14-Year-Old Solar Invention: Solar-Powered Jug Purifies Water

        A 14-year-old ninth grader from New Hampshire, Deepika Kurup, has earned the title of "America's Top Young Scientist" for inventing a solar-powered jug that is able to transform dirty water into purified water. While visiting India and witnessing the act of young children drinking contaminated water from a dirty pool, Deepika "instantly knew she had to do something about the global water crisis." She had hypothesized that a mixture of chemicals would help to kill waterborne bacteria much faster, cheaper and more portable than current technology. 

        With her talent in physics, chemistry, biology and mathematics, Deepika had successfully discovered the appropriate amount of chemicals to create photocatalytic rods designed for placement in water bottles and other portable purifying systems. Once activated with sunlight, the bacteria within the contaminated water disappeared and the water became purified in a matter of hours.