Summary of "Что? Где? Когда? Вопрос об ученом и квашеной капусте"

Quick recap

A sauerkraut mystery with a meteorite punchline.

What happened

The episode opens with two top clubs (teams of Oles Mukhin and Konstantin Rur) facing off near the start of the tournament. The mood is relaxed until a viewer-submitted question raises an odd historical detail.
Viewer question: in 1929 a Russian scientist (named in the subtitles as Pyotr Drave/Driver) spent eight years in the Omsk region and often asked housewives to give him sauerkraut straight from the barrel. What was he looking for in the cabbage?

The experts debate lively and humorously. Two main theories emerge:

He was a geologist seeking heavy stones/minerals — cabbage barrels are pressed down with heavy stones, so he could examine those stones.
He was tasting the sauerkraut to detect acidity/alkalinity and infer mineral content from flavor.

Punchline / correct historical fact

The scientist was actually searching for fragments of a meteorite. He eventually found a piece inside a sauerkraut barrel in the village of Khmelevka — the Khmelevka meteorite.

The drama

During the discussion someone did utter “meteorite,” but the team did not give that as their formal answer, so the panel ruled the answer invalid.
This sparked a brief dispute about whether Ilya Novikov (and others) had effectively given the right idea. There is applause, laughter and some back-and-forth about credit.
A small on-air monetary mention is made: 50 rubles to an Evgeny L. is announced.

Highlights and jokes

The absurd and memorable image of a meteorite being discovered inside a barrel of sauerkraut — the core source of the humor and the debate.
Playful speculation about farmers using the “heaviest stone” to press cabbage, and a joking idea of someone identifying minerals by the taste of kraut.
The tense-but-funny adjudication when hosts/experts argue whether an idea voiced in discussion counts as an official answer — classic quiz-show drama.

Who appears (names as they appear in the subtitles)

Oles Mukhin
Konstantin Rur
Ilya Novikov (referred to often as “Ilya” / Novikov)
Evgeny (listed as “Evgeny Krav Kol” / “Evgeny L.” in places)
Pyotr (Driver / Drave) — the scientist in the question
Mr. Guselnikov
Mr. Ruder / Mr. Verkho (variants appear)
Mr. Bugay
The Listvyanka village team / Rusatom team (mentioned)

Episode takeaway

A quirky historical question, a sauerkraut barrel that hid a meteorite, and comic rules-row about whether a whispered idea counts as the official answer.