After his initial failure at the science fair, Richard Ebright focused on conducting original experiments. One of his early projects involved identifying the cause of a viral disease that killed monarch caterpillars. He also studied the role of hormones in the development of butterfly wings and discovered an important protein in the insect’s DNA that played a key role in controlling cell functioning. His groundbreaking work earned him many awards, including recognition at the International Science Fair. He was later able to work on DNA structure and function at university level. These experiments demonstrated his growing skill and seriousness in scientific inquiry.