8 of the Most Spectacular Science Fair Projects of The Last Five Years

Science fairs are events that motivate students to create projects and learn about the sciences. They also encourage kids to push boundaries and find answers to life’s most perplexing mysteries. Kids who participate in these events must work hard to come up with a unique experiment that can claim the coveted first place spot. The majority of kids and teens do regular projects like volcanos or potato powered clocks. However, a special group of kids are able to come up with science fair projects that can make a big difference in the science community. The following science fair projects show that kids are capable of changing the world for the better:

LEGO Robot

Created by: Anna Simpson

LEGOs are one of the most popular toys of all time because they encourage creativity and building skills. As a result, a lot of children incorporate these toy blocks in their science fair projects. However, Anna Simpson’s science fair project went above and beyond the normal experiment. She used LEGOs to create a fully functioning robot with a special purpose. Anna’s robot is actually capable of detecting dangerous chemicals and health-hazards in a given location and is also supposed to alert humans so they can stay away from the chemicals. Obviously, Simpson’s project won first place at the 2009 California State Science Fair; on top of that, her robot will be given industrial and public safety applications.

Anti-Cancer Chicken Marinade

Created by: Lauren Hodge, 14 years old

At 14 years of age, most girls are hanging out with their friends at the mall and figuring out what they’ll be in life. Lauren Hodge, on the other hand, has already started a successful career in the sciences and has claimed victory at the 2011 International Google Science Fair. When chicken is being cooked or charred on the grill, it releases carcinogenic molecules that can cause cancer cells to multiply in your body. For her science fair project, Hodge decided to figure out a way to stop that from occurring. She experimented with different ingredients until she came up with a marinade for chicken that significantly lowered the amount of carcinogenic molecules on the meat. Her experiment will hopefully help people lower their chances of developing cancer that can end their life.

Plastic Eating Microbe

Created by: Daniel Burd

As each day passes, landfills are accumulating too much garbage and plastic containers. Plastic takes hundreds of years to be able to decompose, but Daniel Burd made a discovery that can boost the rate of plastic decomposition by 40%. In fact, he was able to make the discovery before well-known scientists did. For his science fair project in 2008, Burd actually uncovered a unique microbe that is capable of eating plastic. If this microbe is released in landfills, it will dramatically reduce the amount of pollution and garbage on earth. Thanks to his discovery, Daniel won first place at the Canada-Wide Science Fair; on top of that, he was given worldwide recognition for his project. If you would like more information on this spectacular project, check out this site: http://www.mnn.com/green-tech/research-innovations/stories/20-most-impressive-science-fair-projects-of-all-time.

Mentally Controlled Prosthetic Limb

Created by: Anand Srinivasan

People who live without a limb face numerous day-to-day struggles. A brilliant 14-year-old, though, has created a device that can help those without a limp improve their lives. In 2011, Anand Srinivasan was able to build a robotic limb, which has the ability to listen to signals from the user’s brain through an EEG scanner. He then discovered important data that will improve the way prosthetic limbs work.

Diesel Hybrid Car

Created by: A team of talented students from West Philadelphia High School

A team of the most brilliant minds from West Philadelphia High School got together to plan and build a unique vehicle for a competition that gives $10 million dollars to the winner. Not surprisingly, they are the only high school students in the competition. The team of students put their minds together to create a functioning hybrid racecar. The diesel hybrid racecar has the ability to go from 0 to 60 in a mere four seconds. Furthermore, the car is extremely planet-friendly because it gets 60 miles-per-gallon. Currently, the students are trying to improve their model so they can have a shot at winning the coveted contest.

Ovarian Cancer Treatment Discoveries

Project by: Shree Bose
Ovarian cancer is an extremely common disease that can cause the sufferer to live a limited life. Unfortunately, in some cases, the treatment for ovarian cancer causes more problems than the actual disease. A highly intelligent teen named Shree Bose uncovered a slew of problems with common cancer drugs. Because of her discoveries, she was awarded the top prize at the Google Science Fair in 2011. On top of that, thanks to her work, scientists are trying to improve current treatments for ovarian cancer.

Air Quality and Asthma

Created by: Naomi Shah

Millions of people suffer from asthma each year, but thanks to Naomi Sha’s science project, we are closer to figuring out how to improve the lives of those suffering from the disease. Sha’s science project for the 2011 Google Science Fair explored how poor air quality affects those with asthma. Apart from that, Sha created a special mathematical model that measures the air quality in conjunction with asthma symptoms.

Spacecraft Navigation Software

Created by: Erika DeBenedictis

It takes a truly special person to develop software for space devices. Erika DeBenedictis is responsible for creating software that aides NASA. Her software can improve a spacecraft’s speed as well as reduce the amount of fuel needed to power important devices. Erika, for her brilliant work, was awarded with a highly coveted award from the Intel Foundation in 2010. On top of that, NASA will probably hire her once she finishes her studies.

The teens in this article show us that age is merely a number and when you put your mind on accomplishing something, you can do anything. They also show us that taking the easy way out should never be an option. Thanks to these brilliant minds, the world is a better place and common problems can be solved.