17-year-old Brazilian wins Nobel Prize for Young Scientists

Manuel Jose Nunes Neto, a 17-year-old boy from BiawiRecently awarded the 2024 Stockholm Water Prize, considered the “Young Nobel Prize in Science,” their invention, a watercraft, promises to revolutionize water quality monitoring. To do this, they will use a low-cost, autonomous boat capable of analyzing key parameters such as pH, temperature, turbidity and dissolved oxygen.

The project takes on particular importance in a worrying global context. According to the UNESCO report, United Nations Water, 26% of the world’s population does not have access to safe drinking water, and 3.6 billion people live without safe sanitation. In 2019, 1.4 million deaths were attributed to inadequate hygiene conditions, highlighting the urgent need for innovations like Manuel’s.

Manuel Nunes, showing off the autonomous water quality monitoring vehicle | Photo: Disclosure/Personal archive

The water rover, developed using recyclable materials and solar panels for clean energy, is inspired by riverside communities in Piauí. Manuel explains that authorities often don’t realize water pollution until diseases occur. His device aims to monitor water quality continuously, acting as a 24-hour environmental watchdog.

Manuel’s innovation not only simplifies water monitoring, but also promotes a sustainable approach to solving local and global problems. He is the first person from the Northeast to receive this award, a remarkable achievement that increases the visibility of Brazilian science on the international stage. “I want to change the world,” says Manuel, expressing his determination to change the reality around him.

Manuel Nunes tests the ETA Sul Water Rover in the waters of Teresina | Photo: Disclosure/Personal archive

Nobel Prize for Young Sciences

Nobel Prize for Young ScienceThe Stockholm Water Prize, officially known as the Young Water Prize, is an award designed to honour and encourage innovation and research by young people in areas related to water and the environment. The prize is an important distinction for young scientists and inventors, as it provides visibility and support for their initiatives.

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The aim of the award is to stimulate creativity and interest among young people in environmental issues, particularly in the context of water management, which is of critical importance to public health and sustainable development.

Winners often offer innovative and accessible solutions that can impact communities and contribute to solving global problems.

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