Research & Innovation

Three Irish students from Cork have made it onto Time magazine’s annual list of most influential teenagers, alongside Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai and New Zealand singer Lorde.

Ciara Judge, 16, Emer Hickey, 17, and Sophie Healy-Thow, 17, were noted for their discovery of bacteria that deposits nitrogen from the atmosphere into soil.

The Kinsale Community College students scooped the grand prize at the Google Science Fair in California last month.

Two years ago, the three then-third year students, took the top prize at the BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition.

They discovered that a naturally occurring bacteria in soil could be used to speed up the germination process of certain crops by up to 50%.

They then went on to scoop the top award in their category at the EU Young Scientist of the year competition, before their project was deemed the overall winner of the Google prize.

Other teenagers on Time’s list include the daughters of US President Barack Obama, Malia 16 and Sasha 13.

Time said it compiled its list of 25 teens – 29, counting accolades shared by siblings and partners – by analysing their social media following, business successes and cultural importance.

The youngest were Sasha Obama and fellow 13-year-old baseball pitcher Mo’ne Davis, who led her Philadelphia boys’ team to the Little League World Series and landed a spot on the cover of Sports Illustrated.

Tavi Gevinson, the 18-year-old fashion writer and founder of popular online magazine Rookie, was noted as emblematic of the contemporary teen in the Internet age, while transgender activist Jazz Jennings, 14, and Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong, 18, also made the list.

The dominant categories were athletes, actors and singers.

Actors taking centre stage were Kiernan Shipka, 14, of “Mad Men,”  Rico Rodriguez, 16, of “Modern Family” and “The Equalizer’s” Chloe Grace Moretz, 17.

Pop singers Becky G, 17, and Austin Mahone, 18, earned plaudits as did New Zealand pro golfer Lydia Ko, 17, and Afghan National Cycling Team member Salma Kakar, 17.

Teens noted for business success include 15-year-old Erik Finman, founder of the online tutoring site Botangle.com; YouTube fashion star Bethany Mota, 18, and actress-turned-stock picker Rachel Fox, 18.

Los Angeles teen chef Flynn McGarry, 15, joined stars of Twitter’s Vine short-form video service, Nash Grier, and singer Shawn Mendes, both 16.

Jaden Smith, 16, son of actors Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, was recognised for acting and his Twitter following, while reality TV stars the Jenner sisters Kendall, 18, and Kylie, 17, were noted for their burgeoning Hollywood and merchandising careers.

Also in the spotlight were 19-year-olds Megan Grassell, founder of the Yellowberry clothing company that makes bras for teens, and South African-Australian YouTube star and actor-musician Troye Sivan.