Watch this face: Amr Mohamed

Issue 94 July 2012

 Amr Mohamed

While some people may be freaked out by the idea of jumping spiders, Amr Mohamed saw a potential science experiment in their unique function. He submitted an entry to the YouTube Space Lab competition, which challenged teenagers around the world to design a science experiment that could be performed in space. Rather than using webs to catch their prey, jumping spiders launch themselves onto their prey and grab with their jaws. Because much of the experimentation performed in space is under microgravity conditions, Amr proposed an investigation into whether the jumping spider could adapt to new conditions in space. He filmed the short YouTube video about his experiment and from that entry he was chosen as the global winner of the age 17-18 category.

Amr is from Alexandria in Egypt, and initially only entered the competition so that he could mention it on his college application. He has been an avid lover of science since a young age, and was constantly found either playing with his chemistry set or observing random objects using his toy microscope. He will be attending Stanford University in America for further education, and would like to work in the science and innovation field in the future.

Words
Ali Khimji