For this contest, The Learning Network of The New York Times invites students to find a STEM-related question, concept or issue, and, in 500 words or fewer, explain it to a general audience in a way that emphasises its importance and engages others.

Ideal submissions include:

1. An engaging hook to captue the reader's attention.
2. Credible references.
3. Explanation of why the topic matters—how it is relevant to broader questions in the field and to the world today.

Middle and high school students ages 13 to 19 years old in the United States and the United Kingdom, and students ages 16 to 19 years old anywhere else in the world are eligible to apply.