12-Year-Old Inventor's Solar Blanket Aids Homeless in Chicago
A Scottish schoolgirl has earned a place on Time Magazine’s first-ever Girls of the Year list. Rebecca Young, now 12, gained recognition for designing a solar-powered blanket to support people experiencing homelessness. The invention began as a school project but has since grown into a real-world solution. Young first made headlines at age 11 when she won the UK Primary Engineer competition. Her design, a blanket that harnesses solar energy to provide warmth, caught the attention of judges and engineers alike. The concept was later turned into a working prototype by defence and technology firm Thales.
The blanket is now being tested by a Scottish charity working with homeless people in Chicago. Young has said her goal was always to create something practical—an idea that could make a difference in people’s lives. Away from engineering, Young is also a musician, playing drums in an all-female band called *The Girlz*. Daniel Wyatt, Rector at Kelvinside Academy in Glasgow, praised her ability to balance multiple passions while staying focused on helping others. Lego even honoured her achievement by creating a custom minifigure in her likeness.
Young’s invention has moved from a classroom sketch to a trial product in the US. She hopes the attention from Time Magazine will raise more awareness about homelessness. The project continues to develop, with support from both educators and industry experts.
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