A young Irish astronomer is managing to keep his feet on the ground after learning he is to have an asteroid named after him.

Having whittled down the entries for the BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition from 2,048 to 550, judges will find it difficult to crown the overall winner as the standard is very high.

Three Cork students have won awards at the EU Contest for Young Scientists in Milan.

Research on a silent killer in their home town has earned two second-year students a trip to the United States to showcase their work alongside other young scientists from around the world.