Everyone's a good competitor in this competition, but...
..only one person can be the winner.
VOICEOVER: It's the grand final
of Australia's first Child Genius competition -
a quest to unearth the country's brightest young minds.
I'm feeling good about today,
but it's top five,
so you don't just have to sneak underneath,
you need to be right up there.
Correct. Correct.
Correct.
I want to see how this is gonna end.
I have no idea who will be that final child.
Over the past decade, our education standards have been slipping
and sporting achievements have taken centre stage.
Now, in a showcase of academic achievement
that celebrates our country's brightest...
I think my IQ is higher than Albert Einstein.
..hundreds of children were assessed.
Only 19 were chosen to partake in this remarkable six-day event.
You don't know how proud I am.
Now, only the top five remain.
Amy, Elenor, Nathan, Peter and Rhedyn.
I've never thought of myself to be in that top 20,
let alone that top five.
And I'm starting to think I might actually be in this to win it.
They've proven their brilliance in science...
How long in Earth days is a year on Venus?
225. Correct.
..maths...
2.23. Correct.
..history...
Menzies. Correct.
..and complex spelling.
Sesquipedalian.
S-E-S-Q-U-I-P...
..E-D...
..A...
..L-I-A-N.
Correct.
Today, the trophy is within reach.
If I was to win, it would mean a lot.
It would mean too much for me to say, to be honest with you.
It just means so much.
Kelvin. Plastic filament.
431km/h.
And every point counts.
I have a query. No, we've got a query.
We have a query.
In front of an audience of family and peers,
who will be crowned Australia's Child Genius?
You are the Child Genius of 2018.
It's the Child Genius grand final.
The five remaining competitors, and their families,
are arriving for the final demanding rounds.
You look lovely, darling, in a dress.
It's been a long slog, you know.
It's been a long, long couple of weeks.
And everybody can see the finish line now, so everybody's ready to go.
First, they'll be tested on their knowledge of future technologies.
We're just about to have our future technology round.
I'm feeling a little bit nervous,
because, like, it is the final.
What does it actually sit on top of?
Air. A cushion of air.
It's crucial they perform at their peak in this first round.
What a great opportunity, hey? Mm.
ELENOR: This round is different from all the other rounds.
You don't just have to be the average to get to the next round.
You need to be up the top - like, really up the top, like, literally.
Only the two top-scoring children
will go through to the final head-to-head battle for the title.
The other three will be sent home.
My parents just want me to do my best and give that final push
and work as hard as I can, so that I can possibly win this competition.
Winning has crossed my mind. It's not a big subject at the moment.
But it has crossed my mind.
(APPLAUSE)
Overseeing the proceedings is competition quizmaster,
academic and author Dr Susan Carland.
Welcome to the grand final of Child Genius.
And back to cheer on the finalists are a few familiar faces.
Today, our five grand finalists will compete head-to-head
to see who will be crowned Child Genius 2018.
Over five intense days of competition,
our Child Genius contenders have been totally immersed
in studying and revision.
Walk faster, Nathan!
Today, in the lead-up to the future technology round,
our final five are taking a field trip...
Whoa. This place is so big.
..for some hands-on study.
They're spending the day in the mechatronics lab
at the University of Technology, in Sydney.
Welcome. My name's Rowan. I work here, at UTS.
Today you're standing in the mechatronics lab.
Here they will see first-hand how this cutting-edge technology,
combining electronics and mechanical engineering,
is producing the robots and smart machines of the future.
So, who wants to see what we've got today?
ALL: Me!
12-year-old Amy is keen to immerse herself in the technology.
So, obviously, that has a few sensors in it to detect the arm's movement.
And how does that exactly work and correspond with the laptop's code?
Yeah, that's cool.
So, it's very similar to the other robot, where it has two cameras
and also infra-red.
So, I'm just using the infra-red part to actually detect where the hand position is.
The software detects the middle of the palm
and translates that into the computer as a position.
AMY: I really enjoy this kind of stuff.
We've learnt all about different kinds of robots
and how people can use technology to help the world.
So, it's been very interesting.
(WHIRRING)
That's cool.
Since day one, Amy and mum/coach Larnie
have put everything they have into the competition.
Are you ready for your first question? Almost.
Congratulations, Amy, your total score is nine points.
(APPLAUSE)
12 points. Congratulations.
Amy has scored solidly throughout the competition,
but she lifted her game in the semifinal...
Well done, Amy. You scored 17 out of 20 points.
..tying in second place on the leaderboard with Nathan and Rhedyn.
Mum, Larnie, was happy to see all her hard work pay off.
You know what? I know we put in 110%.
Yeah.
And Amy needs go in knowing that she's put in 110%.
And that way I'll be happy.
Larnie noticed Amy was gifted from an early age.
And what's a word that means working together?
Symbiotic. Good girl.
And after watching her progress throughout the competition,
Larnie has no doubt where her children's brilliance comes from.
I am a firm believer in nurture, I've decided.
I sometimes think if someone gave me their child
and I brought that child up, the way I've brought my children up,
would they be of a higher level?
And I think they would.
Amy's hoping mum's extra tuition will help secure her victory.
I think I'd have a... I... ooh...
I don't think I'd really have a chance without her,
I'd try my best, but she's kind of the pusher that...
.."You've gotta do it, you can do it,
"come on, come on, come on, come on."
So, I think it's very helpful to have that motor running.
So, it's helpful.
With the finish line in sight, and trophy within grasp,
supercoach Larnie is feeling confident.
LARNIE: We've been doing a lot of study.
It is hard work, but I think we're up for it.
I've still got energy.
I've got a lot of energy, a lot of creative ways of learning.
And... I'm enjoying it.
Eyes are on the prize. Eyes are on the prize.
Let's have a very big welcome for Amy.
(APPLAUSE)
LARNIE: Amy's always wanted to be here at the end.
Amy wants to be in the grand final of life,
in the grand final of everything.
So, you know, to be at the top is where she wants to be.
Welcome to the grand final, Amy. Thank you.
Feeling good? Yep. That's the way.
As always, I have with me the independent competition adjudicator,
Jane Allen from the International Quizzing Association.
And joining us is Dr Joshua Chou, a specialist in future technologies.
Welcome to you both.
The questions are, you know, very relevant.
And you have to be really on top of future technology.
I mean, personally, I don't think I could answer a lot of those questions myself.
Amy, you'll have four minutes to answer 20 questions.
As usual, you can pass only up to three times.
And your time will start as soon as I begin to ask the first question.
Wait, can I just have a flashback from the first episode?
Oh, yes. Star jumps are coming back.
Yep.
Now is the time definitely to get oxygen to your brain.
AMY: It's quite exciting to know that I've got so far.
I've never thought of myself to be in that top 20,
let alone that top five.
And I'm starting to think I might actually be in this to win it.
VOICEOVER: It's crucial that Amy does well in this subject.
Only the two top-scoring children
will make it through to the final round.
Amy, your first question is...
..using technology to improve the lives of some people,
what is a WHILL?
A WHILL is a mobility scooter.
Correct.
Which company makes the revolutionary all-electric Model S car?
Tesla. Correct.
LARNIE: Look, I think it would be wonderful if Amy won.
She's just so proud of her achievements.
And she would just absolutely blossom
and come to the fore of everything that's expected of her.
How many US dollars did Dennis Tito pay
to visit the International Space Station in 2001?
$20 million.
Correct.
Seattle. Correct.
A ski slope.
Correct.
LARNIE: She's always seen herself as a contender.
She believes she can be number one. I believe she can be number one.
Amy's one to watch.
How many times per second do the protons circle
the Large Hadron Collider?
11,000. Correct.
VOICEOVER: Amy is now four points away from a perfect score of 20.
Which American organisation has built the Falcon Heavy super rocket?
Virgin Galactic.
(BUZZER) Space X. Oh! Ames...
What temperature is the D-Wave quantum computer cooled to?
Minus-192.
(BUZZER) Minus-273.
LARNIE: Amy needs to go into every round being quite positive.
And then she will try her hardest to get it right.
She will really try hard. She won't give up.
In kilometres per hour,
what is the top speed of Shanghai's Maglev train?
431km/h.
Correct.
Last question, Amy.
Having paid millions of dollars
to travel to the International Space Station in 2001,
for how many days, hours and minutes did Dennis Tito's visit last?
Seven days, 22 hours and four minutes.
Correct. (APPLAUSE)
Well done, Amy. You scored 18 out of 20 points.
(CHEERING)
Good girl. Well done.
VOICEOVER: With an impressive score of 18 points,
Amy has a good chance of making it through to the final round.
That was a really good round for me. Really, really happy with that.
Each competitor will only discover the other's scores
after they have completed their own round.
With the three lowest-scoring children going home,
Amy must now wait to see whether a score of 18 out of 20
is enough to make it through.
LARNIE: I'm so proud of her
and I know she's got the strength and the will to keep going.
She's a warrior girl.
Next to the podium is a competition favourite.
11-year-old Peter from Darwin entered himself into Child Genius
with the express aim of taking home the trophy.
If I fly back to Darwin with a giant trophy,
well, I don't think that'll be happening,
because I don't think you're allowed to bring a giant trophy
as your carry-on luggage.
But, of course, already getting here
is already a really good achievement, I feel.
Peter's had an impressive strike rate,
consistently placing in the top two
for the first four days of the competition.
Peter, you scored 15 out of 15.
Congratulations. You smashed it!
15 out of 15. Well done!
Well done, Peter, you are in the lead again with 16 points.
(APPLAUSE)
But his winning streak nearly came to an end in the semifinal
when an early mistake in the spelling round
almost cost him the game.
Punctilious.
P-U-N-C-T-I...
..L...
(BUZZER)
Peter, you scored eight points.
(APPLAUSE)
I think I was really lucky that some other people got a bit lower scores
and that could have been me going home.
Chemical engineer dad Henri is doing his best to keep Peter focused
and to avoid any more errors.
Spell 'terrestrial'. T-E-R-R-E-S-T-R-I-A-L.
My dad's down here, helping me with my study.
And, of course he is supporting me
and looking for new techniques I can use to study,
so that I can understand it better, take it in and digest it.
HENRI: He has been preparing quite well.
I just hope that he will keep his calm, his composure,
and if he does, I think he could go a fair way.
Let's have a very big welcome for Peter.
(APPLAUSE)
Everyone has their eyes on the prize,
so I just need to work really hard.
I believe that I do have what it takes to win the grand final.
Peter, your first question is...
What is the name of the world's largest tunnel-boring machine?
Bertha. Correct.
Possibly the largest accumulation of ocean plastic in the world,
the Great Pacific garbage patch,
is located between Japan and which other country?
America.
Correct.
HENRI: Winning this grand final
will boost Peter's confidence a lot more.
And I think the trophy is just an acknowledgement that, you know,
his hard work has paid off.
Limestone or calcite. Correct.
Rolls-Royce. Correct.
Shanghai. Correct.
Correct. Correct.
With half his allotted time still to go,
Peter has every chance of catching up to Amy's score of 18.
100 metres. Correct.
Weightlessness. Correct.
Ports. Correct.
Peter has only four questions remaining
and needs just three more points
to overtake Amy.
In the proposed futuristic
Hyperloop transport system,
what would serve as the track in place of rails like a train runs on?
A cushion of air, I think.
(BUZZER)
Tubes. Tubes.
The cutter head on the tunnel-boring machine called Bertha
cuts through how many metres of rock per day?
10 metres.
Correct.
To the nearest 10 minutes,
how long does it take the International Space Station
to complete one orbit of the earth?
90 minutes.
Correct. Last question.
The Model S electric car can use its engine to slow itself down
using what process?
Regenerative braking.
Correct.
Congratulations, Peter, you scored 19 out of 20 points.
He showed some heart. That's really impressive.
Peter's final score of 19 now places him ahead of Amy.
If I have a query, do I raise it now or later?
LARNIE: Yes. Stand up now. Stand up now.
But Peter's dad, Henri, wants to review Peter's incorrect answer
with adjudicator Jane.
I have a query.
No, we've got a query. We have a query.
I'm not sure. Dunno. Dunno.
VOICEOVER: It's the Child Genius grand final
and the competition has taken a turn.
I have a query.
No, we've got a query. We have a query.
With only the two top-scoring competitors
progressing to the final round,
every point counts.
And Peter's chemical engineer dad, Henri,
wants to challenge the adjudicator's decision
on Peter's one incorrect answer.
In the proposed futuristic
Hyperloop transport system,
what would serve as the track in place of rails like a train runs on?
A cushion of air, I think. (BUZZER)
Tubes.
Henri isn't happy that his son has just missed out
on a perfect score of 20
and wants to check Peter's answer
with Child Genius's independent adjudicator, Jane,
who, in the event of a dispute, must make the final ruling.
The question is a bit confusing, in my view. Mm.
What replaces? Yes, the tube does give direction. Yeah.
At the same time also, the tube, to me, seems almost like a tunnel,
in a broad sense. Yeah.
Just for my view,
I accept that probably the tube
gives the direction in which to go.
Yes, that's right.
But the question itself is not very definitive, in my view.
OK.
The track is replaced by a tube,
because the tube gives you direction, which is what the track gives you,
that everything runs along.
That is what we were looking for.
Peter's answer, a cushion of air, is the method of train propulsion,
rather than what would serve as the physical track,
which is a tube.
Therefore, the answer is incorrect
and his score stands at 19 out of 20.
I am very sorry to disappoint you, Peter, and to you too.
He is absolutely amazing.
I know that you must be so proud of him.
Well done, Peter.
Thank you.
Thank you very much. Thank you.
OK? Right. Thank you, then.
HENRI: I'm disappointed with the decision.
At the end of the day,
Peter is the one who has been working really hard.
We only supported him.
Um, so, as far as I know, he is a winner.
It's a bit disappointing that I didn't get the track question.
I hope that my score will be enough to get through the round.
Hoping to earn herself a spot in the final head-to-head round
is 12-year-old Elenor.
I do a little dance before I go on.
It brings all the tension out and makes you happy.
Dark horse Elenor has flown under the radar throughout the competition.
But in the semifinal round she sprinted to the front
and topped the leaderboard.
Excellent score. 17 out of 20, Elenor.
An only child from Sydney,
Elenor convinced dad, John, who works in banking and finance,
and medical professional mum, Tanya,
to let her enter the competition.
Elly put herself in for this.
Sort of asked us as she was putting herself in, or asked her mum.
We've not pushed her.
How do you think you'll go? Fine.
Yeah? Mm.
They're proud.
To be honest, they don't mind if I come fifth or if I come first.
I would be very happy if I came first,
but they would not at all be disappointed if I came fifth at all.
They wouldn't even be disappointed
if I had come 20th in this competition.
Elenor has applied herself with focus and determination.
And she shows no sign of slowing down.
She's very self-driven.
She got herself up at 5:30 in the morning
and went through to 7:30 at night, studying.
So, that was very self-motivated.
A lot of persistence.
I think it's also a matter of stamina.
I've never really studied this hard at all, ever.
So, I'm hoping I've done enough studying
to get me through to the next round.
Let's have a very warm welcome for Elenor.
(APPLAUSE)
Welcome, Elenor.
Hello. The grand final.
How good does it feel? Good.
So far, Peter and Amy have scored near perfect rounds.
And with only two children going through to the final round,
Elenor must score at least 18 to tie with Amy
and avoid instant elimination.
Elenor, your first question is...
..what is the name of the world's first 3-D pen?
3Doodler.
Correct.
What name is given to the odour-free, low-carbon fuel
made from human sewage and food waste
that powers the Bio-Bus?
Biomethane.
Correct.
I think this round will probably be the most pressure,
but I'm pretty confident because I worked very hard
trying to memorise everything.
What is the name of the largest and most complex scientific instrument
built to date?
The Large Hadron Collider. Correct.
The walls of the three first stage cores of the Falcon Heavy rocket,
are made of an alloy of aluminium and which other metal?
Lithium. Correct.
128. Correct.
Scalevo. Correct.
Called CMS for short,
which detector in the Large Hadron Collider
is said to look like the inside of a high-tech washing machine?
Compact Muon...
Oh, Compact Muon Solenoid.
Correct.
Elenor has three questions to go.
She needs to answer them correctly to knock Amy out of the competition
and have a chance at the final round.
Which feature of the cutting-edge SYMBIONIC Leg
has been specifically designed
to enable users to walk over uneven surfaces?
The foot.
(BUZZER)
We were looking for the split toe.
Elenor's only hope now
is to tie with Amy on 18.
To the nearest kilometre,
what height above the Earth's surface
did Felix Baumgartner jump from
during his record-breaking skydive
in 2012?
400.
(BUZZER) 39.
Elenor, the final question I'll be asking you...
There are two general purpose particle detectors
in the Large Hadron Collider.
The Compact Muon Solenoid is one.
What is the other? Atlas.
Correct.
Elenor, you scored 17 out of 20 points.
(APPLAUSE)
Elenor becomes the first of three children
who will be eliminated in round one.
Let's see...
PETER: What did you get? 17.
I got 19. What did you get?
AMY: I got 18. Thought so.
Um... I've just tried to take each round as it comes.
And, to be honest, I didn't think I would make it this far, but I did,
so I'm happy about that.
It's been a good journey for her
and she's done really, really well.
The score of 17 was not enough to keep Elenor in the competition.
Now, 12-year-old Rhedyn from Sydney will need to score 18 or better
to stay in contention for the final round.
(APPLAUSE)
Rhedyn has excelled
throughout the competition...
Queen of clubs.
..consistently coming in the top five on the leaderboard.
50 cards and 12 points out of 13.
Congratulations, Rhedyn. Amazing effort.
And she's become a favourite among the other competitors
for her calming presence.
Rhedyn is very focused and very mature
and she's a bit like a big sister figure for all of us.
Parents Vanessa and Adrian believe that Rhedyn's emotional maturity
will give her the edge over her competitors.
I think one of Rhedyn's great strengths
throughout this whole competition
has been just being calm and being measured
in the way that she answers.
And she has never really looked stressed or panicked
as she's got through the rounds.
Well done, Rhedyn. You scored 17.
(APPLAUSE)
VANESSA: But at the end of the day, this is the grand final now.
You know, it could be a bit unpredictable.
So, you know, we're just hoping for the best for her.
Let's have a very warm round of applause for Rhedyn.
(APPLAUSE)
Rhedyn needs to score at least 19 points to tie with Peter
and push Amy out of the competition.
I think she can definitely win.
She's got the intellectual aptitude for it.
She's got the attitude to... to really study hard
and hopefully that's enough to see her through
to take the whole competition out.
Rhedyn, your first question is...
..Yves Rossy once flew his two-metre jet wing in formation
with the world's largest airliner.
What is this passenger plane called?
The Airbus A380.
Correct.
What shape are the segments
of the James Webb Space Telescope's mirrors?
Hexagonal.
Correct.
To me, this competition means a lot.
It's been just an amazing experience to come this far so far.
But if I did win, I think that that would just be amazing
just to sort of be able to hold that title
and I think I'd definitely be really proud.
In 2012, who set a record for a parachute jump
after ascending to a great height in a helium balloon?
Felix Baumgartner.
Correct.
Hydrogen peroxide. Correct.
Bioluminescence. Correct.
L2. Correct.
Rhedyn has now equalled Amy's score of 18.
She'll need two more correct answers to get ahead of Peter.
The rocket known as the Falcon Heavy
is powered by a fuel mixture of RP-1, kerosene and liquid what?
Nitrogen.
(BUZZER) Oxygen.
Rhedyn, this is your last question.
What is the name of the special computer program
that controls the movements of the industrial robot known as Baxter?
Intera 3.
Correct.
(APPLAUSE)
Congratulations, Rhedyn. You scored 19 out of 20 points.
(APPLAUSE)
RHEDYN: Yes, I'm pretty happy with how I went. I got 19 out of 20.
And the one I didn't get right, I didn't know,
so at least I know that it wasn't, like, a mental blank.
This round leaves Rhedyn and Peter
tied on 19 points.
It also means Amy's time in the competition
has come to an end.
So, are you a bit upset or not? No.
You're a bit maybe like 5% upset?
Uh, a little bit 'cause I know I could have kept on going.
But I'm just happy I can relax. Yeah.
MAN: What about you, Larnie? Any tears? Not one bit! No!
I'm not emotional at all. I'm proud.
Oh! The weeping mother's gone. I know, the weeping mother's gone.
I knew she could do it, and all the other kids, they're all level.
And we've come to the end of our journey.
That's good, I don't need to study anymore.
When you go back to school you need to study.
Yeah, but not this hard.
That will be nothing in comparison to this.
I still have six years till Year 12. Just let me relax till then.
OK. Alright. You can bake a few cakes in the meantime.
KIDS: Ohhh!
But the fight for the two final-round spots is far from over.
Now the pressure to perform is on the remaining competitor, Nathan.
Can he deliver a perfect score when he needs it most?
Or will this be his last round?
If I was to win, it would mean a lot.
It would mean too much for me to say, to be honest.
It just means so much.
Round one of the Child Genius grand final is well under way...
Seattle. Correct.
..and four of the five finalists have already been tested
on the subject of future technology.
Cupola. Correct.
Atlas. Correct.
L2. Correct.
So far, Peter and Rhedyn are tied,
having scored 19 out of a possible 20 points.
This has knocked Amy and Elenor out of the competition.
It was really, really close,
but we're still really proud to have come as far as we have.
But with one competitor left to take the podium,
Rhedyn and Peter are not safe yet.
Future technology is a passion for Queenslander, Nathan.
I liked the robotics field trip.
I've always been into robots - programming them, coding them.
How long does it take to come up with the code for that stuff?
It's just really cool.
And his visit to the mechatronics lab at the University Of Technology
was made even more special by sharing it with some of his new friends.
I think the social experience of this competition
is the greatest gift I've ever had.
It's incredible. I love it.
Guys, name a mobile phone
that is a walking, talking, web-connected robot.
Beep, beep, beep. Amy.
RoBoHoN. Correct.
It just makes me feel that I can be accepted in the real world
and that I'm not just that one kid who just...
..is the weirdest person that you've ever met.
From the very beginning, Nathan has proven to be a strong competitor.
And your final word, 'otorhinolaryngology'.
O-T-O-R-H-I-N-O...
..L-A-R-Y-N...
..G-O-L-O-G-Y.
Correct. (EXHALES)
LEANNE: It's been quite amusing watching his reactions
when he finishes a round that he's very pleased with.
'Cause I think, "Oh, gee, this means more to him than I realised."
So, it's quite fun to watch, actually.
Nathan, you shot to the lead with eight points. Congratulations.
(APPLAUSE)
But winning has never been the main focus for Nathan's mum, Leanne.
My motivations in entering Nathan in the competition
was for us to have a bit of fun
and for Nathan to meet some like-minded people.
And I think we've definitely,
actually, been able to achieve all those goals,
so I can't ask for more.
Waiting for his turn, Nathan is unaware of the scores so far.
He needs a perfect 20 to guarantee himself a spot in the final round.
A score of 19 will put him in a three-way tie-break.
Any less and Nathan will be out of the competition.
Let's have a very big welcome for Nathan.
(APPLAUSE) This is a big day for Nathan.
And to celebrate, his dad, Paul, and little sister, Amber,
have come down for the first time from Brisbane to see him compete.
Winning's great, but it's not necessarily the whole journey.
Yeah.
Wherever he gets to, we will celebrate.
Nathan, you've got four minutes to answer 20 questions.
As usual, you can only pass up to three times.
And your time will start as soon as I begin to ask the first question.
Your first question is...
..Australia's amazing national tree collection,
featuring trees from 100 countries,
was built on land destroyed by a bushfire in which city?
Canberra.
Correct.
What does the 3-D pen known as the 3Doodler use instead of ink?
Plastic filament.
Correct.
Mum revealed a few days ago
that she said she knew I could make it this far.
It's nice to know that my mum has confidence in me.
Ultraviolet.
Correct.
A bridge. Correct.
LEANNE: I think, as a mum, when you're sitting there,
you hope they remember everything that they've learnt,
'cause you know they've put the hard work in,
and then it's just a matter of how they perform on the day.
What is the five-letter name of the European project
that is developing the technology
for operating fully autonomous vessels at sea?
MUNIN. Correct.
Collaborative robot. Correct.
Earth. Correct.
35. Correct.
Earth's magnetic field. Correct.
What kind of battery forms
part of the floor of the Model S electric car?
Lithium-ion. Correct.
Nathan is now just one point away
from storming to the top
of the leaderboard.
Last question, Nathan.
Built for space tourism, SpaceShipTwo will get into space
after being carried piggyback up to a height of 15,000 metres
by a larger jet aircraft with what name?
White Knight Two.
Correct. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
Nathan, you'd have to be pretty happy with that.
Yeah. 20 out of 20.
Congratulations.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
Nathan's final score of 20
puts him at the top
of the leaderboard.
What did you get? 20? Yeah.
I told you. It's a tie-breaker.
Um, that was just incredible, to be honest with you.
I only expected to get 15, to be honest with you,
but, um, I just learnt this future technology information
'cause I love future technology.
It's, like, one of my specialist subjects.
I just love, love, love it!
So, maybe that's why did so well.
So a one-in-two chance of winning,
and I never, ever thought that would happen.
Nathan is the only competitor
guaranteed a place in the final head-to-head round.
Rhedyn and Peter must now battle it out for the last spot in a tie-break.
This next round is, uh, quite an interesting round,
because it's your golden ticket to the last round, basically.
Good luck, guys.
Rhedyn is gonna be quite tough competition,
because she's gotten consistently high results,
but I'm quite confident that I have studied pretty well for this.
RHEDYN: Yeah, I think that it is quite nerve-racking
going up against Peter in the tie-breaker,
because I think everybody knows
that he's really good in this competition, and he's quite strong,
so it's definitely gonna be quite a hard tie-breaker.
Let's have a very warm welcome for Peter and Rhedyn.
(CHEERING)
I don't even know who's gonna win.
I honestly can't tell you. It's really hard to pick it.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
So, the two of you are going to go head-to-head
to see which of you will be joining Nathan in the final round.
Are you ready? BOTH: Yep.
Peter and Rhedyn will take turns
answering questions on future technology.
The first child to answer incorrectly will be going home.
Rhedyn - a combination of magnets, air and what form of power
will enable the passenger capsule in the futuristic Hyperloop
to travel at great speeds?
Electricity. Correct.
Peter - along how many axes can the print head of a 3-D printer...
Three. Correct.
What is the top speed of the innovative Tesla Model S electric car?
250km/h. Correct.
Yves Rossy has flown his two-metre jet wing over which mountain in Japan?
Mount Fuji. Correct.
Rhedyn and Peter's winning streak of correct answers
has them evenly matched.
London. Correct.
Jumbo jets. Correct.
With one spot left in the final head-to-head round,
the pressure is rising.
One slip will end their chance the title.
2015. Correct.
Nitrogen oxide. Correct.
But, as time ticks on,
neither Rhedyn nor Peter show signs of slowing down.
Correct.
And in a Child Genius first,
they have answered all 25 tie-break questions.
SUSAN: Can you believe this is happening?
We actually ran out of future technology questions,
and now we have to go into our science questions
because we weren't anticipating that we'd get to this point.
Alright, you two are so brilliant,
we've gone through all our future technology questions,
so now we are turning to science.
(LAUGHTER AND MURMURING)
Rhedyn -
what is the international system, or SI base unit, of temperature?
Kelvin.
Correct.
Peter. Yep.
What are the distinctive long, winding cliffs found on the planets such as Mercury called?
Ah...
Marias?
(BUZZER SOUNDS)
Rupes.
You did a very good job. You too.
(CHEERING)
Peter, you have been an absolutely stellar competitor.
And, Rhedyn, you are through to the final,
so I will see you back here for the final round.
What did you get... Who got through?
I did. Hey! Good job!
We went through all the future technology questions
and then she decides, "We're gonna test you on science!"
Really? Whoa!
So, what, you did all the questions? Yeah.
And then we had to go to science.
Whoa! And, no, thank you, science.
Rhedyn's celebrating getting through to the final round.
Rhedyn's managed to survive a very long tie-breaker,
and actually make it through to the final two,
so we couldn't be prouder of her.
Meanwhile, Peter's dreams of winning the title
have just slipped through his fingers.
Good job! He did very well.
He did really, really well.
It's a bit disappointing that I didn't get into the next round
but, of course, there's also always that luck.
HENRI: The competition has been really great for Peter,
and I'm so happy with what Peter has displayed
throughout this competition.
Sonny. Sonny! (LAUGHS)
(LAUGHS)
From hundreds of hopefuls, it's now down to the final two.
Round two is going to be an absolute nail-biter.
It's two kids, head-to-head on the buzzer.
Good luck. Love you. You know what she said?
The children are being tested
on everything we've covered this series.
Good luck, though. Good luck.
They need to have it all in their heads
and perform at lightning speed.
This is a bit of an unknown round for everybody.
Yes, I'm in the top two, and that's amazing.
I did not expect to be here at all -
like, the possibility of being the winner of Child Genius.
LEANNE: It exceeds our expectations that he's come this far.
Look, if he won it would be a surprise,
but he's surprised himself and us each round,
so why not keep going with the surprises?
Nathan and Rhedyn -
who will become Child Genius Australia 2018?
From the top 19 children selected to compete,
just two remain to fight it out
to become Australia's Child Genius.
12-year-old Nathan was entered into the competition
for the social experience.
LEANNE: His friends may not always have been able
to appreciate his quirkiness,
and so seeing other kids like Nathan that he could interact with
is really important to us.
Currently in Year 8,
Nathan's love of numbers has seen him accelerated into Year 11 maths.
TEACHER: Nathan, take us through the expansion.
So, we expand the brackets. So, we do 4 times 2x and 4 times -1.
So, that's 8x minus 4.
NATHAN: It's been so hard to make friends at school,
but when I'm with a group of young, bright minds like mine...
(ALL CHATTER AND LAUGH)
..everyone accepts each other, because they're all similar,
and I think that's just the best part about this competition.
Meanwhile, 12-year-old Rhedyn entered the Child Genius competition
to challenge herself.
I'm pretty interested in, like, a lot of different subjects,
from, like, science to maths and history.
With an IQ in the 99.7th percentile,
Rhedyn is proud to call herself an all-rounder.
I think I'm, like, pretty confident going into this competition,
um, because, like, I do play a lot of sport,
so it gives me experience
when it comes to competing with other people.
So far, Rhedyn's handled the process with ease
and her nerves of steel saw her knock out
competition favourite Peter.
Yeah, um, I'm feeling really great after that round,
and I'm going up against Nathan, who I think is really strong.
So, you know, hopefully, I can do what I did in the tie-break round.
Rhedyn and Nathan will now go head-to-head
in the final quick-fire buzzer round.
The first person to answer 10 questions correctly
will be the ultimate winner.
Helping oversee this round is Alan Thompson of Australian Mensa.
ALAN: Rhedyn and Nathan, final round.
They've come with us all the way through.
They may not have been at the top of every round,
but they've been in there,
and it's amazing to see them both up the top.
They've done so well to get here.
WOMAN: Good luck, both of you. Yeah.
After 11 gruelling rounds of competition,
please give a huge round of applause
for our finalists, Rhedyn and Nathan.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
Rhedyn and Nathan, congratulations on reaching the final.
The two of you have systematically knocked out
everyone else from the competition.
You've both been fierce competitors,
and I cannot wait to see which one of you
will take out the title of Child Genius 2018.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
The final round will consist of questions
on maths, spelling and general knowledge.
The first to 10 points will be the competition winner.
Fingers on buzzers. Are you ready?
Yep. OK.
Which English scientist famously used the example
of cannonballs being fired into space
to describe how orbits work?
Rhedyn. Isaac Newton.
Correct.
Next question -
please spell the word 'hemimetabolous'.
Nathan.
Correct.
On an aeroplane wing,
what is the name given to the angled tip that provides...
Nathan. Winglet.
Correct.
Nathan. Alpha and Beta Centauri.
Correct.
Rhedyn. 76.
Correct.
Which taxonomical kingdom is described as being multicellular
with cellulose cell walls
and the ability to photosynthesise?
Rhedyn. Plants.
Correct.
Anemometers are used by scientists
to measure the speed of which weather con...
Nathan. Wind.
Correct.
Please spell the word 'tergiversate'.
Nathan.
Correct.
Nathan. 106.
Correct.
Nathan. Sri Lanka.
Correct.
Nathan is now three points away from claiming victory.
By the end of her career,
which Australian tennis player
had won 13 Grand Slam titles?
Rhedyn. Evonne Goolagong.
Correct.
Next question.
Defined as a hand of cards, none of which is higher than nine,
can you please spell the word 'Yarborough'?
(BELL DINGS) Nathan.
Y-A-H-B-O-R...
(BUZZER SOUNDS) ..A-H? No? OK. (CHUCKLES)
Rhedyn?
Y-A-R...
..B... O-U...
(BUZZER SOUNDS)
Y-A-R-B-O-R-O-U-G-H.
What is 24 times 6...
..minus 37...
..and, finally, multiplied by 7?
Nathan. 749.
Correct.
In 1919,
John Alcock and Arthur Whitten
made the first nonstop flight
across which ocean?
Nathan.
Atlantic.
Correct.
Please spell the word 'recrudescence'.
Nathan.
R-E-C-R-U-D...
..E-S-C-E-N-C-E.
And that is...
..correct.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
Nathan, you are the Child Genius of 2018.
Congratulations.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
I can't believe that just happened.
Rhedyn, you have been exceptional.
It was a pleasure to watch you perform.
You should be very proud of yourself.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
Rhedyn, congratulations. Well done.
RHEDYN: Yeah, I think it's amazing that I got this far,
and I'm really happy with how I did - I came second!
MAN: Are you guys proud?
Absolutely. We're really proud, yeah.
It's been a wonderful experience.
But, in the end, after so many exciting rounds,
we only have one person left standing,
and that is our Child Genius 2018 champion.
Ladies and gentlemen, Nathan.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
People who are good batsmen or good cricketers or football players,
are people who get acknowledged.
The fact that he's got some acknowledgement
in something that he's good at,
I'm hoping that he can take that with him through life.
Congratulations.
Well done.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
That's it! (LAUGHS)
Nathan, it's practically as big as you.
Would you like to say anything?
Uh, I just want to thank everyone for the...
Just everyone...
There's a lot of my family here today,
and I'd like to thank them for their support.
So, yeah, I'm very happy.
(SUSAN LAUGHS)
I want to thank Mum, because she's put in so much effort for the study.
She's just pushed me so hard.
I just never thought I could do it.
And it's been a really good experience.
Met lots of new friends.
They're very nice people.
And it's just...
I think the real winner here
is that I've met a lot of like-minded children.
OTHERS: Yeah. I think that's the real win here.