| Foreword: Zoe Ball ponders and wonders with the QI Elves |
|
xv | |
|
Why do ladybirds have spots? |
|
|
2 | (1) |
|
Why do we salute magpies? |
|
|
3 | (1) |
|
How does an ant measure distance? |
|
|
4 | (2) |
|
Why are some spies called `moles'? |
|
|
6 | (1) |
|
Is there really such a thing as a `00' number and a licence to kill in the British Secret Service? |
|
|
7 | (2) |
|
How do organisations like the police name their operations? |
|
|
9 | (1) |
|
Why do American army personnel say, `Roger, do you copy me?' Why Roger? |
|
|
10 | (2) |
|
Who was the original king of the castle and who was the dirty rascal? |
|
|
12 | (1) |
|
Why do we say someone is an `unsavoury character' if they are unpleasant? If they were unsavoury, wouldn't they be sweet? |
|
|
13 | (1) |
|
Why are doughnuts called `nuts' when they are made with flour? |
|
|
14 | (2) |
|
Why are so few nuts actually nuts? |
|
|
16 | (2) |
|
How many types of pasta are there? |
|
|
18 | (2) |
|
Why are all my loaves of bread either 400 or 800 grammes in weight? |
|
|
20 | (1) |
|
Why do we never get tinned broccoli? |
|
|
21 | (1) |
|
Why does holding a spoon get rid of the smell of gar he? |
|
|
22 | (2) |
|
Why do we have two nostrils rather than one big one? |
|
|
24 | (2) |
|
Which of our lips is the most important? |
|
|
26 | (1) |
|
Why do people get left and right mixed up, but no one seems to struggle with up and down? |
|
|
27 | (1) |
|
When you throw a boomerang, will it really come back? |
|
|
28 | (2) |
|
Why do the clocks go forwards in March and backwards in October? |
|
|
30 | (2) |
|
Why is Christmas pudding sometimes called `plum pudding', when it doesn't have any plums in it? |
|
|
32 | (2) |
|
Why do we pull crackers at Christmas time? |
|
|
34 | (2) |
|
Is it true that feeding your Christmas tree lemonade keeps it alive for longer? |
|
|
36 | (1) |
|
What's so special about mistletoe? |
|
|
37 | (1) |
|
How many Christmas songs are there? |
|
|
38 | (2) |
|
Why does the UK never win Eurovision? |
|
|
40 | (2) |
|
What sort of song tends to win Eurovision? |
|
|
42 | (1) |
|
Is it true that we are made entirely of Stardust? |
|
|
43 | (1) |
|
How do we know what's at the centre of the Earth? |
|
|
44 | (1) |
|
How do we know that greenhouse gases warm the Earth? |
|
|
45 | (1) |
|
What would happen to the planet if someone blew up the Moon? |
|
|
46 | (2) |
|
How big is a cloud? And how can you measure it? |
|
|
48 | (2) |
|
Why doesn't the snow melt on mountain tops, where it's closest to the Sun? |
|
|
50 | (1) |
|
Can you clean a pair of jeans by freezing them? |
|
|
51 | (1) |
|
How long would it take for a snowman to melt in the Sahara Desert? |
|
|
52 | (2) |
|
Why don't women's clothes have pockets? |
|
|
54 | (2) |
|
If you cloned yourself, would your clone have the same fingerprints as you? |
|
|
56 | (2) |
|
How do they put the stripes into striped toothpaste? |
|
|
58 | (1) |
|
What's the strangest thing that anyone has ever stockpiled? |
|
|
59 | (1) |
|
Was spam email named after the tinned meat? |
|
|
60 | (1) |
|
Why does my stomach rumble? |
|
|
61 | (1) |
|
Can you eat while hanging upside down? |
|
|
62 | (2) |
|
Would a cheese sandwich rot in space? |
|
|
64 | (2) |
|
Why, if we clean most things with hot water, do we brush our teeth with cold water? |
|
|
66 | (1) |
|
How do you wash a raspberry? |
|
|
67 | (1) |
|
Why do we say `sweating like a pig' if pigs don't sweat? |
|
|
68 | (1) |
|
Why are cats' tongues so much rougher than dogs' tongues? |
|
|
69 | (1) |
|
Don't zebras' stripes make them stand out like a sore thumb? |
|
|
70 | (2) |
|
What's the difference between antlers and horns? |
|
|
72 | (2) |
|
|
|
74 | (1) |
|
|
|
75 | (1) |
|
Why is it so hard to win a prize at a funfair? |
|
|
76 | (2) |
|
Has there ever been a strike in a bowling alley? |
|
|
78 | (2) |
|
What's the oldest sporting competition in the world? |
|
|
80 | (1) |
|
What's the longest anyone's left a light on? |
|
|
81 | (1) |
|
Does electricity consumption peak at certain times of day? |
|
|
82 | (2) |
|
Will we ever be able to catch a bolt of hghtning and capture all that free energy? |
|
|
84 | (1) |
|
How do you pronounce `Shrewsbury'? |
|
|
85 | (1) |
|
Who decided what letters went where on a keyboard, and why aren't they in alphabetical order? |
|
|
86 | (2) |
|
Why is a computer mouse called a `mouse'? |
|
|
88 | (1) |
|
|
|
89 | (1) |
|
How do manufacturers produce hundreds of ripped jeans that all look so similar? |
|
|
90 | (1) |
|
Which was the first-ever boy band? |
|
|
91 | (1) |
|
How do the umlauts change the pronunciation of Motley Crue? |
|
|
92 | (2) |
|
Why are sideburns called `sideburns'? |
|
|
94 | (1) |
|
Why is laughter so infectious? |
|
|
95 | (1) |
|
Can anything live without oxygen? |
|
|
96 | (1) |
|
How have dinosaur footprints survived for so long? |
|
|
97 | (1) |
|
|
|
98 | (2) |
|
How do cats know where they live? |
|
|
100 | (2) |
|
How does a chameleon change colour? |
|
|
102 | (2) |
|
How do bees become queen bees? |
|
|
104 | (2) |
|
If the monarch has firstborn twins, how is it decided who is next in line for the throne? |
|
|
106 | (2) |
|
Why was Queen Elizabeth crowned Elizabeth II when there was more than one Queen Elizabeth before her? |
|
|
108 | (2) |
|
Why do you wait for a bus, then three come at once? |
|
|
110 | (1) |
|
Who invented speed cameras? |
|
|
111 | (1) |
|
Do we drive on the left because right-handed knights on horseback wanted to tackle oncoming rivals with their strong hand? |
|
|
112 | (1) |
|
What's the difference between a ship and a boat? |
|
|
113 | (3) |
|
What did the person who named New South Wales have against North Wales? |
|
|
116 | (2) |
|
Why are New York's taxis yellow? |
|
|
118 | (2) |
|
Why is New York called `the Big Apple'? |
|
|
120 | (1) |
|
|
|
121 | (1) |
|
|
|
122 | (2) |
|
Why do ice-hockey players fight so much? |
|
|
124 | (2) |
|
Why do we call it a `derby'? |
|
|
126 | (1) |
|
Why do we say someone is `toadying'? |
|
|
127 | (1) |
|
How can some people walk slowly across hot coals, but it really hurts if I accidentally touch a shelf in the oven for a split second? |
|
|
128 | (2) |
|
Why do some people get bitten by mosquitoes, while others get away scot-free? |
|
|
130 | (2) |
|
Why is yawning contagious? |
|
|
132 | (1) |
|
Why does my voice sound so different when I hear it on a recording? |
|
|
133 | (1) |
|
Why do artists make self-portraits? |
|
|
134 | (1) |
|
What makes modern art, art? |
|
|
135 | (1) |
|
Why are galleries covered in `Please do not touch' signs? |
|
|
136 | (2) |
|
Why do we have finger and toenails? |
|
|
138 | (1) |
|
Who first thought it would be a good idea to put a lens on your eye rather than in your glasses? |
|
|
139 | (1) |
|
Why don't my eyes steam up like my glasses do? |
|
|
140 | (1) |
|
Why do we rub our eyes when we're tired? |
|
|
141 | (1) |
|
Where do all the birds go at night? |
|
|
142 | (1) |
|
What did a dinosaur's bottom look like? |
|
|
143 | (1) |
|
In chess, why is the rook shaped like a castle and not like a bird? |
|
|
144 | (1) |
|
Is it just me, or are parking spots too small? |
|
|
145 | (1) |
|
If I lose weight, does Earth get lighter? |
|
|
146 | (2) |
|
Why do my clothes turn inside out in the washing maohine? |
|
|
148 | (2) |
|
What's the point of dust jackets? |
|
|
150 | (1) |
|
Who is the most successful novelist of all time? |
|
|
151 | (1) |
|
Did any sleuths actually work in Baker Street? |
|
|
152 | (2) |
|
Can you really crack a safe by listening to it with a stethoscope? |
|
|
154 | (2) |
|
Why do songs get stuck in my head? |
|
|
156 | (1) |
|
Why does my arm get pins and needles? |
|
|
157 | (1) |
|
What are hiccups for, and why can't I get rid of them? |
|
|
158 | (2) |
|
How does a painkiller know where the pain is? |
|
|
160 | (1) |
|
Why do snakes shed their skin? |
|
|
161 | (2) |
|
Can I hatch an egg that I bought from the supermarket? |
|
|
163 | (2) |
|
We get hen's eggs, duck eggs and goose eggs, so why do we never see turkey eggs in the supermarket? |
|
|
165 | (1) |
|
How do baby birds breathe inside their eggs? |
|
|
166 | (2) |
|
If our normal body temperature is 37°C, then why do we feel too hot when the temperature outside is only in the 20s? |
|
|
168 | (1) |
|
Thermal leggings are called `long Johns'. So who was John? |
|
|
169 | (1) |
|
Why does `inflammable' mean `flammable'? |
|
|
170 | (1) |
|
How do stinging nettles sting? |
|
|
171 | (1) |
|
Is it true that inside every fig there is a dead wasp? |
|
|
172 | (2) |
|
How deep do you have to bury a body? |
|
|
174 | (1) |
|
What's the sweetest way to go? |
|
|
175 | (1) |
|
|
|
176 | (1) |
|
Is it true that the average person swallows eight spiders a year while they're asleep? |
|
|
177 | (1) |
|
Why are people so terrified of spiders? |
|
|
178 | (2) |
|
Spiders build webs to catch prey, but why don't they get caught in their own webs? |
|
|
180 | (1) |
|
Can an aeroplane fly through a rainbow? |
|
|
181 | (1) |
|
Are we the only ones who like making sandcastles? |
|
|
182 | (2) |
|
Why are we not allowed to smile in passport photos? |
|
|
184 | (1) |
|
Why do film-makers use green screens? |
|
|
185 | (3) |
|
Why do we produce tears when we are upset? |
|
|
188 | (1) |
|
Why do teeth need nerves? |
|
|
189 | (1) |
|
What is the hardest tongue-twister in the world? |
|
|
190 | (2) |
|
|
|
192 | (2) |
|
`Have you been involved in an accident that wasn't your fault?' |
|
|
194 | (2) |
|
Why are Turner's paintings so hazy? |
|
|
196 | (2) |
|
How can I get my own blue plaque on my house? |
|
|
198 | (2) |
|
Where did surnames come from? |
|
|
200 | (1) |
|
Why do church organs have multiple keyboards, and how does the organist know which one to use? |
|
|
201 | (1) |
|
Why are earwigs called `earwigs', when they don't look like wigs or ears? |
|
|
202 | (1) |
|
|
|
203 | (1) |
|
Why don't crocodiles have hair? |
|
|
204 | (1) |
|
Why don't we say `sheeps'? |
|
|
205 | (2) |
|
What do you get if you cross a sheep with a kangaroo? |
|
|
207 | (1) |
|
Who came up with the phrase `Once upon a time ...'? |
|
|
208 | (2) |
|
Why are booby traps called "booby traps'? |
|
|
210 | (1) |
|
If Rome wasn't built in a day, how long did it take? |
|
|
211 | (2) |
|
How wide are the borders between countries? |
|
|
213 | (3) |
|
Which commercial airliner first broke the sound barrier? |
|
|
216 | (2) |
|
What causes that beautiful smell after rain? |
|
|
218 | (2) |
|
Why do some plants close their flowers at night? |
|
|
220 | (1) |
|
What is the most dangerous plant? |
|
|
221 | (1) |
|
Which lottery numbers should I pick? |
|
|
222 | (2) |
|
How do you keep Prosecco fizzy? |
|
|
224 | (1) |
|
How much sugar can you fit in a cup of tea? |
|
|
225 | (1) |
|
How do I remove permanent marker from a whiteboard? |
|
|
226 | (1) |
|
Why do you hardly ever see £50 notes? |
|
|
227 | (1) |
|
When a competition offers a prize of a lifetime supply of something, what constitutes a lifetime supply? |
|
|
228 | (2) |
|
What is the most expensive thing on Earth? |
|
|
230 | (4) |
|
How many items are there in the world? |
|
|
234 | (2) |
|
Is it possible to juggle while skydiving? |
|
|
236 | (2) |
|
Is there any truth to the old saying `Red sky at night, shepherd's delight; red sky in the morning, shepherd's warning'? |
|
|
238 | (1) |
|
Where does the nursery rhyme `Humpty Dumpty' come from? |
|
|
239 | (1) |
|
How much does the Tooth Fairy spend each year? |
|
|
240 | (2) |
|
Why can't we use giant solar-powered freezers to help protect the North Pole from global warming? |
|
|
242 | (1) |
|
Are humans the only animals that can go snow blind? |
|
|
243 | (2) |
|
In historical novels they often mention `changing horses' at certain points. How did this work? |
|
|
245 | (1) |
|
How does my sat nav work? |
|
|
246 | (2) |
|
How many coats would it take to paint the average UK bedroom to the point where physically there was no room left? |
|
|
248 | (2) |
|
Is there anything wetter than water? |
|
|
250 | (1) |
|
What's better for the planet: sending a birthday card by post or an e-card by email? |
|
|
251 | (1) |
|
Why do paper cuts hurt so much? |
|
|
252 | (2) |
|
|
|
254 | (1) |
|
Why are warning signs triangular? |
|
|
255 | (1) |
|
If I were stranded on the Moon, how big would my `HELP' message have to be for the letters to be seen from Earth? |
|
|
256 | (2) |
|
Why is stretching so satisfying? |
|
|
258 | (2) |
|
How many breaths do we take a day? |
|
|
260 | (1) |
|
Why does my runny honey crystallise when left in the cupboard for too long? |
|
|
261 | (1) |
|
Why do maple syrup bottles have such tiny handles? |
|
|
262 | (2) |
|
If I were to toss a bottle into the sea, how long would it take to travel around the world? |
|
|
264 | (2) |
|
How did fossils of ocean creatures end up at the top of mountains? |
|
|
266 | (2) |
|
Can electric eels be shocked by their own electricity? |
|
|
268 | (2) |
|
Who gives storms their names? |
|
|
270 | (2) |
|
How many grains of sand are there in the world? |
|
|
272 | (2) |
|
What happens if you cross a one-humped camel with a two-humped camel? |
|
|
274 | (1) |
|
|
|
275 | (1) |
|
|
|
276 | (2) |
|
Which animal is slower, a tortoise or a sloth? |
|
|
278 | (1) |
|
Why is our planet called Earth, and who gave it that name? |
|
|
279 | (1) |
|
Why are things interesting? |
|
|
280 | (3) |
| Credits |
|
283 | (4) |
| Index |
|
287 | |
