Science fairs have evolved. I stayed far from the subject as a student, buried instead in drama, books and boys. But as a parent of a science geek, I have newfound interest and admiration for those curious and clever creatures, working up solutions for some of the most complex global problems. Hot on the heels of Emma Watson’s barn burner, I saw this smartypants trio online. I am so bloody encouraged I can almost forget about my wonky, bruised mess of an ankle, from a nasty spill earlier in the week.
That’s a boring problem to have.
Not so the world food shortage.
Irish teenagers Ciara Judge, Sophie Healy-Throw and Emer Hickey won the fourth annual Google Science fair this week after almost a year of dedicated focus on improving food production in third world countries. Their project looked at the use of natural bacteria to increase crop output. In backyards and bedrooms, these budding microbiologists used homemade equipment to test more than 10,000 seeds.
If you want to be dazzled by a passionate new generation, take a closer look at their project here:
All three will benefit from the prize of $50,000 in scholarship funding, in addition to a 10 day trip to the Galapagos Islands and a $10,000 grant for school.
An inspiring week, even if I do have to hobble.
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