Quiz of the Day
World Health Day
Tuesday, 7 April 2026
Every 7 April the WHO marks World Health Day — a chance to spotlight global health milestones, breakthroughs, and the science keeping us alive.
1. The World Health Organisation (WHO) was founded in 1948. Which city is its headquarters?
- Brussels
- Geneva
- Vienna
- New York
The WHO was established on 7 April 1948 — the date that became World Health Day. Geneva was chosen partly because the city already housed the League of Nations Health Organisation, the WHO's predecessor.
2. Which disease was officially declared eradicated worldwide in 1980 — the only human disease ever fully eradicated?
- Measles
- Polio
- Plague
- Smallpox
The last known natural case of smallpox occurred in Somalia in 1977. The WHO certified eradication in 1980 after a decade-long global vaccination campaign — humanity's greatest public health achievement.
3. What does the 'R' stand for in 'BMR', a common measure used in nutrition and health?
- Rate
- Reserve
- Range
- Ratio
Basal Metabolic Rate is the number of calories your body burns at complete rest to maintain basic functions — breathing, circulation, cell production. It accounts for roughly 60–75% of your total daily energy expenditure.
4. Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin in 1928. What accidentally contaminated his petri dish to prompt the discovery?
- Yeast from beer
- Staphylococcus bacteria
- Bread mould
- Penicillium mould
Fleming returned from holiday to find a Penicillium notatum mould had contaminated a Staphylococcus plate — and was killing the bacteria around it. He almost threw it away. The antibiotic age that followed saved an estimated 200 million lives.
5. Which organ produces insulin, the hormone that regulates blood sugar?
- Pancreas
- Kidney
- Spleen
- Liver
Insulin is produced by beta cells in the islets of Langerhans in the pancreas. Before insulin therapy was developed in 1921, Type 1 diabetes was a death sentence. The first patient treated, Leonard Thompson, was 14 years old.
6. What is the leading cause of death globally, according to WHO data?
- Road traffic accidents
- Lower respiratory infections
- Cancer
- Ischaemic heart disease
Ischaemic (coronary) heart disease has been the world's top killer for two decades, responsible for around 9 million deaths per year. Reduced blood flow to the heart — usually from blocked arteries — causes the muscle to starve of oxygen.
7. How many bones does an adult human body have?
- 226
- 216
- 206
- 196
Babies are born with around 270–300 bones, many of which fuse during childhood and adolescence. By adulthood the count settles at 206. The smallest bone — the stapes in the ear — is just 3mm long.
8. The WHO's DOTS strategy dramatically improved treatment of which disease in the 1990s?
- HIV/AIDS
- Cholera
- Tuberculosis
- Malaria
Directly Observed Treatment, Short-course (DOTS) tackled TB by ensuring patients took a full course of antibiotics under supervision. It prevented the emergence of drug-resistant strains and has saved an estimated 76 million lives since the 1990s.
9. Which vitamin does human skin synthesise when exposed to sunlight?
- Vitamin D
- Vitamin B12
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin C
UVB radiation converts 7-dehydrocholesterol in the skin to Vitamin D3. Deficiency is linked to weakened bones, immune dysfunction, and depression. Despite living on a planet orbiting a star, an estimated 1 billion people worldwide are Vitamin D deficient.
10. What percentage of the human body is water (approximately)?
- 55%
- 75%
- 60%
- 45%
The brain and heart are about 73% water, lungs around 83%, and even bones are 31% water. You lose roughly 2.5 litres per day through breathing, sweating, and excretion. The feeling of thirst kicks in after losing just 1–2% of body water.