Technology

14-year-old Develops Water Filtration System Using Animal Bone Waste to Facilitate Access to Clean Water Globally; Wins $25,000 Top Award at Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge

Published

2 months ago

October 30, 2024

Exceptional middle school scientists and engineers rewarded with $100K in prizes for STEM research and innovations that take on global issues

WASHINGTON, Oct. 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Society for Science and Thermo Fisher Scientific today announced the winners of the Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge (Thermo Fisher JIC), the nation’s premier middle school science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) competition. Tina Jin, 14, from San Jose, Calif., won the $25,000 Thermo Fisher Scientific ASCEND (Aspiring Scientists Cultivating Exciting New Discoveries) Award, the top prize in the competition.

Tina won the ASCEND Award for her research that proved the ability of animal bones to filter water, in addition to demonstrating leadership, collaboration and critical thinking skills throughout the competition. After learning that one in three people globally lack access to clean water, Tina was inspired to create an accessible and scalable water filtration system that could be used anywhere in the world. She used natural materials and common household supplies to create her filter. Third-party testing by the San Jose Water Company showed that her filter achieved potable standards.

The Thermo Fisher JIC, a program of Society for Science, reaches 65,000 middle schoolers nationwide and inspires them to follow their personal STEM passions to exciting college and career paths. The 30 finalists are counted among the nation’s brightest students, with several, including Tina, collectively accepting more than $100,000 at tonight’s award ceremony in Washington, D.C.

Thermo Fisher’s sponsorship of the Junior Innovators Challenge continues the company’s longstanding commitment to widespread and equitable access to STEM education. Together with Society for Science, Thermo Fisher is helping to increase the number of students who enter the competition and nurture a future STEM talent pool that is more diverse than ever.

Each of the 30 finalists participated in team challenges in addition to being judged on their research projects. The challenges leveraged project-based learning and tested their critical thinking, communication, creativity and collaboration skills across a variety of STEM fields. They included creating home automation systems using Raspberry Pi Pico, diagnosing sickle cell disease and using biocubes to analyze ecosystems.

“Congratulations to Tina for using her STEM skills to develop a solution to a worldwide problem: access to clean drinking water. She used animal bone waste and other household supplies to filter water,” said Maya Ajmera, President & CEO, Society for Science and Executive Publisher, Science News. “Tina’s scientific ingenuity coupled with her exceptional leadership, collaboration and critical thinking skills illustrate what we are looking for in the Thermo Fisher JIC. I look forward to seeing how Tina continues to innovate in the years to come.”

The other top winners included:

Gary Allen Montelongo, 14, La Joya, Texas, won the $10,000 Broadcom Coding with Commitment ® Award for combining expert STEM knowledge and passion for helping or improving one’s community through coding. In his project, Gary used his coding and engineering skills to build models of train suspension systems to learn how the vibrations produced by springs and the weight distribution of the train cars contribute to train derailment.

Sophie Tong, 14, Palo Alto, Calif., won the $10,000 DoD STEM Talent Award for demonstrating excellence in science, technology, engineering or math, along with the leadership and technical skills necessary to excel in the 21st Century STEM workforce and build a better community for tomorrow. For her project, Sophie sought to improve the safety of vehicles, such as airplanes and self-driving cars, by understanding how vision is degraded in dark, foggy conditions. She then developed algorithms to accurately analyze scenes during bad weather.

Samvith Mahadevan, 14, Austin, Texas, won the $10,000 Lemelson Foundation Award for Invention, awarded by The Lemelson Foundation to a young inventor creating promising product-based solutions to real-world problems. Motivated by his own allergies, Samvith developed a chemical “nose” trained with machine learning to detect allergens in food products; and tested it on common allergens including nuts, eggs and processed foods.

Tyler Malkin, 14, Greenwich, Conn., won the $10,000 Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Award for Health Advancement, which recognizes the student whose work and performance shows the most promise in health-related fields and demonstrates an understanding of the many social factors that affect health. Tyler, who has experienced iodine deficiency—a disorder that impacts nearly 2 billion people worldwide—developed a saliva test that makes it easier for people to monitor their iodine levels without medical intervention.

“Congratulations to our 2024 Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge award winners!” said Dr. Karen Nelson, Chief Scientific Officer, Thermo Fisher Scientific. “These exceptionally bright students have demonstrated incredible talent and ingenuity, and they are the foundation for the next generation of leaders in STEM. Thermo Fisher is honored to provide a platform from which these rising leaders can advance their research, connect with peers and expose more young students to the wonder and power of STEM.”

Thermo Fisher JIC winners were chosen from the 30 finalists, who were selected from nearly 2,000 applicants from 48 states, American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands. Winners were selected by a panel of distinguished scientists, engineers and educators. All the finalists’ schools also receive a $1,000 grant to support STEM programming.

In addition to the top prizes, Thermo Fisher and the Society announced first- and second-place winners in each STEM category (science, technology, engineering and math), as well as the competition’s Team Award.

First- and second-place winners of STEM Awards demonstrated acumen and promise in science, technology, engineering or math. First-place winners were awarded $3,500 and second-place winners received $2,500 to support their choice of a STEM summer camp experience in the US. All STEM Award winners received an iPad.

Science Award:
First place: Mikah Elizabeth Kaalund, Greenwich, Conn., The Synergistic Improvement of Indoor Air HEPA Filtration Using Concurrent Dehumidification
Second place: Mackensey “Macky” McNeal Wilson, Riverside, Conn., Shedding Light on the Prevalence of Harmful Butylated Hydroxytoluene Preservative in Artificially Formulated Dog Foods

Technology Award:
First place: Yash Mehta, Durham, N.C. Using Motors To Simulate Braille
Second place: Sophia Yuxin Zhang, Salt Lake City, Utah, Green Solution for Blue Gold: Examining Three Types of Biodegradable Hydrogels on Water Conservation in Irrigation

Engineering Award:
First place: Oliver Nicolas Cottrell, La Jolla, Calif., Automatic Hockey Puck-Passer Machine
Second place: Sophia Hou, Livingston, N.J., The Effect of Methylcobalamin on Vigna radiata Germination Under Heat Stress

Mathematics Award:
First place: Leif Speer, Terre Haute, Ind., Does a Dendroclimatic Reconstruction of the Southern Hemisphere Show a “Hockey Stick Curve”?
Second place: Ezekiel “Zeke” Wheeler, Portland, Ore., An Affordable, Portable Orbital Desktop Satellite Tracker

Team Award, sponsored by Teaching Institute for Excellence in STEM (TIES): Each member of the Finals Week challenge team that best demonstrates an ability to work together and solve problems through shared decision making, communication and scientific and engineering collaboration received a $200 science supply company gift card to support their interests in STEM. The winning team members are Oliver Nicolas Cottrell, Olivia Huang, Tyler Malkin, Jocelyn Mathew and Samhita Paranthaman.

Thermo Fisher Scientific Leadership Award: Bestowed upon one finalist, this award recognizes the student elected by their peers to speak on behalf of their Thermo Fisher JIC class at the Awards Ceremony. The Class Speaker demonstrates the collegiality and spirited leadership that has earned the collective esteem of the class and united them around common goals.

Zealand Murphy Dobrowski, Dehydration Observation: Can Hyperspectral Remote Sensing Be Used To Estimate Fuel Moisture Content?

Media Kit: https://www.societyforscience.org/thermo-fisher-jic-2024-media-kit/

About Society for Science
Society for Science is a champion for science, dedicated to promoting the understanding and appreciation of science and the vital role it plays in human advancement. Established in 1921, Society for Science is best known for its award-winning journalism through Science News and Science News Explores, its world-class science research competitions for students, including the Regeneron Science Talent Search, the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair and the Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge, and its outreach and equity programming that seeks to ensure that all students have an opportunity to pursue a career in STEM. A 501(c)(3) membership organization, Society for Science is committed to inform, educate and inspire. Learn more at www.societyforscience.org and follow us of Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram, LinkedIn and Snapchat (Society4Science).

About Thermo Fisher Scientific
Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. is the world leader in serving science, with annual revenue over $40 billion. Our Mission is to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer. Whether our customers are accelerating life sciences research, solving complex analytical challenges, increasing productivity in their laboratories, improving patient health through diagnostics or the development and manufacture of life-changing therapies, we are here to support them. Our global team delivers an unrivaled combination of innovative technologies, purchasing convenience and pharmaceutical services through our industry-leading brands, including Thermo Scientific, Applied Biosystems, Invitrogen, Fisher Scientific, Unity Lab Services, Patheon and PPD. For more information, please visit www.thermofisher.com.

Media Contact: Gayle Kansagor, gkansagor@societyforScience.org

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SOURCE Society for Science

Technology

Passive Bitcoin Income: The Best Cloud Mining Platforms for Reliable Earnings

Published

31 minutes ago

December 24, 2024

A guide to short-term Bitcoin mining, featuring BitFuFu, ZT Mining, and Hashing24 for flexible contracts and quick profits.

READING, England, Dec. 24, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Engaging in bitcoin mining presents an accessible and potentially lucrative venture for those intrigued by digital currencies but reluctant to endure the complexities and long timelines associated with traditional investment routes.

Short-term mining contracts are popular among beginners as they look to improve their understanding of the market. These contracts range from as brief as a day to several months, offering immediate entry into the mining scene without the long-term entanglements.

The appeal of short-term bitcoin mining is magnified by the ease of access to these services. Legit cloud mining platforms give individuals the opportunity to lease mining power remotely and eliminate traditional obstacles such as acquiring and maintaining hardware. Investors simply select a mining plan that aligns with their financial objectives and risk tolerance, and the platform handles the operational complexities

BitFuFu Cloud Mining

BitFuFu offers a diverse range of contracts, from short to medium-term, tailored to different risk appetites and investment levels. For those looking for quick, low-risk ventures, the Easy Mining plans range from 3 to 50 days, with a starting investment as low as . These plans are ideal for newcomers wanting to dip their toes in mining without significant upfront costs. For example, the Easy Mining 3 Days plan, with an estimated acquisition cost of 5,602.2, starts investments at , promising a low-risk and low-return profile.

On the other hand, BitFuFu’s Pro Mining contracts target more seasoned miners looking for higher returns, albeit with higher risks. The Pro Mining S19 XP 30 Days plan, for instance, boasts a 107.48% return, indicative of the lucrative possibilities for those willing to invest more heavily in their mining endeavors.

ZT Mining

ZT Mining lets you mine over ten different cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Dogecoin, Monero, and Zcash. This means you can pick and choose and not just stick to one kind, making it fun to try out different ones. They also make sure everything is super safe. They use special security to protect your information and have strong defenses against online attacks, so everything runs smoothly without any interruptions.

ZT Mining is really cool because it has lots of different mining contracts that can last just a day or even longer, so you can see how much money you can make in a short time or a bit longer. They have a special starter package for only $35, and it’s just for one day. If you try this, you’ll get $36 back the next day, which means you make a $1 profit.

That’s pretty awesome for just a day’s work, right? Plus, if you feel like going bigger, they have longer plans where you can earn a lot more money, like the 15-day plan for mining Dogecoin that can make you thousands in profit!

Hashing24

Hashing24 makes it easy to get into bitcoin mining with its straightforward contracts that last anywhere from 3 to 24 months. Every contract has a steady hash rate of 60 MH/s, perfect for those who want a predictable and simple mining experience.

For those just starting out or looking for a short-term investment, Hashing24’s 3-Month Plan is a great entry point. It’s priced at $22.20 and offers an estimated mining return of $22.21, essentially allowing you to make back your initial investment quickly. It is ideal for testing the waters of cloud mining without committing to a long-term plan.

Investors aiming for substantial long-term gains will find the 24-Month Plan an excellent option. Priced at $111.60, it offers a projected return of 159%, appealing to those prepared to commit to a longer investment period for significant earnings.

Conclusion

Picking the right cloud mining platform is super important if you want to make money with Bitcoin without doing much work. Platforms like BitFuFu, ZT Mining, and Hashing24 have different plans that last for various times and cost different amounts of money. This means you can find one that fits what you’re comfortable with, whether you’re just getting started with cryptocurrency or you want to make a lot of money. By choosing the best plan for you, you can make your money work for you and watch as it grows over time.

Media Contact

Nancy.Delia, ZT CLOUD SERVICES LIMITED, 44 7301463290, support@ztmining.com, https://ztmining.vip

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SOURCE ZT Mining

Technology

CATL Launches the Bedrock Chassis That Withstands 120 km/h Impact Without Catching Fire or Exploding

Published

31 minutes ago

December 24, 2024

NINGDE, China, Dec. 24, 2024 /CNW/ — On December 24th, CATL officially launched the CATL Bedrock Chassis, the world’s first ultra-safe skateboard chassis. With its outstanding performance of withstanding 120 km/h frontal impact without catching fire or exploding, CATL’s Bedrock Chassis sets a new standard for intelligent chassis safety, providing comprehensive protection across all scenarios and speed ranges.

Lead the industry with the most stringent safety tests

With the battery-centered design, CATL’s Bedrock Chassis utilizes Cell-to-Chassis integration technology, which directly integrates the battery cells into the chassis, allowing for a shared structural design between them. And based on the decoupling of the chassis from the upper body, the Bedrock Chassis is capable of absorbing 85% of the vehicle’s collision energy (compared to around 60% absorbed by traditional chassis).

Through various technological breakthroughs, the Bedrock Chassis successfully passed the world’s first “highest speed + strongest impact” dual extreme safety test. This achievement enables the chassis to pass the 120 km/h frontal central pole impact test without catching fire, exploding or thermal runway, redefining the benchmark for safety in the industry.

Currently, the speed for frontal impact safety test in the commonly used C-NCAP (China New Car Assessment Program) is 56km/h, which, when experiencing a frontal impact at this speed, generates collision energy equivalent to falling from 12-meter-high building. In comparison, a frontal impact at 120km/h is equivalent to falling from a 56-meter-high building, generating a collision energy 4.6 times that of collision at 56km/h.

In more stringent frontal pole crash tests, which simulate crashes with non-standard objects such as power poles, large trees, or animals, the impact area is only 1/6 of that in a full-width frontal impact, exponentially increasing impact pressure. At a speed of 120km/h, the impact pressure on the chassis per unit area in a frontal central pole impact is 21 times that of the 56 km/h full-width frontal impact in C-NCAP testing.

Due to the extremely high crash speed and intensity, there has been no previous instance of any new energy vehicle daring to challenge a 120km/h frontal pole impact test. With this extreme challenge, CATL’s Bedrock Chassis has blazed a fresh trail for the industry.

Open the era of ultra-safe transportation through three technological breakthroughs

CATL’s Bedrock Chassis has delved deep into the realm of structure and material innovation, leveraging three technological breakthroughs to provide unparalleled protection in all scenarios and speed ranges, ensuring rock-solid safety for the entire vehicle.

The CATL Bedrock Chassis introduces a revolutionary three-dimensional biomimetic tortoise shell structure, where the body and energy unit framework are integrated, deeply coupled to provide the energy unit with indestructible protection. And its aircraft carrier-grade arresting structure disperses impact forces across multiple pathways during a crash, gradually decelerating the vehicle and significantly reducing the depth and speed at which obstacles intrude the cabin. The utilization of submarine-grade hot-formed steel with a strength of 2000MPa, aerospace-grade aluminum alloy with a strength of 600MPa, and multiple barrier structures further enhance the chassis’ rigidity, making it virtually impervious.

Moreover, the CATL Bedrock Chassis incorporates an ultra-safe battery cell design, NP technology, and a high-ductility energy-absorbing insulation film, leading the industry in a groundbreaking manner. In terms of high-voltage disconnection, it achieves instantaneous disconnection of high voltage circuit within 0.01 seconds of impact and completes the discharge of residual high-voltage energy in the vehicle within 0.2 seconds, setting a new industry record.

Notably, the battery cells have undergone highly demanding tests, including high-speed sled impact tests at 60 km/h, 90-degree bending tests, and breakthrough sawing tests, the battery did not catch fire or explode across all three tests. These tests, all industry-firsts by CATL, have elevated the safety standards of battery cells to new heights.

Unlocking the era of customization, and activating a trillion-yuan market

The launch of the Bedrock Chassis not only redefines the standard for intelligent chassis safety but also activates a trillion-yuan market. It greatly accelerates the shift towards modular, personalized, and intelligent automotive design.

Addressing the common pain points of high investment, long development cycles, and accelerated product iteration in the industry, the Bedrock Chassis incorporates three core characteristics: internal integration, decoupling of the chassis from the upper body, and external openness. With a rich array of toolkits and solution packages, it offers a scalable software and hardware architecture and standardized interfaces, enabling flexible configurations for different vehicle models and scenarios. This allows the realization of a “one chassis architecture, multiple vehicle models” concept and significantly improves development efficiency and shortens the R&D cycle. The time required for mass production of a vehicle is reduced from the traditional 36 months or longer to 12 to 18 months.

Furthermore, the Bedrock Chassis breaks the limits of safety and modeling, and expands design flexibility through the design of decoupling of the chassis from the upper body. The fourth-generation Cell-to-Chassis (CTC) technology and inverted battery cell technology enhance the utilization of chassis space while reducing the risk of chassis scraping. Additionally, in terms of intelligence, the chassis supports mechanical decoupling, software decoupling and EE decoupling, enabling L3 to L4 intelligent driving capabilities. It provides high adaptability interfaces and promotes collaborative intelligent applications.

At the launch ceremony, AVATR, the first automaker to use Bedrock Chassis, and CAIT-SH, CATL’s skateboard chassis arm, signed an agreement to deepen cooperation on CATL’s Bedrock Chassis to create a safer, higher-quality travel experience for users.

Safety is a never-ending journey. In the future, CATL will continue to break technological barriers through continuous innovation, and work with partners to build a safe ecosystem for EV batteries and vehicles, safeguarding the safety of users.

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SOURCE Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited (CATL)

Technology

Live Good: A Journey of Courage, Education and Purpose

Published

2 hours ago

December 24, 2024

Live Good is the realization of one individual’s inspiring vision to create something meaningful to share with the world.

IRVINE, Calif., Dec. 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Founded on the principles of time, education and a sense of purpose, Live Good aspires to empower individuals through access to transformative learning opportunities.

“When I finally found the courage to create Live Good, I wanted it to embody the values and principles that I find meaningful,” said Jennifer Chi, founder of Live Good. “To me, the most precious resource in life is time. The time you spend can never be reclaimed. If I was going to spend all this time and energy on something, it had to be something I deeply believed in.”

The second cornerstone of Live Good is education. Drawing from personal experiences, Jennifer emphasizes education as a life-changing force. Books became vital growing up, opening windows to new perspectives and worlds. “My favorite book as a child was Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder,” Jennifer shared. “It may have been a simple book about a girl living in the 1800s learning how to cook and do chores to help her family, but now I understand how incredible it was that a little girl living back then even knew how to read and write. She had the foresight to understand that writing about her life on the prairie, however simple it seemed, might be of some importance in the future. And she had the courage to publish her own words.”

Recognizing the transformative power of education and the impact of mentorship, Live Good prioritizes access to education as a central mission. “My love for reading and curiosity for learning became a lifeline,” Jennifer added. “I was blessed with teachers who saw potential in a very quiet and shy little girl. Live Good is my way of giving others the same opportunities that once gave me a little spark inside and a pathway forward.”

Through innovative programs and partnerships, Live Good aims to make education accessible and foster growth and resilience. It’s more than an initiative—it’s a testament to the belief that every moment spent on meaningful endeavors can ripple out to create a brighter future for others.

Live Good proudly aligns with educational models, such as Capstone Programs in the University of California (UC) school system. These programs serve as a bridge between academic learning and real-world application, embodying the mission of Live Good by fostering life-changing learning experiences.

Other educational initiatives focus on collaborating with Women in Information and Computer Sciences within the UC system to create programs that empower women through high-tech training. Additionally, Live Good offers a mentorship program for at-risk youth from schools spanning San Francisco to Southern California to foster college admission and equip students with the skills they need to realize their dreams.

For more information about Live Good Inc, and to sign up for their newsletter, visit Live Good Inc. Follow on Instagram, Facebook and Threads.

Contact:
Adrienne Johnson
***@gmail.com

Photos:
https://www.prlog.org/13053993

Press release distributed by PRLog

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/live-good-a-journey-of-courage-education-and-purpose-302338750.html

SOURCE Live Good Inc.