15 student finalists have gone through to the final of this year’s Breakthrough Junior Challenge. The annual global science competition announced its 2023 finalists and Popular Vote regional champions in September. Now, a Selection Committee of top scientists and experts will review the finalists’ videos and decide a winner.
Yuri Milner launched the Breakthrough Junior Challenge in 2015. The billionaire is a Giving Pledge philanthropist and the author of Eureka Manifesto. He is also a co-founder of the Breakthrough Prize and the founder of the Breakthrough Initiatives and Tech For Refugees.
The winner of the Breakthrough Junior Challenge will receive a $250,000 college scholarship. On top of this, the teacher who inspired them will win $50,000. Additionally, their school will receive a new science lab worth $100,000.
Highlights From the 2023 Breakthrough Junior Challenge Finalists
Over 2,400 students from around the world entered the 2023 Breakthrough Junior Challenge. Applicants submitted short, creative videos explaining a big idea in physics, life sciences, or mathematics.
Last year’s finalists made videos on topics like Gaussian curvature, noise cancellation, and tachyons. Noor Haideri won the 2022 Breakthrough Junior Challenge with her video about blue light and how it can disrupt our sleep cycle.
This year’s finalists have covered challenging subjects like myoelectric prosthetics, machine learning, and retroviruses. Here’s a closer look at the topics three 2023 finalists have explained in their videos.
Neutrinos
Cheng-You Ho, aged 16, from Taiwan, explores the subject of “the missing neutrino” in his video. Neutrinos are tiny particles with no electric charge. There are three kinds of neutrinos: the electron neutrino, the muon neutrino, and the tau neutrino.
Our Sun releases electron neutrinos during nuclear fusion. Neutrinos escape the Sun and travel through space. Trillions of them pass through our bodies every day.
However, an experiment in 1968 detected only one-third of the amount of electron neutrinos scientists thought were passing through Earth.
In 2001, scientists discovered a solution to the missing two-thirds. Experiments revealed that electron neutrinos can convert into muon and tau neutrinos as they travel. This was why the original experiment only detected a third of the expected amount of neutrinos.
The Yamanaka Factors
Sia Godika, aged 17, from India, illuminates the Yamanaka factors in her video. Embryonic cells are pluripotent, which means they can develop into any cell type. For example, nerve, muscle, or liver cells. However, the Yamanaka factors can make these specialized cells return to their original pluripotent state.
Sia explains that these gene transcription factors have many applications in medicine. The Yamanaka factors could also cure age-related diseases or extend a person’s lifespan.
Antimatter
Hans de los Santos, aged 16, from the U.S., discusses the power of antimatter in his video. If matter and antimatter were to connect, they would destroy each other in a process called annihilation. Since there’s almost no antimatter on Earth, we don’t need to worry about this happening.
However, the lack of antimatter in the Universe poses a conundrum. If antimatter behaves identically to matter, why is there so much matter and so little antimatter? Scientists haven’t discovered an answer yet. However, experiments with neutrinos and antineutrinos could one day shed light on the mystery.
In addition to being a finalist, Hans was also the overall top scorer in the Popular Vote. This judging round of the competition invites the public to vote on their favorite semifinalist video entries. Hans’ video received over 8,000 likes and reactions on the Breakthrough Prize Facebook and YouTube pages.
Alongside an overall top scorer, the Popular Vote names a regional champion for each of the seven geographic regions. Hans was the regional champion for North America. Meanwhile, Sia Godika was the regional champion for India, and Cheng-You Ho was the regional champion for Asia.
Read more about the 2023 Breakthrough Junior Challenge finalists.
About Yuri Milner
Yuri Milner is the founder of DST Global and a prolific science philanthropist. He and his wife Julia joined the Giving Pledge in 2012, vowing to support fundamental science and scientists.
As part of his Giving Pledge, Yuri Milner has established several science-focused programs. These programs include the Breakthrough Junior Challenge, the Breakthrough Initiatives, Tech For Refugees, and the Breakthrough Prize. He funds these projects through his Breakthrough Foundation.
Yuri Milner has written a short book titled Eureka Manifesto: the Mission for Our Civilization. Available to read online for free, Eureka Manifesto collects some of his ideas about humanity and the cosmos.