Students have worked with some of the brightest minds in the world during a "prestigious" science project.

Abbeygate Sixth Form College students from Bury St Edmunds were the only college in the region to be involved in the week-long UK-Japan Young Scientist Workshop Programme.

Bury Mercury: Back row: Alex Aldridge, Ollie Wolfe, Finn Barber. Front row: Madi Payne and Aaron Hurrell.Back row: Alex Aldridge, Ollie Wolfe, Finn Barber. Front row: Madi Payne and Aaron Hurrell. (Image: Abbeygate Sixth Form College)

During the event they worked with scientists from Cambridge, Kyoto and Tohoku Universities.

Groups looked at what we can learn about climate change from the asteroid impact that changed the world millions of years ago, the potential of nuclear energy to mitigate climate change, how to handle big data to address modern issues and emergency planning for tsunamis and earthquakes.

Bury Mercury: Alex Aldridge and Madi Payne. Alex from Bury St Edmunds was looking a project that looked at the asteroid that ended up killing the dinosaurs and Madi from Bury St Edmunds created a podcast about the week of activities.Alex Aldridge and Madi Payne. Alex from Bury St Edmunds was looking a project that looked at the asteroid that ended up killing the dinosaurs and Madi from Bury St Edmunds created a podcast about the week of activities. (Image: Abbeygate Sixth Form College)

A final project saw the creation of podcast that reflected on the week, which is available to listen to now on the BBC Naked Scientists website.

Nadine Payne, director of partnerships at Abbeygate Sixth Form, said: “This is a very prestigious event that happens every year and we were thrilled to be involved.

"It has given our students confidence in collaborating with others and has opened their eyes to a variety of different scientific aspects that they had previously never encountered.”

Bury Mercury: Finn Barber from Bury St Edmunds worked on a nuclear power research project.Finn Barber from Bury St Edmunds worked on a nuclear power research project. (Image: Abbeygate Sixth Form College)

The workshop was created by the Clifton Scientific Trust 20 years ago, which this year was held online for the first time since 2001.

Dr Eric Albone, the director of Clifton Scientific Trust, said: “This is the first time in 20 years that the virus has made it necessary to run the UK-Japan Young Scientist Workshop Programme online, and I am amazed how much school students from both countries have achieved working directly with scientists in British and Japanese universities.

"I am sure it will be a turning point in their young lives and we are very proud of them.”

Bury Mercury: Ollie Wolfe from Bury St Edmunds was looking at emergency planning for tsunamis.Ollie Wolfe from Bury St Edmunds was looking at emergency planning for tsunamis. (Image: Abbeygate Sixth Form College)