Some Most Notable Science Fair Projects

Guest Post by Kaitlyn Cole

While science fair projects still typically consist of paper mache volcanoes, LEGO robots, and crystals grown in a jar, many students these days are going above and beyond the staples, taking on projects that would even be awe-inspiring as a college thesis. From exploring the effectiveness of cancer treatments to revolutionizing the disposal of plastics, these students prove you don’t have to be an adult to have amazing, world-changing ideas about science. Take a look at these 20 amazing science fair projects we’ve listed here. They may just inspire you to step up your game in your own college-level science courses.

1. Nuclear Fusion Reactor, Thiago Olsen:

   With a budget of only $3,500, this Michigan high school student built a nuclear fusion reactor in his garage when he was only 15 years old. How did he do it? He studied physics textbooks, used vacuum pump manuals, and surfed the web for the best deals on parts. While his device is not self-sustaining and produces fusion only on a small scale, it’s a pretty impressive feat for any teenager.

2. Diesel Hybrid Car, West Philadelphia High School:

   Working as a team at West Philadelphia High School, students constructed a diesel-hybrid race car that can go from 0-60 in just four seconds. If that speed wasn’t already impressive enough, the vehicle also gets more than 60 miles to the gallon. The students constructed it for entry into the Automotive X contest, with a grand prize of $10 million — the only high schoolers in the nation to do so. They are reworking their design to improve their chances of winning, and hope to get the car up to 100 MPG.

3. Chemical-Sniffing LEGO Robot, Anna Simpson:

   Many a science fair project involve LEGOs, but few on the level that Anna Simpson’s does. Her robot, built of the plastic blocks, is capable of sniffing out toxic chemicals and other hazards, keeping humans at a safe distance. Simpson’s work won her the California State Science Fair and could have a number of industrial and public safety applications if adapted.

4. Spacecraft Navigation Software, Erika DeBenedictis:

   This bright, young rising star in the scientific community came up with some ingenious software for helping spacecraft move faster and use less fuel while navigating the many obstacles in the vacuum of space. Her amazing software won a substantial award from the Intel Foundation, and more than likely will help assure her a future career at NASA.

5. Plastic-Eating Microbes, Daniel Burd:

   Plastic that is simply dumped into landfills can take centuries to decompose, if it ever really does, but this young thinker came up with a better way. Burd beat out leading scientists to discovering a microbe that eats plastic, increasing the rate of decomposition by more than 40%. This project won him the Canada-Wide Science Fair and garnered a fair amount of international media attention as well.

6. Space Exploration Balloon, IES La Bisbal School:

   The students at this Spanish school produced a science fair project that was out of this world — literally. A team of four students sent a camera-operated weather balloon into the stratosphere, snagging atmospheric readings and stunning photographs more than 20 miles above the Earth’s surface.

7. Cancer and Chicken Marinades, Lauren Hodge:

   At just 14 years old, Lauren Hodge is getting a jumpstart on a science career with this amazing project, which won her an award at the international Google Science Fair competition. So what did she find? Some chicken marinades block carcinogenic compounds from forming when chicken is grilled — a process known to raise the level of carcinogens in meat. Among the marinades she tested, lemon juice was the most successful, so consider these stellar findings the next time you’re hosting a backyard BBQ.

8. Image-Based Search Engine, David Liu:

   While most search engines work at dissecting the web’s textual information, David Liu’s pet project is all about creating one that looks at images instead. While he is still working to perfect his software, Liu’s search engine is already being used in the real world, analyzing satellite images and making relevant web searches much more effective. An impressive feat for a 17-year-old.

9. Problems with Ovarian Cancer Treatment, Shree Bose:

   Taking top prize at the Google Science Fair, Bose will get to spend several weeks studying marine life in the Galapagos Islands. The work that netted her this prize is awe-inspiring coming from a teenager. Bose uncovered a number of problems with popular ovarian cancer treatments and drugs, producing a report that would be more at home in a medical journal than a high school classroom. Hopefully, this will influence some changes in how treatment is doled out to suffering patients.

10. Computer Speed Enhancing Software, Kevin Ellis:

    Slow computers are the bane of every office worker’s existence, but with the work of Kevin Ellis, an unresponsive machine may be a thing of the past. Rather than upgrading computers with more memory, Ellis has developed software that analyzes how programs are running and spreads out their needs over all the CPUs to make everything more quickly. His amazing software netted him $50,000 and the rest of the world a way to speed up computers that may have otherwise been tossed out.

11. Quantum Computing for Difficult Computational Problems, Yale Fan:

    Despite his name, this young genius chose Harvard over Yale to continue working on his education. Part of what got him there, undoubtedly, was this impressive bit of science. Yale’s research project, titled “Adiabatic Quantum Algorithms for Boolean Satisfiability” analyzed the applications of quantum computing for solving some of the most complex and difficult computational problems. Most adults don’t have half an idea what that even means, so it’s all the more impressive that this teen was already studying it in high school.

12. Photodynamic Cancer Therapy, Amy Chyao:

    The definitive cure for cancer is still undoubtedly a long way off, but young researchers like Amy Chyao are certainly helping in the fight with innovative new ideas. Amy’s science project used photodynamic therapy to target and kill cancer cells. The project was so promising, it garnered her the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair award in 2010.

13. Antarctic Submersible, Ryan Garner and Amanda Wilson:

    These two teens have come up with an amazing way to do research on climate change. With a budget of $5,000, the pair built an underwater rover designed to take on the challenges of some of the harshest conditions in the world — like those at the Antarctic Circle. Equipped with a camera, the device can explore and take measurements, and is currently being used by the University of California-Santa Barbara to study marine life.

14. Nuclear Weapon Detector, Taylor Wilson:

    Sixteen year-old Taylor Wilson began his nuclear detection project at the age of only 11. Supported by his parents and a grant from Homeland Security, he eventually created a device that can reliably detect nuclear weapons and explosive materials as vehicles pass through his drive-through sensor.

15. Teaching Robots to Speak English, Luke Taylor:

    South African Luke Taylor submitted this amazing project to Google’s Science Fair, which lets humans communicate more easily with robots. His software translates the English language into code that the robot can then understand and execute — allowing just about anyone, anywhere to program one to perform a variety of functions. Even more impressive? Taylor is just 13 years old.

16. Better Password Technology, Jacob Buckman:

    How many of your online passwords are truly secure? If you’re like most people, probably not many. This young man may have come up with a solution, monitoring the biometrics of how people type to create a more secure way of gaining online account access. He discovered that passwords using the length of time between keystrokes and the length of time keys were held down could be just as accurate and potentially more secure than traditional passwords.

17. Asthma and Air Quality, Naomi Shah:

    Taking home top prize in her age group at the Google Science Fair, Shah’s work takes a critical look at the air quality in the world today — and the impact it can have on those suffering from breathing disorders like asthma. She created a mathematical model that helps quantify the effects of air quality on symptoms. And had a few harsh words about the U.S. Clean Air Act as well, based on her findings.

18. Mind Controlled Prosthetic Limbs, Anand Srinivasan:

    It’s hard to believe that this awe-inspiring science project came from the mind of a 14-year-old. Hooking his brain up to an EEG scanner, Srinivasan worked to test out a new method of improving mind-controlled prosthetic limbs. He found that data from the EEG could help with data classification and signal processing when using them, providing a better and more efficient user experience.

19. Managing the Power of Household Devices, Ankush Gupta:

    You likely have a lot of vampires in your home, and not the sexy Hollywood kind either. These are energy vampires, and they’re sucking up and wasting energy that you’re still paying for. Gupta has come up with a solution with this amazing science project using demotic technology. By monitoring energy use around the home, Gupta’s system allows users to manage the power states of computers and other devices around the home to reduce energy usage and save money

20. • Reducing CO2 Emissions, Jun Bing and Alec Wang:

      Using a process known as acid base neutralization, Bing and Wang developed a device capable of sequestering carbon dioxide gas released from cars (and other sources) that burn fossil fuel. Not only does it remove the harmful substance from the air, but also collects in a way so it can be stored, used, or sold.

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Doomsday Blogs

Guest Post by Melanie Slaugh

When faced with a conversation about Doomsday people are either really scared or really skeptical.  I think I fall in the latter of the two choices.  There are a lot of people out there talking about it though.  There have been so many dates given that were supposed to be the “End of the World”.  We’re still here.  I don’t believe we will have advance notice if and when the end does come, but check out these 20 blogs all about “Doomsday”.

1. Blog.2012pro.com : This blog talks about sunspots being the evidence pointing to      Doomsday happening in 2012.       Next year we could all be dead.  That is definitely a very sad thought.  This site is not kept up and I      found the last post to be in Jan. so maybe the blogger already found his      doomsday?
2. Ofsinitiate.blogspot.com: Following a rant about a show on the History Channel regarding      Doomsday 2012 she does get into some very interesting points about the end      times.  She points out a lot      of misinformation that has come and gone about Doomsday predictions.  Her dry sense of humor makes this      blog a fun read if you are into that sort of thing.  She has a lot of historical facts,      which lend credibility to what she’s saying.  She has been a blogger since 2005 so I think she is      here for the long haul.
3. Survival-spot.com: In a funny and sarcastic way this blog lists 10 items you would need      to survive should the worst happen.       Many of the items say “nerd approved” so they seem to be poking fun      at themselves.  Yes, this      survival stuff exists and I have to say that if the worse did happen it is      probably going to be the people that are prepared that survive.  It would be a shame if all that      survived for the human race were weird, paranoid flakes.
4. Blog.Endtimeclothing.com:      Containing an hour long video regarding proof that Islam is the “beast”      referred to in the book of Revelation regarding the “end times’ this blog      is an interesting one to check out.       It also talks about RFID implantations and there’s a 10 min. video      about how there will be no mandatory implantation of these devices.  Some feel that these RFID devices      will be the mark of the devil.
5. Doomsdayblogger.blogspot.com: How many times has a “Doomsday” been predicted?  Many that I can remember and I      haven’t been listening all these years.  This blog touches on the many different Doomsday      predictions, books and movies.       This blogger tries to debunk some of the claims and makes fun of      others, but this really is a great collection of the many different claims      over the centuries.
6. Opowell.wordpress.com : The Doomsday Blog is the name of this blog.  It’s filled with the back-story to      why the world is going to end on Dec. 21, 2012.  This date is the newest “Doomsday” date.  This blog talks about how the date      was determined.  This guy is      out there and discusses other interesting topics such as “Leathernecks”      and “Grand theft auto in Greenwich”.       An interesting read if nothing else.
7. Gerrymaxeyworkshop.com: The Daily Grand and Sundry is the title of this very interesting      blog.  This blogger has done      his homework, but seems a bit torn in his views.  Perhaps, he is so knowledgeable that he just wants to      do three different blogs about Doomsday.  This blog is for futurists and concentrates on the      belief that humans will be extinct in 100 years and it’s all because we      are living very greedy lives and damaging the earth beyond the point that      we can fix it.
8. Everydaychristian.com: Living like a Christian is one of the categories on this blog, but      discussion of Harold Camping’s prediction that the world would end on May      21^st, 2010.       Obviously the day came and went and Camping caught a lot of flack      about being wrong.  This blog      is an interesting read.
9. Theendtimesblog.blogspot.com: An in depth look at how the      end times (doomsday) relates to the bible and Christian beliefs.  An intriguing video laying out      some proof to back up a theory about what the end times will be like.  More articles detailing things      that are happening in the news today that relate to doomsday and close we      are getting to it.
10. Endtimesprophecy.com: An      interesting compilation of end times or Doomsday articles and      stories.  Stories about dreams      and visions about the end times.       Scripture verses pulled and researched as to how and when the end      will come.  Various      testimonials regarding the end times are also available.
11. Christianblogs.christianet.com: As you can imagine by reading the title of this blog, it delves deeply      in the Christian faith and how it relates to Doomsday.  There are a ton of references to      scripture verses and each one is analyzed as how it relates to the end      times.
12. The-end-time.blogspot.com: With many videos regarding news events and other phenomena this blog      does a good job of laying out a huge amount of information regarding the      end times or Doomsday.  The      details of sinks holes, earth quakes, snow in the desert, eclipses and      more are quite and interesting read.
13. Hatikvah1.com: This website centers      around the Jewish faith, but includes some Christianity as well.  It points out how God has big      plans for Israel during the end times because it is the “center of the      world”.  Many articles are      included on this blog to help teach and enlighten people about Judaism.
14. Timesnear.com: Judgment day,      rapture, the second coming are all discussed on this blog.  Will we know when the end is going      to happen?  This blogger feels      that we will not know when the day is.  Great articles about whether the “Rapture” and the      “Second coming” will happen at the same time or not.
15. Pbs.org: Now this isn’t your typical Doomsday blog, but NOVA did a great job on      describing the Doomsday asteroid that is to fall to the earth in      2012.  Funny how that      coincides with the other predictions about the end of the world.
16. Lewrockwell.com: Or if you read this site the world could end due to an asteroid named      Apophis on April 13, 2036.       Currently the asteroid is not on a collision course with      earth.  However, on April 13,      2029 the trajectory of the asteroid could change.  It could change enough to hit the      earth 7 years later.
17. Readyfordoomsday.com: An in depth look at the Mayan calendar.  This is the very old calendar that is being used and      has been used for centuries to predict “Doomsday”.  This blogger is taking the      description in bite-sized pieces to make it more palatable.  The Mayan calendar is nothing if      not complex.
18. Ginandtacos.com: And if we hadn’t gotten bizarre enough on this set of blogs we have      this blog who delves into Doomsday cults and what they are up to.
19. Democraticunderground.com: Prompting discussion about the blogger that predicted Doomsday and the      panic that ensued.  Apparently      cargo containers are what the survivors will live in during the end.  They are being retrofitted with      doors and air conditioning.       The most recent natural disasters are also being drawn into the      conspiracy.
20. Bonfiresblog.wordpress.com: Another in depth look at the Mayan calendar.  This blogger identifies why the world will not end in      2012.  He details how the      ancient Hopi Indians prophesies that the world will end during the fifth world.  Every time earth has suffered a      devastating blow they count that as a world.  It’s all very interesting.

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