Today’s Atlantic Trivia: The Toast of -ollywood
In a thought-provoking article from *The Atlantic*, writer David A. Graham delves into the intriguing world of memory and trivia, inspired by the groundbreaking work of psychologist George Miller. Miller’s mid-century research posited that the human brain can typically hold around seven items in short-term memory, a figure that has since been refined by modern psychologists to approximately four items when considering the process of “chunking”—the method of grouping information into manageable units. This exploration sets the stage for Graham’s engaging trivia questions, which serve as a fun and interactive way for readers to reflect on recent articles published in *The Atlantic*.
Among the questions posed is one that plays on the metaphor of a recent international conference venue catching fire, directly tying it to the urgent theme of climate change discussed at the summit. This fiery imagery underscores the critical nature of the discussions surrounding climate realism and the potential consequences of complacency regarding global warming. Another question references Martin Luther’s pivotal 95 Theses, which sparked the Reformation, prompting readers to consider the historical impact of this document on contemporary political thought. Graham also highlights Nollywood, Nigeria’s vibrant film industry, which has gained international recognition and transformed storytelling in cinema, illustrating the cultural significance of this burgeoning industry.
The article not only serves as a quiz but also provides a broader context for the themes explored in *The Atlantic*, inviting readers to engage with the material on a deeper level. By encouraging participation through trivia, Graham emphasizes the importance of retaining knowledge in our long-term memory—an essential skill in today’s information-saturated world. As readers reflect on their responses and the articles that inspired them, they are reminded of the power of storytelling and the relevance of historical and cultural narratives in shaping our understanding of current events. For those interested in expanding their knowledge, Graham invites readers to sign up for *The Atlantic Daily*, ensuring they stay informed and engaged with the ongoing discourse.
A seminal mid-century paper by the psychologist George Miller asserted that the human brain can hold seven items in short-term memory, give or take a couple. A person can chunk—that is, group items together in sensible, memorable units—to get a bit more bang, but modern psychologists think the species can handle only about
four
of those.
None of the chunks in the great minestrone that is
The Atlantic
is going anywhere, though, so enjoy leisurely encoding them in your much more capacious long-term memory. Then dip into a little trivia to see what stuck.
Find last week’s questions here
, and to get
Atlantic
Trivia in your inbox every day,
sign up for The
Atlantic
Daily
.
Monday, November 24, 2025
From the
edition of The
Atlantic
Daily
by David A. Graham:
The venue that hosted a high-profile international conference last week caught fire—a pretty on-the-nose metaphor, considering that the summit was about
what subject
?
— From Peter Brannen’s
“Our Almost-Apocalyptic [REDACTED] Future”
The German theologian Martin Luther is credited with beginning the Reformation in 1517 when he published a collection of his arguments known by
what numerical name
?
— From George Packer’s
“An Anatomy of the MAGA Mind”
The moviemaking industry known as Nollywood is based in
what country
—the most populous of its continent?
— From Toluse Olorunnipa’s
“The Fantastical Storytelling of Nollywood Movies”
And by the way, did you know that in addition to Dollywood (very much
not
a filmmaking industry, unless you count the 2022 TV movie
Dolly Parton’s Mountain Magic Christmas
), there is a Dhollywood
and
a Dhallywood?
The former is India’s Gujarati-language industry, named for its frequent use of the drum known as a
dhol
. The latter is Bangladesh’s movie industry, named for the country’s capital, Dhaka. And the surrealist cinema of the early 20th century, such as
Un Chien Andalou
? Maybe … Dalíwood!
See you tomorrow.
Answers:
Climate change.
Brannen argues that such a fiery fate might await the whole world if society resigns itself to the “climate realism” argument that says a 3-degree rise should be the new do-not-pass line—because, realistically, do-not-pass lines often get passed.
Read more.
The 95 theses.
George argues that the United States’ conservative political thought not so long ago was full of dramatic, rigorous ideas; he likens one writer’s reasoned argument against Enlightenment liberalism to Luther’s theses. But that writer, like so many others on the right, George says, has fallen into vulgarity.
Read more.
Nigeria.
In the Sunday culture edition of The
Atlantic
Daily (
sign up here
), Toluse reminisces on a childhood spent waiting for cousins in Nigeria to mail him physical media from the industry. Now anyone can catch Nollywood fare on streamers, where movie budgets have grown and the storytelling is as fantastical as ever.
Read more.
How did you do? Come back tomorrow for more questions, or
click here for last week’s
. And if you think up a great question after reading an
Atlantic
story—or simply want to share a dazzling fact—send it my way at
trivia@theatlantic.com
.
