In a rare achievement, a 17-year-old Pennsylvania student has won the top $250,000 prize at the 2026 Regeneron Science Talent Search after using a custom computer algorithm to solve a difficult problem involving rare three-dimensional geometric shapes, according to a report in the Times of India.
Connor Hill, from Port Matilda, Pennsylvania, developed a computational method to classify a complex group of shapes known as noble polyhedra. His research identified two infinite structural families along with exactly 146 isolated examples, completing a classification that mathematicians had been working toward for years. The result earned Connor Hill first place in one of the United States' most prestigious high school science competitions.
