Final Jeopardy 4/24/24 (Historic Transports) & Who Won Wednesday April 24 2024

The smoking room referred to in Today’s Final Jeopardy was aboard the Hindenburg, the famous German passenger airship. This airship was part of the Zeppelin fleet and was notorious for its catastrophic fire in 1937. The Hindenburg was designed with luxurious amenities, including a smoking room that was a rarity given the highly flammable hydrogen gas used for lift. This room was specially designed to contain fire risks, featuring an airlock to prevent any hydrogen from entering the space and ensuring that it remained safe for passengers to smoke. The room was decorated with an illustration of the Montgolfiers’ balloon, paying homage to the Montgolfier brothers who were pioneers of hot air ballooning. This decorative choice linked the Hindenburg to the broader history of lighter-than-air travel, while the airlock system underscored the advanced safety measures attempted in its design despite the overall risks associated with hydrogen-filled airships.