[For Seniors] Trivia Quiz & Fun Facts on Blood Types: A quiz packed with what you want to know, like which illnesses you’re more prone to.

AB type

According to research by the University of Vermont in the United States, people with blood type AB have an 82% higher risk of developing cognitive problems such as memory impairment compared to those with blood type O. This is thought to be related to the tendency for people with blood type AB to have higher blood concentrations of a protein that helps blood clot.

Type AB

The correct answer is “type AB.” In 1900, Dr. Karl Landsteiner discovered three types—A, B, and C—but type AB had not been found at that time. Two years later, in 1902, his students Decastello and Sturli discovered “type AB” as the fourth blood type and published it as an addition.

Type AB

The correct answer is “AB.” In fact, people with blood type B can have two kinds of genes: “BB” and “BO.” If both parents have the “BO” gene combination, there is a possibility that the child will inherit “O” from each parent and be born with type O blood. Of course, a child with type B blood can also be born. However, since neither parent has the “A” gene, a child with type A or AB blood will not be born.

Blood type O

According to theories about the roots of blood types, type O is the oldest in human history, said to have arisen around 40,000 years ago in the era of Cro-Magnon humans. Because they lived as hunter-gatherers, people with type O are said to tend to have strong stomach acid and digestive enzymes suited for digesting meat. Even today, O types who feel energized after eating meat may have the memories of their distant ancestors’ hunting lifestyles etched into their bodies.

Type A

The correct answer is blood type A. In general trivia about the origins of blood types, it is said that type A emerged as an adaptation to the lifestyle of agrarian peoples. Farming life requires settling in one place to cultivate crops and working together cooperatively as a group. This has led to the theory that people with type A tend to value harmony, follow rules, and have meticulous personalities.

Type B

The correct answer is “Type B.” According to one theory about the origins of blood types, Type B is said to have spread more than 10,000 years ago in cold, dry mountainous regions such as the Himalayas. As people led nomadic lives, it is believed that they adapted to harsh environments—severe cold and dryness—and their numbers increased. Therefore, they are thought to have relatively strong immunity to certain diseases and to be particularly adept at digesting preserved foods and dairy products.

Karl Landsteiner

The correct answer is Karl Landsteiner. In 1900, he discovered the ABO blood group system and was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1930 for this achievement. Thanks to this discovery, safe blood transfusions with matched blood types became possible, saving many lives.