Dallas, Texas"At the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) 2023 today, exoplanet, mpox, insect and suicide research has won six major teenage prizes -- and huge cash prizes. Competition pairs come from around the world Open to high school researchers. This year's top winner receives at least $50,000.
More than 1,600 young scientists and engineers attended Regeneron ISEF this week in Dallas. Nearly $9 million worth of prize money was shared among hundreds of finalists.
"Even at your age, you've found solutions to some of the world's toughest problems," Maya Ajmera said at today's ceremony. "Among you," she says, "I see future innovators, leaders and trailblazers." Ajmera is president of the scientific association, which also publishes the journal. The association has held ISEF competitions since it created the annual event in 1950.
Seventeen-year-old Kaitlyn Wang won the first prize in this year's competition. She develops a method to detect hard-to-find planet typestracksome distant stars. TheseegzoplanetyKnown as USP for its very short lifespan. Each orbits its star so closely that it takes less than 24 hours to complete a full orbit. (On the other hand, our home planet takes 365 days to circle the sun once.)
"Scientists still don't understand how [USP planets] can form and live so close to their host stars," Kettering said. During his junior year, he attended Huck School in San Jose, California.
Scientists want to better understand USP. Many exoplanets can be seen if the planet passes briefly between its host star and Earth. how it does ittransit, the planet briefly cut off the amount of light from its star reaching Earth.
But USP planets have had a hard time seeing this dimming. This is not only because their stars are so close to them, but also because this transit occurs in such a short period of time. That's why Kaitlyn designed a fast, precise and relatively inexpensive new system called ExoScout.
Sort data from multiple transfers at once. thisalgorithmThe method created to do this is 120 times faster than existing methods, Kaitlyn said. For example, searching a star database called the Kepler Input Catalog typically takes about 4.5 years, the teenager noted. Difficult searches often also require the use of heavy-duty supercomputers. Thanks to ExoScout, data processing took only 14 days using relatively cheap and readily available computer equipment.
Caitlin's new system is 97 percent accurate. With its help, she has discovered three previously unknown USP planets. "I thought they were cute," she said. One of them, Kepler-1598d, is the smallest USP planet ever discovered. "I like to call it Little D," he points out.
The teenager plans to publish her method and description of the discovered exoplanets.
For her work, Kaitlyn received this year's George D. Yancopoulos Innovator Award and $75,000. She also took first place in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, which earned another $5,000.
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Mechanics of mpox's comeback
Mpox is a viral disease known for a sometimes painful or itchy rash. The global epidemic broke out suddenly last year. In the United States alone, more than 30,000 cases were diagnosed in just six months. Saathvik Kannan, 17, wondered why the virus had become so contagious. Junior attended David H. Hickman High School in Columbia, Missouri.
To replicate itself, the mpox virus relies on genetic instructionsdecalcified nucleosaccharide nucleic acid.a complex - or group - of fourproteinis responsible for turning a stretch of DNA into multiple copies, Saathvik said.mutationin these proteins can helpVirusCopying is faster. This, he believes, could speed up its ability to infect humans. So Saathvik focused on this complex.
First, Junior discovered the structures of the complex's four proteins and then put them together. At the time he was studying it, the structures were completely unknown, he said.
He found several genetic mutations in the current virus. Three stand out - those never seen before 2022. One in particular showed the complex "being able to get the job done faster," Saathvik said. This means faster DNA production and viral replication.
Satvikpublished his findingsAt the end of 2022, the structural results he reported at the time were very close toanother set of descriptionslast month.
The work earned Saathvik a Regeneron Young Scientist Award and $50,000. It also won first place in the Computational Biology and Bioinformatics section of the show, plus an additional $5,000.
Fighting insects with insects
Many pests extract nutrients from plants, injuring and even killing their hosts. Predatory insects known as green reticulates may come to the rescue -- but only if they live long enough to eat enough of the plant pests.
Problem: Green eggs usually don't hatch. When they do, young people often eat their neighbor's eggs.
Three Thai teenagers have found the perfect environment to not only increase egg survival but reduce cannibalism. Poon Trakultangmun, 18, is a high school student. Teepakorn Keawumdee, 17, is in Year 11uprightdegree. Sixteen-year-old Pannathorn Siri is a sophomore in college. They both studied at Bangkok Christian College.
The juveniles tested a range of environmental factors to determine the temperature, light and leaf vibration frequencies that would favor egg survival. The team then designed a container to transport the eggs to maintain the same conditions. Thanks to their invention, the green mesh eggs survived almost six times better than eggs hatched in ordinary containers.
To reduce cannibalism, the teens made another bug container in the field. This one contains a few sheets of paper that will prevent insects from eating the eggs of the same species. They also packed some mealflies as a snack. (Teenagers discovered that lacewings preferred to chew on whiteflies rather than their eggs.)
The trio also received a Regeneron Young Scientist Award and will share $50,000. They will also share $5,000 for winning the Animal Science Department's top prize.
biological signs of suicide
Unfortunately, suicide is the leading cause of death among adolescents. Health professionals rely on psychological tests to determine if someone is thinking about suicide. But what if doctors could detect the biological signs that indicate someone is at high risk?
This thought led Natasha Kulviwat to search for so-called biomarkers of suicide.
The 16-year-old used the brains of cadavers for his research. people who die by suicide areproteinwhere it shouldn't be. It's called claudin-5, and it's normally found in the walls of blood vessels in the brain. The protein is part of the barrier that protects the brain from harmful substances that may be lurking in the blood.
In the brains of people who died by suicide, Natasha found that this protein is now present in nerve cells. This suggested that the blood-brain barrier in these individuals was breaking down.
"We need more research on suicide," said Natasha, a student at Jericho High School in New York City. "It's a very, very dark topic ... but someone has to do it."
The project earned Natasha Gordon E. Moore and $50,000. She also received a $5,000 award for the best project in ISEF's Biomedical and Health Sciences Division and a $1,000 special award for serving society through science. The latter award is given to finalists whose work is particularly innovative, has the potential to improve people's lives or represents significant scientific advancement.
This year's Regeneron ISEF finalists come from 64 countries, territories and territories. More than a quarter of this year's entrants received an award. "This is just the beginning," Ajmera told all the finalists. "I can't wait to see what you'll achieve next."
As of 2016, suicide was the second leading cause of death among young people aged 15 to 29. If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, get help. In the United States, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255). You can also text 741-741. Please don't suffer in silence.
strong words
More About Power Wordsalgorithm: A set of rules or procedures that solve a problem through a sequence of steps. Algorithms are used in mathematics and computer programs to find solutions.
annual: An adjective describing something that happens every year. (in botany) A plant that lives only one year so that it usually has showy flowers and produces many seeds.
Blood vessel: A tubular structure that transports blood through tissues and organs.
blood brain barrier: A barrier of tightly packed cells that precisely regulates which particles can - and cannot - enter the brain. This barrier protects the brain from foreign substances in the blood and helps maintain a constant environment for brain cells.
mistake: Slang term for insects. Sometimes it is even used to refer to bacteria.
corpse: Human corpse.
cell: (in biology) The smallest structural and functional unit of an organism. Usually too small to see with the naked eye, it consists of a watery fluid surrounded by a membrane or wall. Depending on their size, animals are made up of thousands to trillions of cells.
data processing: Entering information into a computer and having it store, organize, or change the information.
database: An organized collection of related data.
decalcified nucleosaccharide nucleic acid: (abbreviation for deoxyribonucleic acid) The long double-stranded helical molecule inside most living cells that contains genetic instructions. It is built on a skeleton of phosphorus, oxygen and carbon atoms. In all living things, from plants and animals to microbes, these instructions tell cells which molecules to make.
Egg: Germ cells that contain half of the genetic information needed to form a complete organism. In humans and many other animals, ovaries produce eggs. When an egg cell joins a sperm cell, they fuse to form a new cell, called a zygote. This is the first step in developing a new organism. "
project: A field of study that uses mathematics and science to solve real-world problems. people who work in this field are calledengineer.
egzoplaneta: Abbreviation for extrasolar planets, which are planets orbiting stars outside our solar system.
factor: Something that plays a role in a particular state or event; a contributor.
pole: research areas such as:Her field of study is biology.Also a term to describe the physical environment in which some research is conducted, such as at sea, in a forest, on a mountaintop, or on a city street. It is the opposite of an artificial environment such as a research laboratory.
center: To gaze at or focus on a particular point or thing.
frequency: The number of occurrences of a periodic phenomenon in a specific period of time. (in physics) The number of wavelengths that occur during a specified period of time.
Genetic: Works with chromosomes, DNA, and genes contained in DNA. The field of science that deals with these biological instructions is known as genetics. People who work in this field are geneticists.
middle school: The name of grades nine through twelve in the compulsory public education system in the United States. High school graduates can apply to universities for further study.
host: (in biology and medicine) an organism (or environment) in which other things exist. Humans may be temporary hosts for food poisoning bacteria or other infectious agents.
Infect: The spread of disease from one organism to another. This usually involves introducing some disease-causing bacteria into the body.
contagious: An adjective describing a microbe or virus that can spread to humans, animals, or other living things.
insect: An arthropod with six-segmented legs and three body parts in adulthood: head, thorax, and abdomen. There are hundreds of thousands of species of insects, including bees, beetles, flies and moths.
mechanism: A step or process by which something happens or "works." It could be a spring that pops something from one hole to another. It could be the contraction of the heart muscle that pumps blood throughout the body. It could be friction (with the road and the air) that slows down the moving car. Scientists often look for the mechanisms behind behaviors and responses to understand how things work.
mutation: (v. mutation) A certain change in a gene in the DNA of an organism. Some mutations occur naturally. Others can be caused by external factors, such as pollution, radiation, medications, or something in your diet. Genes with this change are called mutants.
nerve: A long, thin fiber that transmits signals throughout an animal. An animal's spine contains many nerves, some of which control the movement of legs or flippers, and others that transmit sensations such as heat, cold, or pain.
conditioner: A vitamin, mineral, fat, carbohydrate, or protein that a plant, animal, or other organism needs to survive, as part of its diet.
track: The curved path of a celestial body or spacecraft around a galaxy, star, planet, or moon. A complete revolution around a celestial body.
explode: The sudden emergence of a disease in a human or animal population. The term is also used to describe sudden and destructive natural phenomena, such as earthquakes or tornadoes.
physical: (adj.) A term for something that exists in the real world, as opposed to memory or imagination. It can also refer to the material's size and material properties resulting from nonchemical interactions (for example, when one block forces another). (in biology and medicine) The term can refer to the body, as in a physical examination or physical activity.
planet: A large object that orbits a star but, unlike a star, does not produce any visible light.
protein: A compound composed of one or more long-chain amino acids. Proteins are essential building blocks of all living organisms. They form the basis of living cells, muscles and tissues; they also work inside cells. Antibodies, hemoglobin, and enzymes are examples of proteins. Drugs usually work by attaching themselves to proteins.
psychology: (adjective) pertaining to how the human mind works, especially in directing action and behaviour.
Regeneron International Technology Expo: (Regeneron ISEF) Started in 1950, this competition is one of three established (and still run) by the Scientific Society. Each year, approximately 1,600 high school students from more than 60 countries have the opportunity to present their independent research at Regeneron ISEF and compete for prizes averaging nearly $9 million.
risk: The probability or mathematical probability that something bad will happen. For example, radiation exposure poses a risk of cancer. Or is itself a threat or danger. (For example:Cancer risks people face include radiation and drinking water contaminated with arsenic.)
society: A group of people or animals, usually working together and supporting each other for the common good.
scientific society: A nonprofit organization founded in 1921 and headquartered in Washington, DC. Since its inception, the Society has promoted not only public engagement in scientific research, but also public understanding of science. She created and ran three prestigious science competitions: Regeneron Science Talent Search (started in 1942), Regeneron International Science Fair (originally started in 1950) and MASTERS (from 2010 to 2022) and Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge (launching in 2023). The association also publishes award-winning news:science news(introduced in 1922) andexplore science news(created in 2003).
species: A group of similar organisms capable of producing offspring capable of survival and reproduction.
Star: The basic building blocks that make up galaxies. Stars form when gravity condenses clouds of gas. When they get hot enough, stars emit light and sometimes other forms of electromagnetic radiation. The sun is the closest star to us.
sun: A star at the center of Earth's solar system. It lies about 27,000 light-years from the center of the Milky Way. Also a term for any Sun-like star.
system: A network of parts that work together to achieve a specific function. For example, blood, blood vessels, and the heart are the basic building blocks of the human circulatory system. Likewise, trains, platforms, tracks, traffic lights, and viaducts are all potential components of a national rail system. The system can even be applied to procedures or ideas that are part of some method or structured assembly of tasks to be performed.
transit: (in astronomy) the passage of a planet, asteroid, or comet through a star or the passage of the moon through a planet.
Virus: Tiny infectious particles consisting of genetic material (RNA or DNA) surrounded by proteins. Viruses can only reproduce by injecting their genetic material into living cells. Although scientists often refer to viruses as living or dead, in reality, many scientists believe that no virus is truly alive. It doesn't eat like animals, nor does it make its own food like plants. In order to survive, it must take over the cellular machinery of living cells.
quotes
Report:K. Money.Smallest ultrashort-period planet ever discovered using novel phase-folding detection system paralleled with low-cost GPUs.Physics and Astronomy Item No. 056. Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair. Dallas, Texas, May 2023.
Report:S.R. I agree.BIO-PLEX: An innovative biocomputing approach to deciphering the mystery of the mpox revival in 2022. Computational Biology and Bioinformatics Project No. 068, Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair. Dallas, Texas, May 2023.
Report:P. Trakultangmun、P. Siri is located in T. Keawmdee.Optimize the green network (weed) survive due to hatching and foraging behavior. Animal Science Project No. 024T. Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair. Dallas, Texas, May 2023.
Report:N. Kuvivat.The neurobiology of suicide: Claudin-5 is a novel biomarker for suicide pathogenesis. Biomedical and Health Sciences Project No. 028. Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair. Dallas, Texas, May 2023.
Magazine: Y. Li I am here.Structural basis for holoenzyme assembly of monkeypox virus variant DNA polymerase.scientific progress. Published online April 19, 2023. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.adg2331.
Journals:S.R. Cannan I am in.Mutations in the monkeypox virus replication complex: potential contributors to the 2022 outbreak.Journal of Autoimmunity.volume. 133, Dec. 2022. doi: 10.1016/j.jaut.2022.102928.
EuropeMackenzie Priramana
McKenzie Prillaman is the Spring 2023 Research Paper Writing Internscience newsShe holds a BS in Neuroscience with a concentration in Bioethics from the University of Virginia and a MS in Science Communication from the University of California, Santa Cruz.