A 12-Year Old From Scotland Created A Life-Saving Solar Invention

At the age of 12, most kids aren't thinking about how to help those in need and make the world a better place. That's not the case with 12-year-old Rebecca Young, who found herself in Time Magazine as part of its Best Girls of the Year 2025 feature. Young earned the honors after inventing a solar-powered backpack with an electric blanket inside for the unhoused who were sleeping outside in the brutally cold Scottish winters.

The invention earned Young the title of "Innovator" in the Time article. Originally built as part of the Primary Engineer annual  competition, Young was up against more than 70,000 other creators throughout the world. Each year, the competition selects one student's idea and Young's solar-powered blanket backpack was the winner in 2024. Dozens more were then created and distributed to a shelter in Glasgow, Scotland. The plan is to produce even more to give to those in need. Young's creation captured the attention of Lego who turned her into her own Lego minifigure.

Electric blankets are among one of Reddit's favorite gadgets and Young's design is being put to good use by helping those out on the streets keep warm. Young's solar-powered blanket and backpack combination is something she says was needed. "If you see a problem you think you can fix, you can do something about it," she told The Guardian.

The solar-powered blankets were made with foldable solar panels that charge during the day using the sun. Alongside the folding panels, the solar-powered blanket is built with a battery pack to store the power. Young's idea was later prototyped by Thales UK, a partner of Primary Engineer, which created 120 of the blankets. It's designed to fold up snugly into a backpack so it is more simple to carry around and pull out when it gets cold.

Thales took Young's initial design and with her help, iterated on it by giving it more heat settings and safety features to better protect the user. The final prototype design was officially showcased in May 2024 at the Scotland West regional award ceremony at the University of Glasgow. Young won a silver medal for her design.

Young's effort highlighted a real-world problem and solved it by introducing a unique and cleverly designed piece of technology for those in need. The research into solar power is already solving problems related to power as well. Those who are unhoused face difficult and harsh conditions including freezing temperatures and struggling to keep warm while outdoors. Providing them with heated solar-powered blankets can allow them to keep warm during the coldest times.

The solar-powered blankets have since gone into wider production with the assistance of the Royal British Veterans Enterprise. Each one was assembled and sent out by veterans or those who have a disability. The RBVE is a national charity with a focus on creating jobs, building homes, and establishing communities for veterans and those with disabilities.

Innovation and creating new inventions is something anyone can do. In the years since developing the solar-powered heated blanket, Young is now the same age as a couple of 14-year-olds who invented a prophylactic to detect STDs. Young has since continued her studies at Kelvinside Academy where she is in her third year.

The RBVE is matching each sale of the solar-powered blankets by pledging to donate one additional blanket to charities. Young's blanket and backpack combo is tackling the social issue of homelessness by giving the unhoused access to new technology that provides them with a way to stay warm and keep protected on the streets. Thales UK and the RBVE are working in tandem to create and release more of the heated solar-powered blankets created by the young inventor.