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Good news from the young scientist expo: The children are smarter than us

After two years in virtual Covid wilderness, the BT Young Scientist is back in the RDS.

AT MIDDAY ON Tuesday, the RDS Main Hall is colonnaded with empty stalls, and patrolled by staff who don’t have very much to do.

By this time on Thursday, the hall will be packed with students, teachers, parents, judges, politicians, business leaders and science enthusiasts, as the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition begins in earnest.

The showcase of Ireland’s rising stars in STEM has become a staple of Ireland’s cultural calendar, and it returns from its virtual Covid wilderness this week for the first time since 2020. 

Walking the RDS hall, I fondly recall my dad leading me from exhibit to exhibit, encouragingly telling me that once I got to secondary school that I too could use my brain to form ideas worthy of these hallowed stalls. He was wrong, of course. I ended up as a journalist with virtually no transferrable skills and soon the same AI that these Gen-Zniuses are perfecting will turn me and my kind into human batteries obsolete for anything besides my energy juice like in the Matrix, but it’s a nice memory.

Even now, as I read through the several hundred strong list of potentially award-winning projects, I am startled by how incapable I feel.

The titles of some projects, even in the junior and intermediate categories, are complicated enough to make a former humanities student cry. Using piezoelectric crystals to generate electricity; Treatment of myocardial infarction using magnetic fields. 

I don’t even know how to treat myocardial infarction using traditional methods.

Speaking to The Journal, The head of the BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition Mari Cahalane, said: “Nothing beats being back in person, especially for the students, for our own team and for the judges. We’ve seen a trend of students investigating things that have an immediate impact on their lives. The students are so innovative and brilliant that we never know what we’re going to get until we see it.” 

One young man, Evan Pollard from St Joseph’s Secondary School in Rush, has designed software that improves detection of colourblindness in early age children through a series of computer games. 

“We tested it on kids from the local primary school, Gaelscoil Ros Eo, and the feedback has been great so far. The mams and dads have all been talking about it, so it’s really promising. If I can use my technology and diagnose it early then a kid can gradually learn to work with it.”

Pollard, a fifth year, came second in his category last year, and says: “If I get any place this year, I’ll be chuffed.”

Two second-year girls from Malahide Community School share the same spirit. Their project sought to test how sustainable sources of clothing dyes, such as turmeric and grass, against commercial dyes.

“We realised that not every plant would stain, but some of our more successful ones were turmeric, where it actually got darker after being washed, as well as beetroot and blueberries.”

Asked if they were feeling competitive ahead of the judging sessions, which begin tomorrow, one student said she was “just looking forward to the experience,” before her teammate added that “winning would be a nice bonus”. Their teacher praised the project as student-led, and said that the girls had earned their few days off school through their hard work – noting that for the last two years, students have simply had to give their presentations from empty classrooms before returning to their ordinary schoolday.

Even the Young Scientist does not escape the cultural climate, however. Students from Coláiste Pádraig CBS in Dublin have worked on an algorithm to predict future house prices. Sustainability is common theme throughout each category, with projects on replacing plastic, easing food crises and renewable energy all popular.  

It is a festival like no other, in that sense. It sets a workforce of hundreds upon solving problems the rest of us often ignore.

Dr Tony Scott, who co-founded the exhibition in 1965, told The Journal: “They’re professionals. They’re able to communicate, and that’ll stand to them through all their careers, in a way you can’t teach from a book.”

Scott still serves as a judge in the Chemical, Physical and Mathematical Sciences category, using three criteria: “What did you set out to do? How did you do it? And what did you find?”

President Michael D Higgins will be present on Wednesday to officially open the fair, before the public is permitted to explore the hundreds of projects from Thursday onwards.

“Ireland has gone on to win first place in the European Union Contest for Young Scientists 17 times in 33 years so we’re doing something right, and all of those winners have come from this competition. That’s the sort of thing that gets me out of bed, year after year.”

One only hopes that there are safeguards in place to prevent any of these genius children from becoming the next Elon Musk.

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    Mute John Smith
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    May 18th 2018, 2:35 PM

    At least 2000 of the workers will be imported by Google.

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    Mute Dave Doyle
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    May 18th 2018, 2:39 PM

    @John Smith: Great….

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    Mute Dave Doyle
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    May 18th 2018, 2:39 PM

    @John Smith: Great….

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    Mute Dave Doyle
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    May 18th 2018, 2:40 PM

    @John Smith: Great….2000 brand new tax payers contributing to the economy so we can fund the layabouts who have never worked a day in their lives.

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    Mute John Smith
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    May 18th 2018, 2:48 PM

    @John Smith:

    Great…..

    Professionals contributing to our growing economy.

    There are many John Smiths, not all of us are the same.

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    Mute Damon16
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    May 18th 2018, 3:08 PM

    @John Smith: These ‘imported workers’ will pay a lot in income tax (most at the higher rate), will use little in the way of social services and spend money in the local economy (food, bars, restaurants) – what’s to whinge about. Also, the reason Google recruits from abroad is because they can’t find the skills here.

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    Mute John Smith
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    May 18th 2018, 3:19 PM

    @Sean O’Brien:

    I welcome people from other places working in our country. It breathes fresh life into a society. It means we do not stagnate. That said, we need much better management of housing by government, it will lead to failure if it is not urgently addressed, it’s a huge problem.

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    Mute Dietrich Död
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    May 18th 2018, 3:56 PM

    @John Smith: I’ve no issue with Google bringing in workers from abroad, but where the hell are they going to live?

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    Mute John Smith
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    May 18th 2018, 3:56 PM

    @Sean O’Brien:

    What has Google being there got to do with anything? Why can’t Google be there? What else would you have there? It’s already zoned for offices, do you have an ideological opposition to Google? What’s wrong with social housing being around it? Would be prefer people in social housing be segregated? Why is it unsustainable? Seems perfectly sustainable to me. What is not sustainable is not building more homes.

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    Mute Jonathan
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    May 18th 2018, 4:03 PM

    @John Smith: Great…where are they gona live

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    Mute psychiatrist
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    May 18th 2018, 4:32 PM

    @John Smith: My estimate is that at least 1500 of the anticipated 2500 jobs will be filled by graduates from Irish universities. Not claiming that they are all Irish, which is beyond the point anyway.

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    Mute John Smith
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    May 18th 2018, 4:47 PM

    @Sean O’Brien:

    There is a whole area around Poolbeg that is to be redeveloped for housing. In Helsinki social housing is mixed with prime real estate. There are no rough areas in Helsinki because of it. This idea that poor people should live in an area because rich people are paying more might make people feel that they are worth more because they pay more, but it does little for social cohesion. Housing is the problem of the government, Google having office space has zero to do with it. It’s a high tech area, it drives our economy now and into the future. We should welcome it rather than whine and moan.

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    Mute Fergus Flanagan
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    May 18th 2018, 6:00 PM

    @Sean O’Brien: Sounds like your beef is with City Planning and not Google. Although sounds like you just have an axe to grind with your ex employer.

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    Mute All Holey
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    May 18th 2018, 6:59 PM

    @Dave Doyle: Well said you sir!!

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    Mute Charliegrl80
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    May 18th 2018, 7:04 PM

    @John Smith: yes, indeed but with a lot of unskilled workers “nothing wrong with that per-say” as a low paid worker they couldn’t afford to live or commute to Dublin.

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    Mute John Judd
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    May 19th 2018, 7:56 AM

    @John Smith: imported because we don’t have enough science, engineering and IT graduates that’s why !

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    Mute Randal McNally
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    May 18th 2018, 5:12 PM

    More of our countries assets sold for a song by Nama and started by Michael Noonan when in Minister., and yet they can’t (or Fine Gael Ethos Won’t) solve the housing crisis. Varadkar, Murphy etc. All style and no substance !

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    Mute Bilbo Baggins
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    May 18th 2018, 5:24 PM

    @Randal McNally: €170 million is a fair ‘song’

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    Mute Billy Heffernan
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    May 18th 2018, 6:52 PM

    @Bilbo Baggins: it doesnt actually say how much the site was sold for. It was up for 170 alri.

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    Mute Cos Sullivan
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    May 18th 2018, 7:56 PM

    @Randal McNally: …noonan should be in jail .

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    Mute bopter
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    May 18th 2018, 2:26 PM

    28,000 sqm for only 2,500 employees, i.e. 11 sqm or 120 square foot per person.

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    Mute Shane Corry
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    May 18th 2018, 3:28 PM

    @bopter: The big tech companies usually go for about 10-12 sqm per person rather than the traditional financial layout of 8-9 sqm per person because they tend to use 140-160cm wide desks vs 120-140cm and extra space is taken up by “amenities” not found in other workplaces. Gym, yoga room, games room, bigger canteen, more break-out spaces etc.

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    Mute John Smith
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    May 18th 2018, 3:57 PM

    @bopter:

    bopter is the best username I’ve ever heard, love it.

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    Mute Colette Kearns
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    May 18th 2018, 2:53 PM

    It’s gas really, google employees will be working for them , then handing back their wages to them for rent. A bit to clan like for me. On saying that hope it will bring in plenty of revenue!

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    Mute B9xiRspG
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    May 18th 2018, 3:22 PM

    @Colette Kearns: It’s optional if you want to live on site with Google but useful if you are new to the country.

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    Mute Shane Corry
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    May 18th 2018, 3:32 PM

    @Colette Kearns: It’s possible they will use them solely as short-term corporate apartments – for new staff from abroad to stay in while they find their own place & for staff that are staying over from a different country for a couple of months.

    Otherwise it’s likely to be fairly senior people only as these apartments in terms of size / location are the type to typically go for €3K-€4.5K per month.

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    Mute psychiatrist
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    May 18th 2018, 4:41 PM

    @Colette Kearns: What’s gas about this? Dublin City sells land to business and housing all over Dublin, and it’s Dublin and the Devs who made money out of nothing.

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    Mute Colette Kearns
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    May 19th 2018, 1:54 AM

    @B9xiRspG: ah Jim I’m just saying I would find it all a bit much, you’d end up living in each other’s ear! And what if you’re boss ends up being your next door neighbor? Just stuff like that.

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    Mute Ted Murray
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    May 18th 2018, 6:46 PM

    Everything gets “snapped up” from Nama, the bargain bin of property sales.

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    Mute Cian O Donoghue
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    May 18th 2018, 6:59 PM

    @Ted Murray: not sure 170 mill is a bargain.

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    Mute Ted Murray
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    May 18th 2018, 7:42 PM

    @Cian O Donoghue: __ Any top-notch commercial firm would have at least doubled that :p

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    Mute Rory J Leonard
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    May 18th 2018, 7:48 PM

    @Cian O Donoghue:

    Google probably got a little discount off that list price, and if they place those 46 apartments on AirBnB after they get a lick of paint, the payback, like it’s search engine, will be speedy.

    Their visiting top brass will just have to pay market rents, otherwise our taxman will be in like flynn with a BIK!

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    Mute Charles Williams
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    May 18th 2018, 9:13 PM

    @Cian O Donoghue: Google are not know for overpaying be in income tax or anything else.?

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    Mute Charles Williams
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    May 18th 2018, 9:11 PM

    NAMA is a public entity tasked with getting the best price for private assets bailed out by the taxpayer, we need to know exactly how much Google paid and how much the taxpayer recovered from this deal.

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    Mute shits ville
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    May 19th 2018, 12:33 AM

    @Charles Williams: available to the public on the PRSA website – just like the residential property price register. Sale price should be available a month or so after the sale closes. No smoke & mirrors.

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    Mute The Viking
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    May 18th 2018, 4:22 PM

    You would think they would lease living quarters to staff. They’re gonna need it.

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    Mute AlchemyIrl
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    May 19th 2018, 8:15 AM

    We are still paying USC !

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    Mute Stevie Doran
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    May 19th 2018, 12:48 AM

    0.5% commission for sale on €170million? Drinks on the auctioneer!

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    Mute Bob Hoover
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    May 20th 2018, 8:52 AM

    Google will eventually buy out the whole of Barrow Street imo.

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    Mute Geralyn Early
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    May 19th 2018, 8:53 AM

    Where will this €170 million go? I us

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