Science · 4 Rounds
Spectrum
Hold the line when everything is working against you.
From popsicle sticks to a collapsed nuclear reactor — four rounds that each test a different edge of engineering thinking: structural, analytical, logical and creative. Only the sharpest minds will make it through intact.
Register for Spectrum
The Rounds
How it unfolds
- 01
Round 1 — Bridge Building
Armed with ~500 popsicle sticks and hot glue, design a bridge strong enough to span a 10-inch gap and hold as much weight as possible before it gives way.
- 02
Round 2 — Chernobyl Crisis
26 April 1986. 01:30 AM. Seven minutes after the explosion. Trace the failure to its source and navigate the safest route through the plant while radiation spreads. Every wrong answer could cost the mission.
- 03
Round 3 — Bomb Defusal
Ten questions stand between your team and a successful defusal. Sharp, lateral thinking under pressure — single digit or letter answers that string together into a defusal code.
- 04
Round 4 — Blueprint Design Challenge
Three builds, one mission: a Le Mans endurance machine, a rescue robot, or a lunar rover. Sketch it, model it, defend every decision. The best design isn't the flashiest — it's the one that actually works.
Rules & Regulations
Event rules for Spectrum
- 01
Round 1 bridges must be built only from the materials provided (e.g., ~500 popsicle sticks, hot glue) — no external materials allowed.
- 02
The bridge must span the fixed gap (e.g., 10 inches) and be completed within the time limit.
- 03
Round 2 (Chernobyl Crisis) responses must be based only on the data/maps provided — no outside research.
- 04
Round 3 (Bomb Defusal) answers must be submitted as a complete code; the first fully correct submission wins.
- 05
Round 4 designs must be sketched/modeled on-site and defended verbally before judges.
- 06
Any pre-built structures or pre-prepared designs brought from outside are not allowed and will be disqualified.
Universal Rules
Apply to every event.
These rules are binding across all ten events at Plutus 2026. No exceptions.
- 01
No AI tools permitted. Use of ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, or any generative AI tool — for research, content generation, calculations, or decision-making — at any stage of any round is strictly prohibited and will result in immediate disqualification of the team.
- 02
Judges' and organizers' decisions are final and binding on all matters, including scoring, disqualification, and rule interpretation.
- 03
Reporting time is mandatory. Teams arriving late to their round may lose time from their allotted slot or forfeit their turn, at the organizers' discretion.
- 04
Original work only — any pitch, script, design, or presentation must be created live/on-site during the event unless a round explicitly allows pre-prepared material.
- 05
Respectful conduct is required toward judges, volunteers, and other teams; unsporting behavior, verbal abuse, or sabotage of another team's materials leads to disqualification.
- 06
Substitutions are not allowed once a team is registered, except in case of a genuine emergency and with prior organizer approval.
Next event
Nexus