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It Burns
Quiz: How much do you know about the Sun, suns, and sons?
In honour of that giant ball of fiery gas in the sky.
AS YOU MIGHT have noticed, it was warm this week, and as you’ve likely gathered by now, that giant burning ball of hydrogen and helium in the sky has a lot to do with it.
But not everything.
Enjoyment of this year’s warm weather is tainted by the growing concern that humans are feeling the impact of the climate crisis, with unseasonably warm weather and torrential floods causing more alarm bells to ring than ever.
But look, here you are reading The Journal on a Saturday night, and you didn’t click into this quiz seeking a dose of existential dread, so let’s distract ourselves for a few beautiful minutes with this quiz about the Sun, suns, and sons.
Wait, didn't you already have a quiz about the Sun and suns earlier this month?
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Yes, and here's another one. You'll take what you're given.
No, that quiz was about stars, this one is about suns. Don't answer back again.
Whose son is this?
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Angela Merkel
Michael D Higgins
David Attenborough
Elizabeth Windsor
Proxima Centauri was mentioned in that *other* quiz just a few weeks ago, but here it is again. How many confirmed exoplanets does it have?
None - so is it really a sun, or is it just a star? Actually, you know what, this is the final question about suns other than our own Sun, to avoid confusion.
Two
At least a dozen
Too many to count
The Sun's rays can cause an awful lot of damage to our bodies if we're not careful, even in Ireland. Does building up a tan reduce this risk and mean you can get away with less sun cream?
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Yes
No
In one of the most famous but least heartwarming father-son moments of all time, does Darth Vader ever actually say the line "Luke, I am your father"?
Yes
No
How many sons did Hal and Lois have?
Three
Four
At least five.
A million! A million sons, each one bigger than the last.
The Sun will eventually run out of fuel, ballooning into a red giant and - despite everything we've been through together - will consume the Earth. When will that happen?
Soon, hopefully.
We have about two millennia left, with the process due to begin around 4100CE
5,000,000,000 years or so
100,000,000,000 years or so
It would be great to be able to blame the giant burning ball of gas in the sky four our current climate crisis, but the core problems are closer to home. However, the light output of the sun does wax and wane slightly in a cycle lasting eleven years. Why?
The Sun takes 11 years to complete one full rotation.
The Sun's fuel is replenished by hydrogen spewed from a comet that passes every 11 years.
The Sun's magnetic fields flip.
The Sun just feels like it.
What's the first line of Father & Son by Cat Stevens?
It's not time to make a change
I was once like you are now
How can I try to explain?
Son, you are so big and strong, you truly are my giant adult son
How many times have both a father and son been president of the United States?
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Just once, with George Bush and George Bush
Twice
Thrice
Every president has been the son of the previous president
Two of Jackie Healy Rae's sons, Michael and Danny, went into politics. How many of Michael's sons have taken a similar route in life?
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None
One
15 of them
All of them
What's pictured here?
Something... bad? It doesn't look good, anwyay.
A solar flare
A solar particle event
A coronal mass ejection
Martin Sheen has three successful sons, with Charlie Sheen being the most famous. What's Charlie's real name?
Charles Sheen
Chuck Shiny
Carlos Irwin Estévez
これは偽の名前です
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You scored out of !
You are the Sun. We must fear you.
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You scored out of !
You are Weston Cage, son of Nicholas Cage and Christina Fulton
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You scored out of !
You are Ben Stiller, son of Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara
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You scored out of !
You are Romeo Beckham, son of David and Victoria
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You scored out of !
You are Chet Hanks, son of Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson
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You scored out of !
You are Enrique Iglesias, son of Julio Iglesias and Isabel Preysler
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You scored out of !
You are Jaden Smith, son of Will and Jada Pinkett Smith
You scored out of !
You are O'Shea Jackson Jr, son of Ice Cube and Kimberly Woodruff
You scored out of !
You are Simba, son of Mufasa and Sarabi
You scored out of !
You are Luke Skywalker, son of... well, you know
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You scored out of !
You are Ian Paisley Jr, son of Ian and Eileen Paisley
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You scored out of !
You are George Windsor, son of William Windsor and Kate Middleton
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