Warm fuzzy of the day: Teen scientist to join Obamas at the State of the Union

Boynton’s premier achievement as a young scientist was creation of a method to test for water pollutants by using light-generating bacteria. The student found that the microscopic organisms generated less light as the water’s toxicity grew.
By placing a bacterial culture in a light-tight box with a digital camera and processing the results through a free computer program, Boynton was able to reliably and cheaply test for half a dozen common pollutants. The technology, which won top science and engineering fair honors, has potential for testing water purity in developing nations where more costly testing procedures are not an option.
Worldwide, approximately 1 billion people lack access to safe water; 3.5 million die each year as a result.

She also finds out today if she has won the Intel’s Science Talent Search for this research, which is the nation’s highest honor for high school science studies. I don’t doubt this is the beginning of many major contributions Boynton will be making to the field — and to the world. Good luck, Li!
Pic via Melissa Phillip Chronicle.