Seventeen-year-old Connor Hill has identified all 146 possible Noble Polyhedra. He achieved this mathematical breakthrough using a custom computer algorithm. Hill won the top prize of $250,000 at the 2026 Regeneron Science Talent Search.
Solving a Mathematical Puzzle
Noble Polyhedra are complex 3D shapes. Before Hill's work, mathematicians had identified 61 isolated shapes. Two indefinite families of shapes were also known. Hill's algorithm confirmed a complete list of 146 shapes.
A polyhedron is a 3D shape with flat faces and straight edges. Noble polyhedra have congruent faces. Their vertices also have identical surrounding face arrangements. Hill converted the geometry problem into algebraic equations. This allowed his computer to test a finite number of possibilities.
Algorithm and Future Plans
Hill described his method as a "computer-assisted proof." He programmed the system to seek proof for the results. He stated that this approach is much faster than manual calculations. "Math allows us to formalize concepts," Hill said. He plans to attend the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) this fall.
Other Regeneron Science Talent Search Winners
Other students also received significant awards at the competition.
Second Place: RetinaMind for Autism Screening
Edward Kang, 17, of Hackensack, New Jersey, won $175,000. He developed RetinaMind. This tool uses retinal images to train AI. It identifies patterns linked to autism and ADHD. Kang also created retinal cell models to study genetic changes.
Third Place: Clams as Cancer Drug Models
Iris Shen, 17, of The Woodlands, Texas, received $150,000. Her research explored using clams to test cancer drugs. She focused on blood cancer treatments. One drug showed effects in clams similar to human cells. A combination of other drugs slowed tumor growth in the clams.
