Teen scientist Priyanka Satpute is using her scientific prowess and research skills to come up with a way to benefit communities in developing countries. With help from her classmates, the Nashua High School North student is designing a new electrical source: a battery powered entirely by bacteria.
“For many less-developed countries, electricity is the gateway to everything: education, even civil liberties,” Satpute said to the Nashua Telegraph.
With a significant grant from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Lemelson-MIT Program, which celebrates young innovators, the team of Nashua North seniors will set about creating the generator-like device. A 50-gallon tub stored underground would be filled with soil and bacteria, which would create energy as the bacteria multiplied that would be converted into electricity. According to Satpute, this process would also produce methane gas, which could be used for cooking and heating.
Recently, another high school student made headlines for a potentially groundbreaking scientific innovation that he has been working on. Inspired by his mother's injury and concern about becoming dependent on painkillers, 17-year-old Raghav Tripathi is developing a non-addictive painkiller alternative that could potentially benefit thousands.
And in Nigeria, a group of teen girls created a low-cost, urine-powered generator, which they debuted at the Maker Faire Africa in Lagos earlier this month.
"Their efforts should not go unnoticed," said Next Web's Emil Protalinski of the girls who created the generator, "Because if this is what they’re doing as teenagers, I really hope they have the funding they need to be revolutionizing lives when they’re adults."
Are you impressed by Sitpute's project? Do you know any amazing teen scientists who are changing the world? Tell us in the comments below or tweet @HuffPostTeen!
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