technology really was. It's a very interesting read if you're into that kind of thing! Makes you wonder what we [humanity] might have accomplished if certain... things... hadn't gotten in the way.

Anyway; on to the next!

This legendary figure received very little acknowledgement for his myriad accomplishments. The one thing, for which he is almost entirely known for, is something he didn't actually do.

[milkanannan]

^Way too vague. Second clue please!

[dayowlron]

agree, that is way too vague. For instance Christopher Columbus fills the bill as he did not discover a route to India like he thought. Could also fit a lot of criminals that were wrongly accused and convicted. Another example Abner Doubleday who is credited with creating baseball never did. Joseph-Ignace Guillotin did not actually invent the guillotin. Others include George Washington Carver and Betsy Ross. Although since you mention "he" we can take Betsy Ross off the list. LOL

[Darth Mandarb]

agree, that is way too vague. For instance Christopher Columbus fills the bill as he did not discover a route to India like he thought. Could also fit a lot of criminals that were wrongly accused and convicted. Another example Abner Doubleday who is credited with creating baseball never did. Joseph-Ignace Guillotin did not actually invent the guillotin. Others include George Washington Carver and Betsy Ross.

It is none of those.

Since we are making Googling "illegal" I am intentionally constructing the clues to be more difficult to Google. You all are way more trusting than I am. It's the internet. Very few people are "honest" or "mature", they just want to be right.

Here's another hint:

Despite being dead for over 250 years his influence can still be felt, if unknowingly, when watching a modern day weather report.

[LameNick]

This is another pathetic stab in the dark, but could it be Hooke?
I'm sorry, no idea what his first name was but I think he is somewhat associated with the invention of microscope although he didn't invent it, but he did a lot of stuff, if I remember well he made first drawings of cells and compound eyes, was the leader of Royal society before Newton, who despised him.

But I still might be actually completely wrong about anything I mentioned here.


Edit: It just occurred to me that he must have died quite some time before Newton, which would be way before 250 years ago, so please excuse my profound retardedness.

[Darth Mandarb]

Robert Hooke is an excellent guess!

It's not the correct answer but you're on the right track.

He was a contemporary (and not a big fan) of Hooke's.

[dayowlron]

Don't know about the last clue but the others tend me to think of the inventor of the barometer or rather the person that was credited with the invention. Evangalista Torracelli (spelling?)

[LameNick]

So could it be Newtons friend Haley as in Haley's comet?
Haha i'm complete moron with remembering names, sorry for that.