Award-winning young scientists
3D printing, walking robot, lawn sprinkler: the winners of the Young Researchers competition are setting new trends.
They have ideas for the future that also impress politicians. Johanna Wanka, Federal Minister of Education, recently awarded the prizes to the winners of the 49th Young Researchers competition at the national finals. Wanka emphasised: “For many of the participants, the competition is a key experience and the first important step on the road to a future career in science.” Thinking in new directions pays off here. For example, 16-year-old Leonard Bauersfeld adapted a lawn sprinkler to suck in water instead of spraying it out, thereby demonstrating that Coriolis force can be used as a power source. This force also moves the air around low-pressure areas. Bauersfeld’s basic research won him the Federal Chancellor’s prize for the most original work. But other projects in the talent competition also caused a stir: 3D printers made rotationally symmetric parts, bacteria desulphurised biogas and a smartphone-controlled walking robot showed it can search disaster areas.
