LAGOS, Nigeria (Chatnewstv.com) — A brilliant Nigerian teenager has shattered a decade-long record, becoming the first Nigerian contestant to be selected for the semi-finals of the Breakthrough Junior Challenge, a major global science communication competition.
Daniel Adeluyi was selected among thousands of applicants to secure a spot in the top 30 semi-finalists for the 11-year-old competition. His entry, a compelling two-minute video explaining the complex physics of traversable wormholes, caught the attention of judges.
Adeluyi’s achievement marks the first time a Nigerian has reached this stage of the contest.
“I am incredibly honored to be the first Nigerian to reach this stage,” Adeluyi said.
“This competition is about pushing the boundaries of scientific communication, and I hope my participation inspires the next generation of African scientists to tackle the biggest questions in the universe.”
The Breakthrough Junior Challenge, which awards more than $400,000 in prizes, is one of the biggest science competitions for teenagers globally. The overall winner receives a $250,000 college scholarship, their nominating teacher receives $50,000, and their school receives a state-of-the-art $100,000 science lab.
To advance to the final stage, Adeluyi must now rely on public support. The contestant with the highest votes in the popular vote category automatically advances to the finals.
The popular vote closes this Tuesday, Dec. 9. Supporters can vote for Adeluyi by liking his video on both Facebook and YouTube, and sharing the links below with their networks:
• YouTube: https://youtu.be/DysdmiVLAug
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1MCbmBZscZ/
In his submission, Adeluyi concludes his explanation of interstellar travel by stating that concepts like wormholes “may open the doors to inventions we can’t even imagine yet and change our understanding of the universe forever” [01:47].
The video is titled “Daniel, Physics, Nigeria, Africa Region: 2025 Breakthrough Junior Challenge Popular Vote” and is available on the Breakthrough YouTube channel.
Editor: Gabriel Ani
