16 Aug 1995, The Daily Telegraph

Merits of fat frogs and paw-prints

Science Editor Roger Highfield announces the winners of the 1995 Young Science Writer Awards.

CASTRATION, genetic paw-prints and the ability of fat frogs to cling to Trinidadian trees were among the topics tackled in the most prestigious science-writing competition for young people, the results of which are announced today.

The eighth annual Young Science Writer Awards were launched in January with an article by Telegraph columnist, Award-winning author and snail fancier Prof Steve Jones. They are backed by National Power and The Daily Telegraph, with the support of the British Association for the Advancement of Science.

Hundreds of entries were filtered for a final round of judging a few days ago in Canary Wharf. There was much good-natured discussion and hand-wringing about how to weigh up the finalists' style, originality and substance against their research and illustration. The British Association's Dr Peter Briggs stressed the importance of good sources, daring to criticise one entry that relied on only one source - The Daily Telegraph - as "rather dodgy".

The temptation to deny him his ration of coffee and biscuits was strong, so I swiftly asked for other tips. Entries must be more than descriptive, tackling scientific ideas lucidly, said Dr Laura Garwin of the journal 'Nature'. Bill O'Neill, 'New Scientist''s technology supremo, banned jargon and said any article should be fit to publish, with minimal editing.

Prof Heinz Wolff attempted to guess how the average Telegraph reader would react to each entry. And National Power's Dr Brian Count favoured those who tackle tough subjects, such as the ability of strange materials called intermetallics to get stronger as they get hotter. Coy or twee intros were denounced by Prof Lewis Wolpert, while Dr Mary Archer attacked wishy-washy endings.

A great deal was at stake. The best candidates in the 15-19 and 20-28 categories, as well as having their entries published and winning pounds 500 each, will visit America, expenses paid, to attend a conference in Baltimore. With the two runners-up, they will also be guests at the British Association's annual meeting next month. And 18 other runners-up each receive pounds 100, certificates of merit and subscriptions to 'New Scientist' and 'Nature'.