VANCOUVER - Today’s Year of Science experiment at Science World concluded that an infrared camera can detect freezing road temperatures, but whether or not it’s practical to check for icy road conditions while driving is a question that only time and further scientific enquiry will determine.
The experiment was based on the winning idea of Edward Wong, a semi-finalist in the Year of Science’s ‘Choose Science, Go Far, Win Big’ contest. Wong, who is now eligible for the grand prize $25,000 scholarship, is a 13-year-old student at Kumsheen Secondary school in Lytton.
He is also competing in the 50th Canada-Wide Science Fair later this month in Toronto.
The experiment was performed under the watchful eye of physics expert Dr. Andrzej Kotlicki, from the University of British Columbia’s department of physics and astronomy, who helped explain the science behind the experiment.
Based on the popular TV show, MythBusters, the Year of Science’s ‘Choose Science, Go Far, Win Big’ contest asked young people to upload videos of their ideas for science experiments or myths to be tested.
Wong is one of six semi-finalists for the $25,000 Year of Science scholarship. The winner will be announced in June.