World's biggest biology competition underway

Students hard at work in the competition Credit: Royal Society of Biology

More than 250 school children are competing in what's being billed as the world’s largest biology competition at the University of Warwick, as part of this year’s International Biology Olympiad.

Pupils from across 67 countries are in Coventry taking part in the competition, which will culminate in the winner being crowned as one of the best biology students in the world.

The students are currently taking part in a series of practical experiments and theoretical exams to test their biosciences knowledge as part of the week-long competition.

Four students were chosen from more than 7,500 to represent the UK at the event. They are James Baudry from Wellington College in Berkshire, Rebecca Eden from St Paul's Girls' School in London, William Chadwick from Reading School in Reading, and Jiaqi Chen from the Perse School in Cambridge.

The shortlisted UK team have been training at the Natural History Museum, Kew Gardens, Reading School and the University of Reading ahead of the big competition, studying subjects like:

  • Taxonomy

  • Classification

  • Botany

  • Biochemistry

  • Anatomy

Students taking part in biology tests in a bid to be among the world's best Credit: Royal Society of Biology

The event ends on the 29th July, where students will receive medals for their achievements during the competition.