By Cat DiStasio
Solutions to some of the world's most challenging problems are coming from an unlikely place: teenagers. Around the world, young inventors are developing gadgets and techniques that address issues ranging from ocean pollution to biofuels to food production. These incredible inventions are just a few highlights from teens who bring a fresh perspective and a hunger for real-life problem-solving. Hopefully, we'll be reading about these young geniuses again years down the road, as they become stars of their own STEM careers.
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One of the coolest things about kids' inventions is that they tend to be pretty budget-friendly. Since lunch money limits the materials available to most young inventors, they must rely on ingenuity to get the job done. That was true for Hannah Herbst, the 15-year-old who won this year's Discover Education 3M Young Scientist Award. She created a prototype of a propeller-driven machine that draws electricity from ocean currents, and it cost just $12 to make.
The device could help power desalination machines in developing countries, where access to both reliable electricity and clean drinking water are scarce. Herbst was inspired by accounts from her Ethiopian penpal, and she set out to find a practical solution to a big problem. Her efforts scored her a $25,000 cash prize.