The Discovery of Phthalates - Karen Li

Science takes a big part in our lives while we corporate with science imperceptibly without noticing. We use science for building our houses, we use science for wearing appropriate clothing, we use science for our electronic devices, and we use science even for the simplest parts in our lives. One of the most considerable problems around the globe is about the environment. As we have being hoping that those issues can be katabatic using science. Recently, two high school girls had discovered a way to make our miserable environment condition better. 

Miranda Wang and Jeanny Yao were two normal high-school students who take their school tasks seriously and win compliments from the teachers. Only that they just became rich with 10 million dollars in their account. Their work was commented as “incredible teamwork and prodigious discovery”. So what did they do that made the world gasp? 

A few years ago, Miranda and Jeanny started a research focusing on phthalates—a fossil fuel-based additive and known carcinogen found in some plastics. Unexpectedly, they were fantasized by the fact that phthalates are easily taken into our bodies. They can be absorbed by skin contact, ingested and absorbed. People use large amounts of phthalates in their daily life. Because of that, the two girls decided to continue on the topic formally. They identified two special sites along the Fraser River that contains varying concentrations of phthalates. The two sites are the Richmond Landfill and the Reifel bird sanctuary. After researching and experimenting, they found a special kind of bacteria that eats plastic. The two girls brought their discoveries to the British Columbia Regional Sanofi BioGENEius Challenge Canada competition and was extremely successful. They won the contest and was told that their discoveries worth approximately 10 million dollars.  

The two girls were both shocked and excited. They’d never realized that their discoveries could end up so successfully. "When Jeanny and I took on this journey we didn't know this would take us to TED. We just wanted to see if we could learn something beyond the high school classroom," Mirada said proudly, her tone full with enthusiasm.  

Because of so many young future scientists, our lives are getting better. Science ad Technologies had improved dramatically in these decades. More and more people are living in a satisfying environment now. However, in order to solve the hugest problems, we still need to make an effort; and that includes the help of a new generation of scientists. Hopefully by the time when human finally discover the secret of delaying global warming, we are still alive.