Thor Heyerdahl

Question 1

Where was Thor Heyerdahl born?

Answer 1

Larvik, Norway

Question 2

What year was Thor Heyerdahl born?

Answer 2

1914

Question 3

What did Thor Heyerdahl study at university?

Answer 3

Zoology and geography

Question 4

What was Thor Heyerdahl best known for?

Answer 4

The Kon-Tiki expedition in 1947

Question 5

From where to where did the Kon-Tiki expedition sail?

Answer 5

From Peru to Polynesia

Question 6

Which material was the Kon-Tiki raft made of?

Answer 6

Handmade from balsa wood

Question 7

What was the main theory Heyerdahl wanted to prove with the Kon-Tiki expedition?

Answer 7

That ancient South Americans could have settled Polynesia

Question 8

Which other major expedition did Heyerdahl lead to cross the Atlantic?

Answer 8

The Ra expeditions

Question 9

What kind of boat did Heyerdahl use in the Ra expeditions?

Answer 9

Papyrus reed boats

Question 10

What was the title of Heyerdahl’s bestselling book about the Kon-Tiki expedition?

Answer 10

The Kon-Tiki Expedition: By Raft Across the South Seas

Question 11

What was significant about Heyerdahl’s Kon-Tiki documentary?

Answer 11

It won an Academy Award in 1951

Question 12

In what time period did Thor Heyerdahl conduct most of his expeditions?

Answer 12

Mid-20th century

Question 13

Why were Heyerdahl’s theories controversial?

Answer 13

They contradicted the established view that Polynesians came from Southeast Asia

Question 14

How did Thor Heyerdahl contribute to the study of human migration?

Answer 14

He encouraged new ideas about ancient transoceanic contact

Question 15

What museum preserves Thor Heyerdahl’s legacy?

Answer 15

The Kon-Tiki Museum in Oslo

Question 16

How did Thor Heyerdahl face criticism?

Answer 16

His migration theories were rejected by mainstream scientists

Question 17

What was Thor Heyerdahl’s greatest personal fear?

Answer 17

Water—he could not swim

Question 18

What unusual pet did the Kon-Tiki crew keep temporarily?

Answer 18

A giant squid they named ‘Oscar’

Question 19

How are Heyerdahl’s boats constructed for authenticity?

Answer 19

Without nails or modern technologies, using ancient materials

Question 20

Which famous book did Heyerdahl publish in 1948?

Answer 20

The Kon-Tiki Expedition: By Raft Across the South Seas

Question 21

What was Thor Heyerdahl’s main contribution to anthropology?

Answer 21

He sparked debate and exploration of ancient migration routes

Question 22

What year did Thor Heyerdahl cross the Pacific on the Kon-Tiki?

Answer 22

1947

Question 23

What was the goal of Heyerdahl’s Ra II expedition in 1970?

Answer 23

To demonstrate that ancient Egyptians could have reached the Americas

Question 24

What inspired Thor Heyerdahl’s interest in exploration?

Answer 24

His early curiosity about nature and his mother’s work in a museum

Question 25

How did Heyerdahl prove his migration theories?

Answer 25

By conducting real-life expeditions to test his hypotheses

Question 26

Which film based on Heyerdahl’s work won an Oscar?

Answer 26

The Kon-Tiki documentary