By NBC News
Whether he’s shooting off a marshmallow cannon or pedaling a bike-powered water sanitation system, President Barack Obama looks forward to the White House Science Fair as a day to be shocked and awed by school-age whiz kids.
“I love this event,” Obama told reporters at last year’s fair, where he caught a basketball that was fired off by a mechanical catapult. “This is one of my favorite things all year long.”
But the science fair, which takes place for the fifth time on Monday, isn’t just fun and games: Each year’s lineup includes serious innovations — and you can’t get much more serious than the Safe & Sound smartphone app …
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Breaking Down the 2024 Election Calendar
- How Nayib Bukele’s ‘Iron Fist’ Has Transformed El Salvador
- What if Ultra-Processed Foods Aren’t as Bad as You Think?
- How Ukraine Beat Russia in the Battle of the Black Sea
- Long COVID Looks Different in Kids
- How Project 2025 Would Jeopardize Americans’ Health
- What a $129 Frying Pan Says About America’s Eating Habits
- The 32 Most Anticipated Books of Fall 2024
Contact us at letters@time.com