Seed Magazine is sponsoring a science writing contest with some pretty generous prizes:

Today, the mantra of competitiveness has gained new momentum in the US, reinvigorating a discussion about education and the public's understanding of science. Science is high on the agenda of the European Union. And China and Africa have identified science literacy as a cornerstone of their respective development strategies. This begs the question:

What does it mean to be scientifically literate in the 21st century?

How do we measure the scientific literacy of a society? How do we boost it? What is the value of this literacy? Who is responsible for fostering it?

Essay submissions will be judged by a panel of Seed editors and special guests. Winning entries will be published in Seed magazine.

* Submission Deadline: July 1, 2007
* Maximum Word Count: 1,200

First Prize:

* $2,500 Prize

2nd Place:

* $1,000 Prize