Daily Trivia for June 26, 2024

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25 Comments

Level 77

Jun 26, 2024

This is probably really Zoomer of me, but what is a quartz watch

+13

Level 88

Jun 26, 2024

A watch that uses a quartz crystal to keep time. I think that's most of the watches in the world today. The way it works is... explained by the person replying to this comment who knows more about science than me.

+16

Level 68

Jun 26, 2024

So, the watch has this little quartz crystal in it. Quartz crystals vibrate at some certain frequency that is very reliable. So, the watch applies some amount of current to the quartz, which makes it vibrate a certain specific amount times per second, around 32,000 vibrations per second, I think. The watch counts the vibrations somehow (that's the part I can't remember) and changes the second on whatever number the quartz crystal vibrates by.

Edit: it's actually 32,768 times per second. So, every 32,768 vibrations, the watch changes the second.

+14

Level 67

Jun 26, 2024

Adding onto this great explanation... a key point is that the quartz crystal has to be carefully cut and shaped so that it vibrates at the desired frequency.

The amazing thing is, a cheapo quartz watch keeps time more accurately than super expensive "mechanical" watches, which keep time using gears and springs. Rolex brags that their fanciest mechanical "superior chronometers" drift no more than 2 seconds per day. Meanwhile a $16 quartz watch might drift about 0.5 seconds per day.

Nowadays, almost all timepieces (including computers and phones) use quartz crystals due to their accuracy, simplicity, low cost, and low power requirements. Quartz timekeeping was a true engineering revolution.

Level 68

Jun 26, 2024

Thanks @BuzzHedges!

Level 68

Jul 4, 2024

Adding to this... I have no idea how quartz watches work, and highly recommend reading the previous answers.

Level 55

Jun 26, 2024

I didn't get the herpetologist question (I chose it's the study of herpes) maybe the study of snakes should have been called snakology

Level 77

Jun 26, 2024

Technically, it's not specifically about just snakes. Its just snakes fall into herpetology. Herpetology is the study of amphibians and reptiles.

Level 68

Jul 4, 2024

That's the study of herpes.

Level 56

Jun 26, 2024

Got 10/10! Pretty rare occurance for me. Just to nitpick a little, herptology is the study of all reptiles and amphibians; ophiology is the study of snakes. Of course it doesn't really matter for the question, but I think it's always interesting to learn new ologies

Level 55

Jun 26, 2024

I guess so, but I honestly think snakology would have been an easier way to remember the study of snakes than ophiology

Level 56

Jun 26, 2024

I agree! But scientists like to name things using fancy Greek and Latin words because they sound cooler and more sophisticated. I think it's interesting having lots of different words though, it might get boring if we use the same words too often!

Level 83

Jun 26, 2024

What? San Fran isn't part of Silicon Valley? I'm astounded. I knew it was in the San Francisco Bay area and just assumed... what fool I was.

Level 47

Jun 26, 2024

i was debating san Francisco and san Jose I guessed san Jose because it was further inland

Level 68

Jun 26, 2024

fully bombed out today, 5/10

Level 66

Jun 26, 2024

Was lazy. Missed easy answers. Same score

Level 89

Jun 26, 2024

Another 9/10 for me, this time the Seiko one caught me out, I've never heard of them and I haven't worn a watch since smartphones became a thing 😅

Level 89

Jun 26, 2024

There used to be a commercial in the 1980s or '90s where a woman was talking about how reliable her watch was and said in an exaggerated Southern accent, "My husband's not around anymore, but my Seiko is!" That's the only reason I got that question right.

Level 84

Jun 26, 2024

Struck down by herpes, the shame.

Level 71

Jun 26, 2024

Incidentally (I just looked it up because I was curious), herpetology and herpes do come from the same root. In Greek "herpein" means "to creep." Reptiles are "herpeton" because they creep along the ground, but herpes creeps across the body, so they both ended up with the same root!

Level 76

Sep 15, 2025

Creepy..

Level 47

Jun 26, 2024

i need to learn my movies as well as science

Level 83

Jun 26, 2024

The struggles seem to be pretty evenly spread across questions today. Only two questions with 70% or above currently.

Level 54

Jun 26, 2024

And I got one of those two wrong