Question: What is the English name/translation of the 'cire purdue' process of bronze casting?
Answer: Lost Wax

Question: Auger, reel, fan, sieves, stripper-beater, and cutter-bar are parts of what large piece of machinery?
Answer: Combine harvester

Question: Name the steel-driving railway worker from US folklore who raced and beat a newly introduced steam-powered hammer, but died after his efforts?
Answer: John Henry

Question: The Poise (pronounced 'pwahz', it's French) is a unit of measuring?
Answer: Viscosity

Question: What branch of alternative medicine using natural oils derives its name from ancient Greek for spice?
Answer: Aromatherapy

Question: A graviton is a term in?
Answer: Physics

Question: What wheel-based metaphor commonly describes centralized transport and distribution systems, notably airports?
Answer: Hub and Spoke

Question: An ushanka is a Russian what?
Answer: Hat

Question: (Up to) what degree of Neanderthal DNA is found in modern non-African people?
Answer: 4%

Question: What is India's smallest state (by area)?
Answer: Goa

Question: What famous brand of heat-resistant wipe-clean plastic laminate was invented at and patented by Westinghouse in 1912?
Answer: Formica

Question: Scientists reported in 2012 what litter being used by Mexico City birds to reduce parasites in their nests?
Answer: Cigarette-ends

Question: Typically related to glass or crystal, the term dichroism refers to two or more what?
Answer: Colours/colors

Question: Largely Indian-owned corporation ArclelorMittal (a merger/acquisition of the two names by the latter) is the world's biggest producer of?
Answer: Steel

Question: A censor was an officer of what civilization, responsible for public census, morality, finances, etc?
Answer: Roman

Question: What country has the internet top level domain .sa?
Answer: Saudi Arabia

Question: Tribology, the science of one surface sliding/moving against another (as in mechanical moving parts), involves what three principles or elemental aspects?
Answer: Friction, Lubrication, Wear

Question: What country experienced the world's biggest electricity power-cut in July 2012?
Answer: India

Question: The 21st century's second and last solar transit (across the Sun) of what planet happened in 2012?
Answer: Venus

Question: What organization won the 2012 Nobel Peace Prize?
Answer: The European Union

Question: What Sesame Street character featured in anti-Romney advertising in the 2012 US election?
Answer: Big Bird

Question: What successful football club announced in Sükrü Saracoglu Stadium an Adidas-sponsored yellow and navy-blue shirt for 2012-13 named 'Efsane Çubuklu Forma' ('Legendary Barred Kit')?
Answer: Fenerbahçe SK

Question: Among Time magazine's 2012 100 Most Influential Persons in the World, Portia Lucretia Simpson-Miller was elected leader for the second time of what Caribbean island?
Answer: Jamaica

Question: Princess Estelle, Duchess of Östergötland, granddaughter to King Carl XVI Gustaf, became 2nd in line to what nation's throne when born in 2012?
Answer: Sweden

Question: A project led by broadcaster NHK and Tobu Railway Co, which city's 'Skytree' opened as the world's tallest self-supporting tower and 2nd largest building in 2012?
Answer: Tokyo

Question: Which bank was fined a record $1.9bn by US authorities for money-laundering in Dec 2012?
Answer: Hsbc

Question: Name the ex-construction worker who died in 2012, whose video-taped beating by Los Angeles police and their initial subsequent acquittals sparked the 1992 Los Angeles Riots?
Answer: Rodney King

Question: In 2012 'The Orphan of Zhao' became the first play of which country to be produced by the Royal Shakespeare Company?
Answer: China

Question: Lady Gaga cancelled her 2012 tour to which country after threats of chaos from protestors?
Answer: Indonesia

Question: What is the year 2012 in Roman numerals?
Answer: Mmxii

Question: How many Sundays are in 2012?
Answer: 53

Question: Who in 2012 made the first submarine solo dive to the bottom of the Mariana Trench, the lowest point of the oceans (subsequently to release a 3D film of the dive)?
Answer: James Cameron

Question: Andy William's (1927-2012) TV Show featured what animal who liked cookies?
Answer: Bear

Question: A Judy Garland dress which sold for $302,000 in 2012 was worn in which movie?
Answer: The Wizard of Oz

Question: 2012 is the 50th anniversary of what short exclusively land-based war between two vast nations?
Answer: Sino-Indian War

Question: Name the retired software pioneer and 2012 fugitive from a murder inquiry who fled Belize and surfaced in Guatemala?
Answer: John McAfee

Question: Robindro Shaunkor Chowdhury, the world famous performance artist who died in 2012, is better known by what name?
Answer: Ravi Shankar

Question: Davy Jones (1945-2012) fronted what popular 1960s pop group?
Answer: The Monkees

Question: Name the ancient 3,000-unit indoor market and city location of the motorbike chase in the 2012 film Skyfall (two answers required)?
Answer: grand bazaar istanbul

Question: Name the RBS banker stripped of his knighthood in Jan 2012?
Answer: Fred Goodwin

Question: Justin Welby was appointed to what famous old position in 2012?
Answer: Archbishop of Canterbury

Question: In which 2012 sporting event was the Chinese Ren Cancan defeated by its first ever female Olympic Gold medal winner?
Answer: Womens Boxing

Question: 2012 was the 300th anniversary of the world's first industrial steam-powered machine, which was a?
Answer: Water pump

Question: What city hosted the richest (biggest prize) horse race in 2012?
Answer: Dubai

Question: In 2012 fossils of 1.9m years-old Homo rudolfensis were discovered in?
Answer: Kenya

Question: Who famously accused Tony Abbott of sexism and misogyny in 2012?
Answer: Julia Gillard

Question: The American Football Super Bowl final in 2012 is branded by what Roman numerals?
Answer: Xlvi

Question: Which entertainer's gravestone was removed from a Scarborough UK cemetery in 2012?
Answer: Jimmy Savile

Question: In which nation's London embassy did Wikileaks founder Julian Assange seek diplomatic asylum in 2012?
Answer: Ecuador

Question: Which 2002-founded UK budget airline ceased to operate in 2012?
Answer: Bmibaby

Question: In 2012 who became the first black person to feature on South African banknotes?
Answer: Nelson Mandela

Question: Name the devastating mid/N American hurricane of Oct 2012?
Answer: Sandy

Question: Which American singer, actress and model, said by Guinness World Records to be the most awarded ever, died in Los Angeles in 2012?
Answer: Whitney Houston

Question: Who was appointed US Republican Party nominee for Vice President of the United States Jan 2012?
Answer: Paul Ryan

Question: In 2012 who offered $5m to charity in return for Barack Obama's college and passport application records?
Answer: Donald Trump

Question: Light a Penny Candle and Circle of Friends are books by which hugely popular Irish writer who died in 2012?
Answer: Maeve Binchy

Question: What popular cartoon TV series celebrated 500 editions in 2012?
Answer: The Simpsons

Question: Bradley Wiggins, British winner of the 2012 Tour de France is noted for his 'trademark'?
Answer: Sideburns

Question: What nationality is Felix Baumgartner, who skydived through the sound barrier in 2012?
Answer: Austrian

Question: What public service opened in Cardiff prison, Wales, in 2012, staffed by inmates?
Answer: Restaurant

Question: In 2012 British MP Nadine Dorries controversially appeared on what reality TV show?
Answer: I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here

Question: 2012 was the 100th anniversary of the introduction of what Summer Olympics disciplines?
Answer: Art/Music

Question: Which Eastern European nation saw protests against Prime Minister Viktor Orban in Jan 2012?
Answer: Hungary

Question: A pastel version of what artwork sold at a New York auction for a record $120m?
Answer: The Scream