Deadline for Genes in Space contest extended

ABU DHABI // High school students have an additional eight days to prepare for a part in the future of space exploration.

The deadline for the Genes in Space competition, challenging students to create a DNA analysis experiment that will go into orbit, has been extended to Thursday, February 11.

Students, who can work alone or in teams of up to four, do not need to operate high-tech equipment or work in labs.

They have to design an experiment that will solve real-life space exploration problems through DNA analysis, describe it in a tweetable form of 140 characters or less, and answer four questions about the experiment.

Five finalists will be announced at the Global Aerospace Summit on March 7 and 8 in Abu Dhabi.

They will be mentored by local scientists and specialists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University.

The winner, or winners, will be chosen by a panel of scientists, innovators and educators in May and will be invited to watch their experiment leaving Earth’s atmosphere by rocket from the US.

Their experiment will be conducted by astronauts on the International Space Station.

Submissions are being accepted for Genes in Space from pupils in Grades 7 to 12 at genesinspace.org.