Welcome to another Friday quiz, and apologies for the somewhat intermittent service of late. If your brow has been stubbornly unfurrowed for longer than you’d wish, then today’s selection of testers ought to rectify that. We begin with the cheery subject of death.
Round 1 – In Passing
- After his death, Isaac Newton’s hair was found to contain high quantities of what substance, the presence of which could have explained not only his death, but also the increasingly eccentric behaviour he displayed towards the end of his life?
- Which scientist and philosopher died of pneumonia in 1626 after trying to stuff a dead chicken with snow?
- Who was the German-Swedish chemist, known for identifying numerous elements, who died of cumulative poisoning aged 43 in 1786 following years of tasting (for research purposes) the likes of lead, hydrogen cyanide and various other substances now known to be dangerous?
Round 2 – Molecular Structures
How much do you know about the chemical make-up of some fairly everyday substances?
- Which aromatic hydrocarbon, whose structure caused scientists headaches for many years, has the formula C6H6?
- In order to relieve these headaches, scientists could have had some C9H8O4 (apart from the fact that it hadn’t been isolated and identified by that point) – by what name do we commonly know this?
- An essential part of our diets, and associated with good health, how is the acid with the chemical formula C6H8O6 more commonly known?
Round 3 – The Picture Round
As per usual, three charade-type clues, all linked by a common theme. Work out what each charade depicts, and thus also work out the theme that links them.
1.
2.
3.
Round 4 – Mimicry
Imitation, it is said, is the sincerest form of flattery – in which case the animal world is awash with heartfelt compliments.
- Named after an English naturalist of the Victorian era, what is the name of the type of mimicry where a harmless species has evolved to resemble a poisonous, or otherwise dangerous, species, in order to ward off predators?
- To be contrasted with the mimicry described in the question above, what is distinctive about “aggressive mimicry”?
- Cuckoos are famous for laying eggs that mimic the appearance of those of the species of the host nest. Perhaps less well known is that any individual female cuckoo only lays eggs in the nest of one specific species, leading to various sub-groupings of cuckoos based on the species that they parasitise. What is the name of these sub-groupings?
Round 5 – Anagrams
For this week’s anagram round, the theme is “things you could find in a lab”:
- COBALT A
- TUTS BEET
- COMIC PROSE
- DERIVING A POTASH
- DECLARED A DRUG ‘TINY’
Good luck! Look out for the answers early next week.
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Answers as follows:
Round 1 – In Passing
1. High levels of mercury may have been behind Newton’s afflictions and, ultimately, death.
2. Francis Bacon died after trying to create frozen chicken.
3. Carl Wilhelm Scheele was the inadvertent self-poisoner.
Round 2 – Molecular Structures
1. This is benzene, whose ring structure evaded scientists for years, until it came to August Kekule in a dream about a snake swallowing its tail (supposedly).
2. This is the structure of aspirin.
3. This is ascorbic acid – or, as it’s more commonly known, Vitamin C.
Round 3 – The Picture Round
1. [Gordon] BROWN + PELE + CAN = BROWN PELICAN
2. BALL + D + GULL = BALD EAGLE
3. GOLDEN + OREO + L = GOLDEN ORIOLE
Round 4 – Mimicry
1. This is Batesian mimicry
2. Aggressive mimicry is when a predator disguises itself as something harmless in order to fool its prey (as opposed to prey species disguising themselves to deter or evade predators).
3. Cuckoos are divided into gentes (or gens in the singular) based upon the species whose eggs they mimic (and thus parasitise).
Round 5 – Anagrams
1. LABCOAT
2. TEST TUBE
3. MICROSCOPE
4. EVAPORATING DISH
5. GRADUATED CYLINDER
Look out for the next quiz this Friday!