Student scientists from across the island descend on the RDS in Dublin this morning as the 2005 Esat BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition gets under way.
Three days of judging begin this afternoon to choose the Young Scientist of the Year on Friday evening.
Tyrannosaurus Rex made a guest appearance yesterday as a number of Dublin students arrived at the RDS Main Hall to begin assembling their projects. The mechanised dinosaur will feature in the Search for the Dinosaur area of the exhibition, which runs until Saturday and opens to the general public on Thursday morning.
Now in its 41st year, the exhibition has received the highest number of entries in its history with 1,064 projects submitted. These were shortlisted to the 480 projects that now go forward at the exhibition.
The participants are vying for the title of Esat BT Young Scientist of the Year 2005. This can go to either to an individual or a group, and there is also a runner-up prize.
The winning team or individual receives a trophy and a cheque for €3,000, and the runner-up prize includes a trophy and a cheque for €1,500.
There are also prizes for the second-placed group and individual who receive cheques for €750 and trophies.
The exhibition is a family event and typically attracts up to 35,000 visitors over the three days the public is permitted to attend.
Aside from viewing the student entries, those attending can visit the dinosaur area, watch stars from the television series Robot Wars and attend workshops explaining how to build a robot.
Other highlights during the week include a specially-commissioned short play entitled Albert Einstein Meets Doctor Who, a look at what might have happened had the great scientist bumped into a time traveller.
There is also Weapons of Sound, where visitors will be asked to join in and make music from shopping trolleys, dustbins and other recycleable "instruments".
The exhibition includes displays by a number of companies, universities and bodies such as the Garda, all located at the rear of the RDS Main Hall.
Judging takes place in three rounds from today until Friday morning, with the winners announced at 5.30 p.m. on Friday.