Planet Science | Wired | february filter

These fire-breathing winged mythical creatures have captured our imaginations for centuries. From the troubadours who concocted the story of St George and the dragon in the 1300's, to good old Hagrid and his illegal dragon egg!

We know what you're thinking – how can there be a science quiz on something mythical? Oh ye of little faith, as the troubadours would say!

Get all these right and you stand to win one of these fantastic Dino Dig kits! You'll be like fossil queen Mary Anning.

Wot? Never heard of her? http://www.sdsc.edu/ScienceWomen/anning.html

There's six of these dig-out-your-own-dino-bones kits to be won, and either you'll love them, or if you're a grown up, your inner child will!

Ready, steady DIG!

01	What are snapdragons?
		Flowering plants, Antirrhinum
		Biting insects, Razorum Maximus
		Tiny flying dinosaurs, Tiniwingosaurs
		Reveal answer

02	Apart from fuel and a spark what chemical do you need to make fire?
		Oxygen
		Carbon Dioxide
		Water
		Reveal answer

03	The largest dragonfly found was the extinct Protodonata. Just how big was its wingspan?
		25cm
		75 cm
		125cm
		Reveal answer

04	Komodo dragon's drool a lot. Why would a bite from a Komodo dragon be so dangerous, even if you got away?
		The saliva has a deadly venom in it.
		The drool sets like cement trapping the victim and allowing a second attack.
		The dragon's saliva contains loads of deadly bacteria that infect the wound.
		Reveal answer

05	Sea dragons are relatives of sea horses, but with leafy growths over their head and body. What is so special about male sea dragons?
		They give birth to baby sea dragons not the females.
		They can actually breathe fire.
		They can fly as well as swim.
		Reveal answer

06	What is it about the some bones in birds that would be beneficial for a dragon to help it fly?
		Some bird's bones are hollow which makes them very light.
		Bird's bones are very brittle.
		Bird's bones contain loads of iron, which allow them to bend.
		Reveal answer

07	Could the Loch Ness monster be a dragon? Some people believe the loch contains a plesiosaur; an ancient marine reptile distantly related to the dinosaurs. Just how much water does Nessie have to hide in, in Loch Ness?
		1 million cubic metres the smallest of Scotland lochs
		140 million cubic metres in the shallowest lake in the world
		7 billion cubic metres more than all the lakes in England and Wales put together.
		Reveal answer

08	IF dragons were real... Pterodactyls were flying reptiles. What is in the meaning of their name that makes them different from dragons?
		It means winged fingers - dragons had wings on their backs.
		It means perfect glider - dragons were thought to have flapped their wings.
		It means vicious fighter - dragons were actually very gentle.
		Reveal answer

09	And... One theory of dragon flight is that they were filled with a gas which is both lighter than air and flammable, so they could float and breathe fire & what gas could this be?
		Methane
		Chlorine
		Potassium
		Reveal answer

10	And... Dragons are cold blooded; they have dry, leathery scales and breathe air. What class of animals do they belong to?
		Mammals
		Reptiles
		Fish
		Reveal answer

Back to Quizzes & Competitions