"AMERICA'S TOP YOUNG SCIENTIST" CHOSEN AT 7th ANNUAL DISCOVERY CHANNEL YOUNG SCIENTIST CHALLENGE

$100,000 in college scholarships and prizes awarded in "Forces of Nature" science competition

Silver Spring, MD – October 19, 2005 – Out of an original field of thousands of middle-school students across the United States, 14-year-old Neela Thangada was chosen today as "America's Top Young Scientist of the Year" by a panel of judges at the Discovery Channel Young Scientist Challenge (DCYSC). Thangada, a student at Keystone Junior High School in San Antonio, Texas, was selected as the grand prize winner of a $20,000 scholarship award. Thangada's project on plant cloning earned her a spot among the 40 finalists in the competition.

"Discovery is incredibly proud of these 40 young explorers and leaders of tomorrow," said Judith A. McHale, President and CEO, Discovery Communications. "Neela Thangada and the other finalists are blazing a path toward a bright scientific future and setting an example for their peers. Discovery is committed to supporting the next generation of top scientists – young men and women – because we know their talents will be crucial to solving many of the problems we face today."

The second-place winner in the competition was 14-year-old Nilesh Tripuraneni of Fresno, California, and third place was awarded to 13-year-old Mary Lou Hedberg of North Attleboro, Massachusetts. Second and third place winners received $10,000 and $5,000 scholarships, respectively. The National Park Service Explorer Team Award was given to Iftin Abshir, Littleton, CO; Anudeep Gosal, Orlando, FL; Elijah Mena, Gales Ferry, CT; Colleen Ryan, Chillicothe, OH; Alexander Uribe, Eagle Mountain, UT.

Special prizes were awarded by various networks and corporate partners of Discovery Communications. The winners were:

• Elijah Mena (Gales Ferry, CT): Discovery Channel Ice Age Award
• Anudeep Gosal (Orlando, FL): Lowell Observatory Star Gazer Award
• Mary Lou Hedberg (North Attleboro, MA): Travel Channel Dream Science Trip Award
• Gregory Lavins (Solon, OH): Discovery Home Image Maker Award
• John Bolander (Memphis, IN): Discovery Commerce Sights to See Award
• Susan Pasternak (Santa Barbara, CA): Discovery Health Channel Science Camp Award
• Camden Miller (Fairview, TX): Animal Planet Animals Everywhere Award
• Garrett Yazzie (Pinon, AZ): The Science Channel Space Camp Award
• Ruslan Werntz (Coppell, TX): TLC Science of Production Award
• Sheel Tyle (Pittsford, NY): Discovery Kids TV Star Award
• Joshua Jones (Titusville, FL): Military Channel Army/Navy Award
• Melanie Kabinoff (Boynton Beach, FL): Discovery Education Educator Award

For this year's competition, the 40 finalists tackled super-sized science experiments centered on the theme, "Forces of Nature" at the University of Maryland's Cole Field House. In the wake of the recent natural disasters that ravaged the Gulf Coast of the United States and Southeast Asia, the teams faced simulated challenges – from fog banks to hurricanes to tsunamis – that utilized their broad range of knowledge in order to understand the implications and scope of natural disasters.

J.D. Roth, producer and star of "Endurance" on the Discovery KIDS channel hosted the challenges and lent support to the teams of finalists. The students were judged based on a composite of scores earned from oral presentations of their individual science projects, which they presented at the National Academy of Sciences, and their participation in two days of team competition.

The Finalists
This year, nearly 75,000 students entered science fairs nationwide; 400 of these were chosen as Semifinalists in the competition. The Final Forty hail from 19 states and Puerto Rico. States include Arizona, California (3), Colorado, Connecticut, Florida (8), Georgia, Hawaii (4), Indiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan (2), Missouri, Montana, New York (2), Ohio (3), Tennessee, Texas (4), Utah (2) and Wyoming.

"These 40 students represent the best scientific minds in the country. It is an inspiration to watch the students tackle complex scientific issues and have a great time doing it," said Carrie Passmore, Senior Vice President of Public Partnerships, Discovery Communications. "My heartfelt congratulations go out to every student, but also to the parents and teachers who support these students every day.

Discovery Channel will broadcast the DCYSC on Sunday, December 18 at 12 noon.

Editor's Note: Bios and Interviews with the winners are available upon request.

About the Competition
In 1999, Discovery created the DCYSC to be a part of the solution to America's chronic underachievement in science and math. The contest responds to evidence that academic performance and interest in science among American students declines dramatically as students get older – particularly during the middle school years.

The DCYSC identifies and honors America's top middle school student who demonstrates the best skills in leadership, teamwork and scientific problem solving. In addition, the ability to be an effective science communicator – a goal that reflects Discovery's philosophy that scientific knowledge is most valuable when it is communicated and shared – is a key component of the judging.

More than 9,500 children have entered the DCYSC since its inception. Winners have received more than $500,000 in scholarship awards, federal government recognition and participated in science-related trips that have taken them to the far corners of the globe.

Discovery is pleased to have Elmer's as DCYSC sponsor. Elmer's has a proud tradition of supporting education, including science. Elmer's believes Science taught through Science Fairs serves as a major benefit to students, allowing students to develop skills in problem solving, research, writing, public speaking and time management.

Discovery Communications, Inc. is the leading global real-world media and entertainment company. Discovery has grown from its core property, the Discovery Channel, first launched in the United States in 1985, to current global operations in more than 160 countries and territories with 1.3 billion cumulative subscribers. DCI's over 90 networks of distinctive programming represent 25 network entertainment brands including TLC, Animal Planet, Travel Channel, Discovery Health Channel, Discovery Kids, Discovery Times Channel, The Science Channel, Military Channel, Discovery Home Channel, Discovery en Español, Discovery Kids En Español, Discovery HD Theater, FitTV, Discovery Travel & Living (Viajar y Vivir), Discovery Home & Health and Discovery Real Time. DCI's other properties consist of Discovery Education and Discovery Commerce, which operates 120 Discovery Channel Stores. DCI also distributes BBC America in the United States. DCI's ownership consists of four shareholders: Discovery Holding Company (NASDAQ: DISCA, DISCB), Cox Communications, Inc., Advance/Newhouse Communications and John S. Hendricks, the Company's Founder and Chairman.

Society for Science & the Public administers the DCYSC. Society for Science & the Public is a Washington, DC based non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the understanding and appreciation of science around the globe through publications, outreach, and educational programs. One of the most respected organizations advancing the cause of science, Society for Science & the Public has a sterling reputation for producing high-quality competitions on the national and international level, including the Intel Science Talent Search and the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, and for the publication of Science News.

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