2024 Winners
First
Seeking the probability of an unprecedented event may be a search for a property that does not exist, like inquiring into the marital status of the number five. But Ord dodges this issue, concluding that quantification is useful.
Benjamin C, New York, USA
Second (19-21)
Various southern African plant extracts have shown documented activity against HIV, using many different methods to attack the virus, and scientists are actively finding more. This great diversity of structure and mechanism of action among natural antiviral agents is a security factor against an engineered pandemic.
Aaron B, Maine, USA
Second (21-24)
Opacity, size, and interconnectedness are the common properties that predispose the financial sector and AI to systemic risk. We would thus be wise to learn from the financial industry, which has had a major head start grappling with these risk factors.
Jenny S, Switzerland
Second (13-18)
If humanity has any shot at making it past this century, we need to come up with green, cheap, abundant and accessible energy – and fast. I believe that is going to come in the form of Thorium-232-powered nuclear reactors.
Simone B, Canada
Third (13-18)
Nishita B, North Carolina, USA
Third (13-18)
Emma A, France
Third (19-21)
Edward Y, Oregon, USA
Third (19-21)
Ayushka T, Canada
Third (22-24)
Deborah K, South Carolina, USA
Third (22-24)
Looi S, Singapore