Jim McMahon

Could you be looking at a car of the future? In October, hundreds of high school and college students competed in the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge—a biennial 1,864-mile race across the Australian outback—in solar-powered vehicles that they’d designed themselves. The course begins in the northern city of Darwin and ends five or six days later in southern Adelaide. Racers drive their solar cars—powered by the sun—from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., moving at speeds of about 60 miles per hour. At night, they camp along the desert route. This year’s event attracted more than 40 teams from 21 countries, including Japan, Sweden, and the United States. The goal is to promote solar power research and raise awareness about the environmental effects of using fossil fuels—while also providing an invaluable educational experience for young engineers. “As the world debates climate change and looks to find solutions to more sustainable mobility,” event director Chris Selwood told the Australian Associated Press, “these incredible young people are innovating and collaborating towards a better world.”