A major celebration of brainpower took place this week at the headquarters of one of the world's most important medicine makers – Regeneron.

The Tarrytown company welcomed the scholars and finalists in the world's oldest and most prestigious science competition, the Regeneron Science Talent Search.

The students studied a variety of subjects, including mutational diseases, computers, anxiety, whale sounds and even galactic habitability.

A total of 34 students across Westchester were selected out of nearly 2,000 applicants from 659 high schools in 49 states.

Reality set in this week when the star students listened to a powerful pep talk from the man who created the contest's namesake.

Each of the contest's 40 finalists will receive $25,000 and get to travel to Washington in March where they will compete for more than $1 million in awards.