Hillary Diane Andales, a high school student, won the prestigious 2017 Breakthrough Junior Challenge by explaining the theory of relativity in a short YouTube video. Her video, titled “Relativity & The Equivalence of Reference Frames,” earned her a $250,000 scholarship and a total of $400,000 in cash and prizes.
The theory of relativity is a challenging concept for many high school students and even adults worldwide. However, Andales managed to break it down and provide a clear explanation in her video. The judges, which included notable individuals like former NASA astronaut Mae Jemison and Khan Academy founder Salman Khan, had a difficult task in reviewing the top 15 finalists’ work.
Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity, which states that mass and energy are different forms of the same thing, was groundbreaking and somewhat controversial during its time. Einstein himself expressed how the acceptance or rejection of his theory could impact how he was perceived by different nations.
Andales’ achievement in simplifying the theory of relativity is impressive, and her video serves as a valuable educational resource for those seeking to understand this complex concept.
