Contents Inside
Quiz
1. The first working nuclear clocks reported in Nature in October 2026 use a nuclear transition in which isotope?
A. Uranium-235
B. Cobalt-60
C. Thorium-229
D. Carbon-14
2. Bepirovirsen, approved by the US FDA in October 2026 for certain adults with chronic hepatitis B, belongs to which drug class?
A. Live attenuated vaccine
B. Small-molecule antibiotic
C. Monoclonal antibody
D. Antisense oligonucleotide
3. In the October 2026 cancer developments described, what does dMMR stand for?
A. Dual-marker molecular response
B. Drug-mediated mutation resistance
C. Defective mitochondrial metabolism rate
D. Deficient mismatch repair
4. India’s NPPA announced a 30% cap on trade margins for 137 cancer drugs. The cap applies to which part of the medicine’s price structure?
A. Import duties
B. Clinical-trial expenses
C. Trade margins
D. Manufacturing costs
5. In the reported optogenetic gene-therapy study for retinitis pigmentosa, what additional device did patients use alongside the treatment?
A. Retinal pressure sensors
B. Cochlear implants
C. Camera goggles
D. Deep-brain stimulators
Answers:
1. a) Thorium-229
2. a) Antisense oligonucleotide
3. a) Deficient mismatch repair
4. a) Trade margins
5. 5. a) Camera goggles
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Puzzle
The Three-Switch Mystery
Outside a closed room are three switches. Inside the room is one traditional incandescent bulb. Only one switch controls the bulb, and you may enter the room only once. You may operate the switches as many times as you like before entering.
How can you identify the correct switch?
Solution
- Turn switch 1 on and leave it on for a few minutes.
- Turn switch 1 off, then turn switch 2 on.
- Enter the room.
- If the bulb is glowing, switch 2 controls it.
- If the bulb is off but warm, switch 1 controls it.
- If the bulb is off and cold, switch 3 controls it.
Scientific principle: An incandescent bulb converts electrical energy into light and heat. The bulb’s temperature provides a second clue, allowing you to distinguish the switches even when the light is off.
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Challenge
Make a rain gauge from a clear plastic bottle and a wind direction indicator using a straw, paper arrow and pencil. Record rainfall and wind direction for seven days, at roughly the same time each day.
Extra Challenge Compare your observations with a local weather forecast. Identify one difference and suggest why your simple instruments might not match official measurements.
