15-Year-Old Girl Has An Invention That Could Save Lives — And This Impressive Title


15-year-old Hannah Herbst says she has a way to save lives using a resource close to her Florida home: the ocean.

In her entry video for the 2015 Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge, Herbst details exactly how her invention, "The Ocean Energy Probe," works and how she can use it to "aid the world's energy crisis."

It's this brilliant invention that awarded her the title of "America's Top Young Scientist" and $25,000.

According to Business Insider, Herbst's Ethiopian pen pal, who has limited electricity, moved her to pursue the project.

Therefore, her device would provide "a source of sustainable power and fresh water for people of developing companies," she explains in her entry video

The probe focuses on using the "uncollected potential current energy" in the Boca Raton Intracoastal Waterway to turn the water's currents into electricity.

And it could have a huge impact:

"She calculated that if her design were scaled up, she could generate enough electricity to charge three car batteries at once in less than an hour. That's enough energy to power saltwater desalinization pumps to provide a source of fresh water for developing countries. It could also power blood centrifuges for medical use, or coastal beacons for ship navigation," BI reports.

Business Insider also writes that Herbst plans to take her winnings and donate them to her friend in Ethiopia, her school, and her college fund.

Congratulations are definitely in order.

Be sure to watch her full video below: