WSC 2026 The End Is Nearish

Which nation's Supreme Court restored the practice of caretaker governments in November 2025?

Bangladesh

What is the primary role of a caretaker government in a parliamentary system?

To manage the country temporarily during an election period until a new government is formed.

Which two countries are explicitly mentioned as having no caretaker governments?

The United States and Venezuela

In the United States, how many four-year terms is a president permitted to serve?

Two terms

What political term refers to a leader in their final term who is losing power and influence?

Lame duck

What was Queen Elizabeth I's strategy to prevent herself from becoming a 'lame duck' leader?

She delayed naming her successor.

According to Queen Elizabeth I, why do people look toward the person next in line for the throne?

They dislike the present government and fixate on who will succeed it.

What is the purpose of the Doomsday Clock?

To measure how close humanity is to the end of human civilization.

In what year did Londoners believe the end of the world was near due to fire and illness?

1666

Which religious group predicted the end of the world in 1844?

The Millerites

Whose visions in 1869 predicted imminent doom?

Wodziwob

What astronomical event in 1910 caused widespread apocalyptic panic?

Halley's Comet

The 1974 doomsday prediction involving planetary alignment was known as the _____.

Jupiter Effect

Which individual is associated with a doomsday prediction in 1988?

Hon-Ming Chen

What digital anxiety centered on the transition to the year 2000?

The Y2K bug

The activation of which scientific facility in 2008 sparked fears of imminent doom?

The Large Hadron Collider

The 2012 apocalypse prediction was based on the calendar of which civilization?

The Mayan civilization

Which biblical book is the primary source of end-of-the-world imagery for European Renaissance artists?

The Book of Revelation

Who created the 1498 woodcut series 'The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse'?

Albrecht Dürer

What 1500 painting by Sandro Botticelli explores apocalyptic themes through a Nativity scene?

The Mystical Nativity

Which artist painted 'The Last Judgment' between 1536 and 1541?

Michelangelo

Which Renaissance artist depicted a skeletal army in 'The Triumph of Death' (c. 1562)?

Pieter Bruegel the Elder

According to the text, what distinction do Renaissance artists often make in their apocalyptic works?

The distinction between the destinations of the saved and the doomed.

Thomas Cole's 1836 work 'Destruction' is part of which larger series?

The Course of Empire

What is the title of John Martin's apocalyptic painting from 1851-1853?

The Great Day of His Wrath

Which artist produced a series of prints in 1924 depicting the horrors of World War I?

Otto Dix

Who created the 1942 work 'Apocalypse '42'?

Viktor Schreckengost

What is the title of Harry Louis Freund's 1946 apocalyptic artwork?

Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse

Saby Menyhei is credited with 2025 concept art for which post-apocalyptic media franchise?

The Last of Us

Who collaborated with Kevin Sherwood on the 2013 musical work 'Where Are We Going?'

James McCawley

Which movement from Olivier Messiaen's 1940 quartet is highlighted for its apocalyptic mood?

Abyss of the Birds

Which heavy metal band released the song 'Electric Funeral' in 1970?

Black Sabbath

Which band released 'It's the End of the World as We Know It' in 1987?

REM

According to researchers, what is a primary sign that an ecosystem is about to collapse?

The system becomes more volatile.

A rapid spike and plunge in _____ is a specific indicator of imminent lake ecosystem collapse.

Chlorophyll

Beyond droughts and hurricanes, what specific aviation phenomenon is increasing due to climate change?

Flight turbulence

What specific shift in human anxiety is reflected in more recent apocalyptic art?

A move toward industrial and digital anxiety.

What quality of the modern age causes doomsday predictions to go viral more frequently?

The social media age

In the context of caretaker governments, what is a potential risk mentioned regarding their departure?

They might refuse to leave office when their time is up.

How does the text characterize the 'tone' of Renaissance apocalyptic art?

A choice between terror or acceptance.

Caretaker Government

A temporary government that manages state affairs during a transition period, typically during elections.

What change in weather patterns is attributed to the 'volatility' of the global climate?

Extreme weather events like hurricanes and droughts have grown more frequent.

What ethical question does the text raise regarding investors and climate change?

Whether people should be allowed to profit from rising global temperatures.

The prompt 'Where Are We Going?' (2013) refers to a work in which medium?

Music

Which artist's work is described as depicting 'fires raging across more than California' through the lens of Revelation?

The Great Day of His Wrath by John Martin

Which composer's 1940 work is titled 'Quartet for the End of Time'?

Olivier Messiaen

According to the source, what do all doomsday predictions tend to have in common?

They are frequently predicted and then rescheduled.

What is the primary concern for a country when a president reaches their term limit?

The president inevitably loses power and influence as the country looks toward the next election.

In terms of ecosystem health, what does a spike and plunge in chlorophyll levels represent?

A warning sign of imminent collapse.

How did the depiction of the 'Four Horsemen' change between 1498 and 1946 based on the artists listed?

The artists (Dürer and Freund) utilized the same biblical imagery to address the anxieties of their respective eras.