Media Room
The 2004 YSC Begins!
Forty finalists from across the U.S. gathered in Washington, DC this weekend to mark the beginning of the sixth annual Discovery Young Scientist Challenge. Finalists displayed and explained their winning science fair projects and were grouped into teams of five to embark on this week's competitive challenges.
Celebrating 100 Years of Einstein
The sixth annual YSC Finalist Week kicked off the centennial celebration of Einstein's relativity theories with team-based, action-packed challenges inspired by Einstein's physics. The events were emceed by the popular Mythbusters duo, Jamie Hyneman and Adam Savage. View photo galleries or slideshows of each challenge, and check out how our forty finalists battled for top honors.
Skateboard Physics
Einstein's writings on the relationship between gravity and acceleration are well known to physicists. To honor Einstein's groundbreaking work in this field, the judges challenged finalists to consider the forces of gravity and acceleration experienced by skateboarders and bikers on a half-pipe ramp.
With high-speed digital cameras, computers, and technicians at their disposal, finalists predicted the g-forces at given points on a skater's or biker's line of travel path and then fabricated an accelerometer device to verify their predictions. Judges evaluated the processes finalists used to make predictions, how data and images were gathered, and how teams arrived at their final conclusions.
PHOTOS: By Richard Cho
Radar Gun Luge
Einstein's famous proposition concerning relative motion and the speed of light has intrigued scientists for a century. The bowl shape of Cole Field House was perfect for the construction of two 300-foot downhill tracks. Luge carts carrying remote-controlled radar guns, video cameras, transmitters and more traveled at high speeds on the parallel tracks.
Using the equipment provided, finalists were given a chance to confirm one of the basic notions proposed by Einstein—the speed of an object in motion is relative to the speed of the observer. Judges evaluated each teams' experimental designs and techniques as well as measurement results.
PHOTOS: By Richard Cho
Teeth on Edge—A Real Screech
This year's International Year of Physics celebrates the four famous papers written by Albert Einstein in 1904-1905. This challenge honored Einstein's work with the motion of molecules by exploring sound waves. Einstein credited his amazing ability to focus his thinking to the study and performance of music.
Teams were presented with several unusual musical instruments, including a sonare, armonica, and rodophone. Certain pieces of the instruments were removed prior to the challenge. Finalists worked to fabricate the appropriate resonating piece, tuned to the proper note. Once their instruments began working properly, they were challenged to perform and record an instrumental piece with the help of a keyboardist and sound technician.
Judges evaluated the processes used to determine and explain how the musical instruments generated tones, how adjustments and repairs were made to the instruments, and the teamwork employed to generate actual music.
PHOTOS: By Richard Cho
Laser Obstacle Course
Einstein's Nobel Prize was presented for his work with the photoelectric effect. The laser systems used in this challenge were originally designed with knowledge based on Einstein's famous paper.
Lasers similar to those used in rock concerts were projected over, through, and around a series of obstacles, using front-surface mirrors positioned by finalists, demonstrating the notion that the angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection. If time allowed, finalists were challenged to send a modulated video signal through the obstacle course.
Judges evaluated the processes each team employed to set up the obstacles, how they predicted the positioning of the mirrors, the difficulty of each course, and the relative amount of light able to transmit through each course.
PHOTOS: By Richard Cho
Skulls Unlimited
A valuable and comprehensive collection of osteological specimens (skulls and articulated skeletons) were displayed to each team, with the task of correctly identifying 40 of them based on clues provided. Finalists were provided reference materials and competed to make correct identifications within a specific time limit.
Judges evaluated the methodology employed to assign tasks to team members, how clues were analyzed, how reference materials were used, and how measurements were made.
PHOTOS: By Richard Cho
Paramecium Rodeo
In this challenge, finalists worked with several species of interesting micro-organisms. Using sophisticated and powerful technology, teams were challenged to first identify each species of micro-organism and then capture images of each via photography.
Judges evaluated the methods and organization each team employed to identify the micro-organisms, the interest and quality of the images captured, how reference materials were used, and the overall precision of finalists' work.
PHOTOS: By Richard Cho
PHOTOS: By Richard Cho
The 2004 Winners!
Congratulations to all of the 2004 YSC winners! View the photo gallery of the exciting awards ceremony, featuring guest speaker and Olympic gold medalist, Michael Phelps.
PHOTOS: Robin Weiner/U.S. Newswire