#881

The 'NHM Commons', a new wing opening in late 2024 at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles, features a rare green-boned dinosaur fossil named:

(a) Sue

(b) Stan

(c) Gnatalie

(d) Big Al

Explanation: Gnatalie is a long-necked sauropod with unique green fossils caused by the mineral celadonite, displayed in the new Welcome Center.

#882

The Museum of Homelessness opened its first permanent venue in 2024 in which city?

(a) Berlin

(b) San Francisco

(c) London

(d) Toronto

Explanation: The museum opened a permanent space in Finsbury Park, London, dedicated to sharing the stories and history of homelessness.

#883

The Buffalo AKG Art Museum (formerly Albright-Knox) reopened in late 2023/2024 after a major expansion in which US state?

(a) California

(b) New York

(c) Illinois

(d) Texas

Explanation: The museum is located in Buffalo, New York, and reopened with a new building designed by OMA.

#884

The renovated Frick Collection is scheduled to return to its historic mansion in late 2024/2025 in which city?

(a) Boston

(b) Philadelphia

(c) New York City

(d) Washington D.C.

Explanation: After a temporary stay at the Breuer building (Frick Madison), the collection returns to its renovated Gilded Age mansion on Fifth Avenue.

#885

The Mayan calendar is famous for its 'Long Count'. A complete cycle of the Long Count is approximately how many years?

(a) 100 years

(b) 5,125 years

(c) 1,000 years

(d) 260 years

Explanation: The Mayan Long Count cycle lasts approximately 5,125 solar years. One such cycle ended famously in December 2012.

#886

In the Chinese Calendar, 2024 was the Year of the:

(a) Rabbit

(b) Dragon

(c) Snake

(d) Tiger

Explanation: 2024 was the Year of the Dragon (specifically the Wood Dragon).

#887

In which year was Humayun defeated by Sher Shah Suri at the Battle of Kanauj, forcing him into exile?

(a) 1530

(b) 1539

(c) 1540

(d) 1545

Explanation: The Battle of Kanauj (also known as the Battle of Bilgram) was fought in 1540. Sher Shah Suri's victory ended the Mughal Empire temporarily until 1555.

#888

Who was the recipient of the 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature?

(a) Jon Fosse

(b) Annie Ernaux

(c) Han Kang

(d) Haruki Murakami

Explanation: South Korean author Han Kang was awarded the 2024 prize 'for her intense poetic prose that confronts historical traumas and exposes the fragility of human life'.

#889

The 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded to John Hopfield and Geoffrey Hinton for foundational discoveries in:

(a) Black holes

(b) Quantum entanglement

(c) Machine learning with artificial neural networks

(d) Blue LEDs

Explanation: They were recognized for their work on artificial neural networks, which paved the way for the modern AI boom.

#890

The 2024 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences was awarded to Acemoglu, Johnson, and Robinson for their work on:

(a) Behavioral economics

(b) Climate change economics

(c) How institutions form and affect prosperity

(d) Auction theory

Explanation: They demonstrated the importance of societal institutions for a country's prosperity.

#891

The 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded for work on:

(a) Click Chemistry

(b) Lithium-ion batteries

(c) Computational protein design and structure prediction

(d) Genome editing (CRISPR)

Explanation: It was awarded to David Baker (protein design) and the Google DeepMind team (Hassabis/Jumper) for protein structure prediction (AlphaFold).

#892

The 2024 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded for the discovery of:

(a) mRNA vaccines

(b) Hepatitis C virus

(c) microRNA and its role in gene regulation

(d) Circadian rhythms

Explanation: Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun won for the discovery of microRNA, a fundamental principle governing how gene activity is regulated.

#893

Which director won Best Director for the film 'Oppenheimer' in 2024?

(a) Martin Scorsese

(b) Greta Gerwig

(c) Christopher Nolan

(d) Yorgos Lanthimos

Explanation: Christopher Nolan won his first Best Director Oscar for 'Oppenheimer'.

#894

Which film won Best Picture at the 2024 Oscars?

(a) Barbie

(b) Poor Things

(c) Oppenheimer

(d) Killers of the Flower Moon

Explanation: 'Oppenheimer' won 7 awards, including Best Picture, at the 96th Academy Awards.

#895

Which film won Best Animated Feature in 2024?

(a) Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

(b) Elemental

(c) The Boy and the Heron

(d) Nimona

Explanation: Hayao Miyazaki's 'The Boy and the Heron' won the award.

#896

Which book won the Booker Prize in 2024, becoming the first novel set in space to win the award?

(a) Creation Lake

(b) Orbital

(c) Held

(d) James

Explanation: Samantha Harvey's 'Orbital' won the Booker Prize in 2024. It is a slim novel set over 24 hours aboard the International Space Station, following six astronauts as they observe Earth from above.

#897

Jayne Anne Phillips received the 2024 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for which novel set in a post-Civil War asylum?

(a) Night Watch

(b) Demon Copperhead

(c) Trust

(d) The Netanyahus

Explanation: Jayne Anne Phillips won the 2024 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for 'Night Watch'. The novel is set in the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum in West Virginia in the aftermath of the Civil War, exploring themes of memory and healing.

#898

Who won the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year award in 2024?

(a) Max Verstappen

(b) Noah Lyles

(c) Novak Djokovic

(d) Erling Haaland

Explanation: Novak Djokovic was named the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year in 2024. It was his fifth time winning the award, equalling the record held by Roger Federer.

#899

Which team won the Laureus World Team of the Year award in 2024?

(a) Manchester City

(b) South Africa Rugby Team

(c) Spain Women's National Football Team

(d) Oracle Red Bull Racing

Explanation: The Spain Women's National Football Team won the Laureus World Team of the Year award in 2024 after winning the FIFA Women's World Cup.

#900

Who was the recipient of the Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year award in 2024?

(a) Simone Biles

(b) Aitana Bonmatí

(c) Iga Swiatek

(d) Mikaela Shiffrin

Explanation: Aitana Bonmatí won the Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year award in 2024, becoming the first footballer to win this individual honor.

May 2024 Current Affairs MCQs & Solutions