THE DISCOVERY YOUNG SCIENTIST CHALLENGE ANNOUNCES 40 FINALISTS REPRESENTING A NEW GENERATION OF SCIENTISTS
-- Nation's Brightest Young Scientists to Gather at Smithsonian Institution and Compete in Ambitious Science Challenges in Quest for Scholarship Monies and Other Special Prizes -

-- Largest Numbers of Finalists from Florida and Hawaii --

BETHESDA, MD (September 18, 2000) - Discovery Communications, Inc. (DCI), in partnership with Society for Science & the Public, announced today the forty (40) Finalists in the second annual Discovery Young Scientist Challenge (DYSC). The DYSC is a national science contest for middle school students established to encourage the exploration, understanding and communication of science among America's youth. The 40 Finalists will compete for $40,000 in scholarship monies and other prizes, with the top winner claiming a $10,000 scholarship.

The Finalists represent 23 states, with the highest numbers from Florida and Hawaii. Twenty-five of the Finalists are girls; 15 are boys. The Finalists were selected from among 400 Semifinalists, who were announced on September 5. The initial 1,623 DYSC entrants were fifth through eighth grade students who qualified for the DYSC through their participation in a Society for Science & the Public-affiliated regional or state science fair.

The Finalists' projects cover a wide variety of scientific disciplines, including biochemistry and microbiology, as well as behavioral, environmental and social sciences. Their topics range from exploring whether fruit enzymes can control garden snails to evaluating whether turmeric powder can help arthritis sufferers to searching for new, natural forms of antibiotics.

"These 40 students have displayed remarkable intelligence and creativity in their science projects and are, without question, among the nation's best and brightest young scientists," said Judith A. McHale, president and chief operating officer of DCI. "By nurturing their enthusiasm for science, and stressing their ability to communicate effectively, the next generation of American scientists are charter members of this stunning era of discovery."

The DYSC targets middle school students, a group that typically performs well in science but does not have many opportunities to compete in science competitions on a national level. By targeting these students, the DYSC reaches a group at a critical age when, according to recent studies, their interest in science and math starts to decline. A primary goal of the DYSC is to encourage these students' interest in science and math while their interest is still active and on the rise, and carry their interest over to high school, where more opportunities to nurture their science talents typically exist.

The 40 Finalists are invited to travel to Washington, DC, all expenses paid, October 21-26, 2000, to compete in science challenges at two Smithsonian Institution museums. Challenges will take place at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History and the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. For three days, student teams will be assigned different challenges, each of which will concentrate on a different discipline of science. Students will be judged on their individual communication skills, leadership skills and problem-solving abilities while working on the challenges. In addition, students will be judged on oral presentations of the projects that won each student a nomination to the DYSC. While in Washington, the Finalists will also be treated to a number of exciting activities, including behind-the-scenes tours of the Smithsonian Institution, tours of the City, and meetings with leading Smithsonian scientists.

"We want to use the DYSC as a means to remind young children that science can be 'cool,'" stated Ann Korando, director of development and public relations at Society for Science & the Public. "So many children lose interest in science at a young age, but these 5th-8th graders put the inspiration and the fascination back into the subject."

On Thursday, October 26, 2000, DCI will announce the winners and award a $10,000 scholarship for first place, a $5,000 scholarship for second place, and a $3,000 scholarship for third place. Additional discretionary prizes, based on the students' projects and their performance during the science challenges, will be announced at a later date.

Discovery Communications, Inc. (DCI) is the leading global real-world media and entertainment company. DCI has grown from its core property, the Discovery Channel, first launched in the United States in 1985, to current global operations in 150 countries with 180 million total subscribers. DCI's programming is tailored to the specific needs of viewers around the globe, and distributed through 69 separate feeds in 32 languages. DCI's networks encompass 14 entertainment brands including TLC, Animal Planet, Travel Channel, Discovery Health Channel, Discovery Kids, and a family of digital channels. DCI's other properties consist of Discovery.com and 165 Discovery Channel retail stores. DCI also distributes BBC America in the United States.

Society for Science & the Public Inc., founded in 1921, is one of the most respected non-profit organizations advancing the cause of science. Based in Washington, D.C., Society for Science & the Public seeks to keep the public abreast of the latest in science information and technology. As publishers of Science News, and administrators of the Intel Science Talent Search - the "Nobel Prize" of high school science - and the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, Society for Science & the Public encourages students, parents, teachers and communities to explore the vast world of science.

The National Museum of Natural History is the world's most visited museum and expects to welcome more than 9 million people during the year 2000. Opened in 1910, the green-domed museum on the National Mall was the first Smithsonian building constructed exclusively to house collections, and the curators and scientists who conserve and study them. It remains the largest of the Smithsonian Institution's bureaus, which encompass the National Zoo and 16 museums and galleries in Washington and New York.

The National Museum of American History traces American heritage through exhibitions of social, cultural, scientific and technological history. Collections are displayed in settings that recapture and interpret the American experience from Colonial times to the present.

For more information about the Discovery Young Scientist Challenge, including a complete listing of the names of the 40 finalists, their school, state and project title, please visit the DYSC website at http://school.discovery.com/sciencefaircentral/dysc//.