TED-Ed Weekend
Ashton Cofer: A plan to recycle the unrecyclable
Ashton Cofer: El plan de un joven inventor para reciclar poliestireno expandido
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Desde bolas de espuma de poliestireno hasta tazas de café, cada año solo los EE UU producen más de 900 millones de kilos de poliestireno, nada de lo cual puede ser reciclado. Frustrados por este desperdicio de recursos y espacio de relleno sanitario, Ashton Cofer y su equipo de ciencia desarrolló un tratamiento de calor para convertir el poliestireno usado en algo útil. Miren su diseño original que ganó tanto el premio de la Liga Global de Innovación FIRST LEGO como el premio Científico Innovador Americano de la Feria de Ciencia de Google.
Ashton Cofer - Youth inventor
Ashton Cofer and his FIRST Robotics team won the Google Science Fair for developing a process to convert Styrofoam waste into activated carbon for purifying water. Full bio
Ashton Cofer and his FIRST Robotics team won the Google Science Fair for developing a process to convert Styrofoam waste into activated carbon for purifying water. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:12
It was just an ordinary Saturday.
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Era un domingo cualquiera.
00:15
My dad was outside mowing the lawn,
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Mi papá podaba el césped afuera,
00:17
my mom was upstairs folding laundry,
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mi mamá estaba arriba
doblando la ropa,
doblando la ropa,
mi hermana hacía tarea en su cuarto
00:19
my sister was in her room doing homework
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00:22
and I was in the basement
playing video games.
playing video games.
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y yo jugaba video juegos en el sótano.
00:25
And as I came upstairs
to get something to drink,
to get something to drink,
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Subí por algo para beber
miré afuera por la ventana
00:27
I looked out the window
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00:28
and realized that there was something
that I was supposed to be doing,
that I was supposed to be doing,
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y me di cuenta de que había algo
que se suponía debía hacer
que se suponía debía hacer
00:32
and this is what I saw.
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y esto es lo que vi.
00:35
No, this wasn't
my family's dinner on fire.
my family's dinner on fire.
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No, esta no es la cena
de mi familia quemándose.
de mi familia quemándose.
00:39
This was my science project.
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Este era mi proyecto de ciencia.
00:42
Flames were pouring out,
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Llamas emanando
00:43
smoke was in the air
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humo en el aire
00:44
and it looked like our wooden deck
was about to catch fire.
was about to catch fire.
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parecía que nuestro cobijo
de madera se iba a incendiar.
de madera se iba a incendiar.
00:48
I immediately started yelling.
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De inmediato comencé a gritar.
00:50
My mom was freaking out,
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Mi mamá se asustó,
00:51
my dad ran around to put out the fire
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mi papá corrió a apagar el fuego
00:53
and of course my sister
started recording a Snapchat video.
started recording a Snapchat video.
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y claro, mi hermana comenzó
a grabar el video en Snapchat.
a grabar el video en Snapchat.
00:57
(Laughter)
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(Risas)
00:59
This was just the beginning
of my team's science project.
of my team's science project.
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Este fue el inicio del proyecto
de mi equipo de ciencia.
de mi equipo de ciencia.
01:03
My team is composed of me
and three other students
and three other students
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Mi equipo se compone
de mí y otros tres estudiantes
de mí y otros tres estudiantes
01:06
who are here in the audience today.
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que están en la audiencia hoy.
01:08
We competed in FIRST LEGO League
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Competimos en la liga FIRST LEGO,
01:10
which is an international
LEGO robotics competition for kids,
LEGO robotics competition for kids,
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que es una competencia internacional
de robótica LEGO para niños;
de robótica LEGO para niños;
01:13
and in addition to a robotics game,
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además de un juego de robótica
01:15
we also worked
on a separate science project,
on a separate science project,
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también trabajamos
en otro proyecto de ciencia
en otro proyecto de ciencia
01:18
and this was the project
that we were working on.
that we were working on.
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y este fue el proyecto
en el que trabajábamos.
en el que trabajábamos.
01:20
So the idea for this project all started
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La idea de este proyecto nació
01:22
when a few months earlier,
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cuando unos meses atrás,
01:24
a couple of my teammates
took a trip to Central America
took a trip to Central America
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un par de mis compañeros
viajó a América Central
viajó a América Central
01:27
and saw beaches littered with Styrofoam,
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y vio unicel tirado en las playas,
01:29
or expanded polystyrene foam.
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o poliestiereno expandido.
Cuando regresaron
y nos contaron al respecto,
y nos contaron al respecto,
01:32
And when they came back
and told us about it,
and told us about it,
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01:34
we really started thinking about the ways
in which we see Styrofoam every day.
in which we see Styrofoam every day.
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comenzamos a pensar en las formas
en que vemos el poliestireno cada día.
en que vemos el poliestireno cada día.
01:37
Get a new flat-screen TV?
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¿Compraste una pantalla de TV?
01:39
You end up with a block of Styrofoam
bigger than the TV itself.
bigger than the TV itself.
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Terminas con un bloque de poliestireno
más grande que la TV misma.
más grande que la TV misma.
01:43
Drink a cup of coffee?
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¿Tomaste una tasa de café?
01:44
Well, those Styrofoam coffee cups
are sure going to add up.
are sure going to add up.
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Seguramente te lo dieron
en una tasa de poliestiereno.
en una tasa de poliestiereno.
01:47
And where do all these items go
after their one-time use?
after their one-time use?
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¿A dónde van todos estos objetos
después de usados una sola vez?
después de usados una sola vez?
Ya que no hay solución existente
para el poliestireno usado,
para el poliestireno usado,
01:51
Since there aren't any good
existing solutions for used Styrofoam,
existing solutions for used Styrofoam,
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01:54
almost all of them
end up right in the landfill,
end up right in the landfill,
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casi todos acaban justo
en rellenos sanitarios,
en rellenos sanitarios,
o en los océanos o playas,
01:57
or the oceans and beaches,
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01:58
taking over 500 years to degrade.
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y toman más de 500 años en degradarse.
02:01
And in fact, every year, the US alone
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De hecho, cada año, sólo en EE UU
02:03
produces over two billion
pounds of Styrofoam,
pounds of Styrofoam,
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se produce más de 900 millones
de kilos de poliestireno,
de kilos de poliestireno,
02:06
filling up a staggering
25 percent of landfills.
25 percent of landfills.
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que llenan el 25%
de los rellenos sanitarios.
de los rellenos sanitarios.
02:09
So why do we have these ghost
accumulations of Styrofoam waste?
accumulations of Styrofoam waste?
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¿Por qué tenemos estas acumulaciones
fantasma de desecho de poliestireno?
fantasma de desecho de poliestireno?
02:13
Why can't we just recycle them
like many plastics?
like many plastics?
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¿Por qué no podemos simplemente
reciclarlo como otros plásticos?
reciclarlo como otros plásticos?
02:16
Well, simply put, recycled
polystyrene is too expensive
polystyrene is too expensive
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En palabras simples,
reciclarlo es muy caro,
reciclarlo es muy caro,
02:19
and potentially contaminated,
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y potencialmente contaminante,
02:21
so there is very little market demand
for Styrofoam that has to be recycled.
for Styrofoam that has to be recycled.
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por eso hay muy poca demanda
para reciclar poliestireno.
para reciclar poliestireno.
02:25
And as a result, Styrofoam
is considered a nonrenewable material,
is considered a nonrenewable material,
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Como resultado, el poliestireno
es considerado material no renovable,
es considerado material no renovable,
02:29
because it is neither feasible
nor viable to recycle polystyrene.
nor viable to recycle polystyrene.
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porque no es factible ni viable
reciclar poliestireno.
reciclar poliestireno.
02:33
And in fact, many cities across the US
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De hecho, muchas ciudades en los EE UU
02:36
have even passed ordinances
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han aprobado decretos
02:37
that simply ban the production
of many products containing polystyrene,
of many products containing polystyrene,
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que prohiben la producción de
muchos productos de poliestireno,
muchos productos de poliestireno,
02:41
which includes disposable utensils,
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incluyendo utensilios desechables,
02:43
packing peanuts, takeout containers
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bolitas de embalaje,
contenedores para llevar
contenedores para llevar
02:45
and even plastic beach toys,
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y juguetes playeros de plástico,
02:47
all products that are very useful
in today's society.
in today's society.
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todos productos que son
muy útiles en la sociedad actual.
muy útiles en la sociedad actual.
02:50
And now France
has become the first country
has become the first country
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Francia se convirtió en el primer país
en prohibir completamente
todos los utensilios plásticos,
todos los utensilios plásticos,
02:52
to completely ban all plastic utensils,
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02:55
cups and plates.
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vasos y platos.
02:57
But what if we could keep using Styrofoam
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Pero ¿y si pudiéramos seguir
usando poliestireno
usando poliestireno
02:59
and keep benefiting
from its cheap, lightweight, insulating
from its cheap, lightweight, insulating
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y seguir beneficiándose
de su barata, ligera, aislante
de su barata, ligera, aislante
03:03
and excellent packing ability,
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y excelente habilidad de empaque,
03:05
while not having to suffer
from the repercussions
from the repercussions
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sin tener que sufrir repercusiones
03:07
of having to dispose of it?
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al desecharlo?
03:09
What if we could turn it into
something else that's actually useful?
something else that's actually useful?
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¿Y si pudiéramos convertirlo en algo útil?
03:12
What if we could make
the impossible possible?
the impossible possible?
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¿Y si pudiésemos hacer
lo imposible posible?
lo imposible posible?
03:16
My team hypothesized that we could use
the carbon that's already in Styrofoam
the carbon that's already in Styrofoam
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Mi equipo hipotetizó que podíamos usar
el carbón existente del poliestireno
el carbón existente del poliestireno
03:21
to create activated carbon,
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para crear carbón activo,
03:22
which is used in almost
every water filter today.
every water filter today.
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el cual se usa
en casi todos los filtros de agua.
en casi todos los filtros de agua.
03:25
And activated carbon works
by using very small micropores
by using very small micropores
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Y el carbón activo funciona
usando pequeños microporos
usando pequeños microporos
03:29
to filter out contaminants
from water or even air.
from water or even air.
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para filtrar los contaminantes
del agua o incluso del aire.
del agua o incluso del aire.
03:32
So we started out
by doing a variety of heating tests,
by doing a variety of heating tests,
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Así que comenzamos a hacer
una variedad de pruebas de calor,
una variedad de pruebas de calor,
03:36
and unfortunately, we had many failures.
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y desafortunadamente,
fallamos varias veces.
fallamos varias veces.
03:39
Literally, nothing worked.
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De hecho, nada funcionaba.
03:42
Besides my dad's grill catching on fire,
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Aparte de la parrilla
de mi papá incendiándose,
de mi papá incendiándose,
03:44
most of our samples
vaporized into nothing,
vaporized into nothing,
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la mayoría de nuestras muestras
se evaporizó a la nada,
se evaporizó a la nada,
03:47
or exploded inside expensive furnaces,
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o explotó dentro de hornos caros,
03:49
leaving a horribly sticky mess.
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dejando un horrible desastre pegajoso.
03:52
In fact, we were so saddened
by our failures that we almost gave up.
by our failures that we almost gave up.
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Nos entristecimos tanto con el fracaso,
que casi nos rendimos.
que casi nos rendimos.
¿Por qué seguimos intentando
03:57
So why did we keep trying
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cuando todos los adultos
decían que era imposible?
decían que era imposible?
03:58
when all the adults
said it was impossible?
said it was impossible?
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Quizá porque somos niños.
No sabemos hacer otra cosa.
No sabemos hacer otra cosa.
04:01
Well, maybe it's because we're kids.
We don't know any better.
We don't know any better.
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04:04
But the truth is, we kept trying
because we thought it was still possible.
because we thought it was still possible.
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La verdad es que continuamos
porque pensamos que sí era posible.
porque pensamos que sí era posible.
04:08
We knew that if we were successful,
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Sabíamos que si triunfábamos.
04:10
we would be helping the environment
and making the world a better place.
and making the world a better place.
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ayudaríamos al ambiente
y haríamos del mundo un lugar mejor.
y haríamos del mundo un lugar mejor.
04:13
So we kept trying
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Así que seguimos intentando
04:15
and failing
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y fracasando
04:16
and trying
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e intentando
04:18
and failing.
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y fracasando.
04:20
We were so ready to give up.
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Estábamos listos para rendirnos.
04:22
But then it happened.
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Pero luego ocurrió.
04:24
With the right temperatures,
times and chemicals,
times and chemicals,
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Con las temperaturas adecuadas,
los tiempos y químicos,
los tiempos y químicos,
04:26
we finally got that successful test result
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finalmente obtuvimos
un resultado exitoso
un resultado exitoso
04:29
showing us that we had created
activated carbon from Styrofoam waste.
activated carbon from Styrofoam waste.
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habíamos creado carbón activo
de poliestireno desechado.
de poliestireno desechado.
04:33
And at that moment,
the thing that had been impossible
the thing that had been impossible
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En ese momento,
lo que parecía imposible
lo que parecía imposible
04:35
all of a sudden wasn't.
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de repente ya no lo era.
04:37
It showed us that although we had
many failures at the beginning,
many failures at the beginning,
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Aunque al principio
tuvimos muchos fracasos,
tuvimos muchos fracasos,
04:40
we were able to persevere through them
to get the test results that we wanted.
to get the test results that we wanted.
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perseveramos y obtuvimos
los resultados que queríamos.
los resultados que queríamos.
04:44
And moreover, not only were we able
to create activated carbon
to create activated carbon
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Además, no sólo creamos carbón activo
04:47
for purifying water,
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para purificar agua,
04:48
but we were also able
to reduce Styrofoam waste,
to reduce Styrofoam waste,
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sino redujimos
el poliestireno desechado,
el poliestireno desechado,
04:51
solving two global problems
with just one solution.
with just one solution.
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solucionando dos problemas
globales con una solución.
globales con una solución.
04:54
So from then on, we were inspired
to take our project further,
to take our project further,
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De ahí en adelante nos inspiramos
para continuar el proyecto,
para continuar el proyecto,
realizamos más pruebas
para hacerlo más efectivo
para hacerlo más efectivo
04:57
performing more tests
to make it more effective
to make it more effective
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04:59
and testing it in real world situations.
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y lo probamos en situaciones reales.
Luego recibimos financiamiento
05:01
We then proceeded to receive funding
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del programa STEM-in-Action
eCYBERMISSION de NSTA
eCYBERMISSION de NSTA
05:03
from the NSTA's eCYBERMISSION
STEM-in-Action program
STEM-in-Action program
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05:06
sponsored by the US Army,
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patrocinado por la armada de EE UU
05:08
as well as FIRST Global Innovation Awards
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y también de los premios
de innovación FIRST
de innovación FIRST
05:10
sponsored by XPRIZE.
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patrocinado por XPRiZE.
También fuimos premiados
05:12
And we were also honored
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con el premio Científico
Innovador Americano
Innovador Americano
05:13
with the Scientific American
Innovator Award
Innovator Award
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de la Feria de Ciencia de Google.
05:16
from Google Science Fair.
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05:18
And using these funds, we plan
to file a full patent on our process
to file a full patent on our process
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Utilizando estos fondos, planeamos
solicitar la patente del proceso
solicitar la patente del proceso
05:21
and to continue to work on our project.
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y continuar trabajando en el proyecto.
05:24
So yes, although we started
with catching my dad's grill on fire
with catching my dad's grill on fire
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Aunque comenzamos incendiando
la parrilla de mi papá
la parrilla de mi papá
05:28
and failing so many times
that we almost quit,
that we almost quit,
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y fracasamos tantas veces
que casi nos rendimos,
que casi nos rendimos,
05:31
it was well worth it
when we look back at it now.
when we look back at it now.
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valió la pena cuando miramos hacia atrás
05:33
We took a problem
that many people said was impossible
that many people said was impossible
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Tomamos un problema
que muchos decían era imposible
que muchos decían era imposible
y lo hicimos posible,
05:36
and we made it possible,
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05:38
and we persevered when it looked
like nothing that we did would work.
like nothing that we did would work.
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y perseveramos aun cuando
parecía que nada funcionaría.
parecía que nada funcionaría.
05:41
We learned that you can't have success
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Aprendimos que no se tiene éxito
05:43
without a little,
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sin un poco de,
05:45
or a lot, of failure.
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o mucho, fracaso.
05:47
So in the future, don't be afraid
if your grill goes up in flames,
if your grill goes up in flames,
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En el futuro, no se asusten
si su parrilla se incendia,
si su parrilla se incendia,
05:51
because you never know
when your idea might just catch fire.
when your idea might just catch fire.
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porque nunca sabrán cuándo
su idea se encenderá.
su idea se encenderá.
05:55
Thank you.
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Gracias.
05:57
(Applause)
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(Aplausos)
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Ashton Cofer - Youth inventorAshton Cofer and his FIRST Robotics team won the Google Science Fair for developing a process to convert Styrofoam waste into activated carbon for purifying water.
Why you should listen
Ashton Cofer has several patents pending, including a method to convert polystyrene foam waste into activated carbon for purifying water. He and his teammates recently won the 2016 Google Science Fair’s Scientific American Innovator Award. Ashton has a passion for science and technology, and in addition to inventing, he also competed in FIRST LEGO League robotics and teaches robotics workshops to local area youth in his hometown of Columbus, Ohio.
Ashton Cofer | Speaker | TED.com