Ben Ames wins the Flame Challenge. He shows how fire works.

Remember the Flame Challenge? Alan Alda’s quest to find someone who can explain at an elementary-school level what a flame is? Well, an American quantum optics student studying in Europe has won with a charming short video (that ends with a metal ballad):

What is a Flame from Ben Ames on Vimeo.

Ben writes: “I also have a passion for music, film, and the performing arts. So when I learned about this wonderful contest, I had finally found a project where I could put all of my interests to use. I locked myself in my basement for a solid week, writing, narrating, animating, and composing every element of the film.”

The 11-year-olds picked a winner. There are plenty of great honorable mentions at the link, too.