British Teenage Scientists Are Not Boring Geeks

According to a story in the BBC, winners of the first national science competition for young scientists in the UK were selected. Peter Hatfield from Kent won the Young Scientist of the Year title, and Chris Jefferies from Worcestershire was named Young Technologist of the Year. Hatfield designed a cosmic ray detector, while Jefferies' team won for a device that detects damage to a kit used to test gearboxes. "What's really striking is the raw enthusiasm of these young people about what they're doing. That transcends the practical applications of their projects," says Colin Blakemore, professor of neuroscience at Oxford and Warwick universities, and one of the judges. The competition was created to raise the profile of science and engineering in the UK. "I really want to bust the myth that science is boring and geeky -- it is far from it. It's exciting, fascinating and shapes all our lives," Lord Drayson, Minister for Science and Innovation, says.