Could these students provide the science breakthroughs of the future?

Updated 1126 GMT (1926 HKT) January 25, 2018

Photos: Science Talent Search: Nobel-winning alumni

The Science Talent Search is not your average science fair. Conducted by the Society for Science and the Public since 1942, its US-wide search for the brightest students has seen 13 future Nobel Laureates pass through the competition. Scroll through the gallery to discover more about them.

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Winner of the <a href="https://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/physics/laureates/1972/cooper-bio.html" target="_blank">Nobel Prize in Physics</a> in 1972, Leon Cooper took part in the Science Talent Search in 1947 and was a finalist for his project on penicillin-resistant bacteria. He received the highest award in physics for jointly developing the theory of superconductivity, when some metals, when cooled, exhibit zero electrical resistance.

Photos: Science Talent Search: Nobel-winning alumni

Leon Cooper – Winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1972, Leon Cooper took part in the Science Talent Search in 1947 and was a finalist for his project on penicillin-resistant bacteria. He received the highest award in physics for jointly developing the theory of superconductivity, when some metals, when cooled, exhibit zero electrical resistance.

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Competing in the 1946 iteration of the competition, Edelman shared the 1972 <a href="https://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/medicine/laureates/1972/edelman-facts.html" target="_blank">Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine</a> with Rodney Porter. Both had independently researched the chemical make-up of antibodies, establishing their Y-shaped structure (pictured).

Photos: Science Talent Search: Nobel-winning alumni

Gerald Edelman – Competing in the 1946 iteration of the competition, Edelman shared the 1972 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with Rodney Porter. Both had independently researched the chemical make-up of antibodies, establishing their Y-shaped structure (pictured).

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Mottelson's relationship with the Science Talent Search dates back further than any other Nobel-winning alumni, becoming a finalist in 1944. Born in Illinois, he received the <a href="https://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/physics/laureates/1975/mottelson-facts.html" target="_blank">Nobel Prize in Physics</a> in 1975 for developing "the theory of the structure of the atomic nucleus," based on the connection between collective and particle motion of atomic nuclei.

Photos: Science Talent Search: Nobel-winning alumni

Ben Mottelson – Mottelson's relationship with the Science Talent Search dates back further than any other Nobel-winning alumni, becoming a finalist in 1944. Born in Illinois, he received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1975 for developing "the theory of the structure of the atomic nucleus," based on the connection between collective and particle motion of atomic nuclei.

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Recipient of the 1979 <a href="https://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/physics/laureates/1979/glashow-facts.html" target="_blank">Nobel Prize in Physics</a>, Glashow was a finalist in the 1950 Science Talent Search. The New York-native won his Nobel for his contribution to "the theory of the unified weak and electromagnetic interaction between elementary particles."

Photos: Science Talent Search: Nobel-winning alumni

Sheldon Glashow – Recipient of the 1979 Nobel Prize in Physics, Glashow was a finalist in the 1950 Science Talent Search. The New York-native won his Nobel for his contribution to "the theory of the unified weak and electromagnetic interaction between elementary particles."

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A finalist in the 1949 Science Talent Search, the Washington-native won the 1980 <a href="https://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/chemistry/laureates/1980/gilbert-facts.html" target="_blank">Nobel Prize in Chemistry</a> for "the determination of base sequences in nucleic acid," furthering our knowledge of DNA and gene sequencing.

Photos: Science Talent Search: Nobel-winning alumni

Walter Gilbert – A finalist in the 1949 Science Talent Search, the Washington-native won the 1980 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for "the determination of base sequences in nucleic acid," furthering our knowledge of DNA and gene sequencing.

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Hoffmann competed in the 1955 Search and was a recipient of the <a href="https://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/chemistry/laureates/1981/hoffmann-facts.html" target="_blank">Nobel Prize in Chemistry</a> in 1981. He made the top ten in the student competition, but was awarded top honors by the Nobel committee for his work theorizing chemical reactions -- particularly the orbit of electrons.

Photos: Science Talent Search: Nobel-winning alumni

Roald Hoffmann – Hoffmann competed in the 1955 Search and was a recipient of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1981. He made the top ten in the student competition, but was awarded top honors by the Nobel committee for his work theorizing chemical reactions -- particularly the orbit of electrons.

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Awarded the <a href="https://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/physics/laureates/2004/wilczek-facts.html" target="_blank">Nobel Prize in Physics</a> in 2004 took fourth place in the 1967 Science Talent Search. While at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology he won as part of a team of three "for the discovery of asymptotic freedom in the theory of the strong interaction" -- a theory that when quarks, a subatomic particle, come close to one another, they act like free particles.

Photos: Science Talent Search: Nobel-winning alumni

Frank Wilczek – Awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2004 took fourth place in the 1967 Science Talent Search. While at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology he won as part of a team of three "for the discovery of asymptotic freedom in the theory of the strong interaction" -- a theory that when quarks, a subatomic particle, come close to one another, they act like free particles.

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