Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca, and Timisoara are the three Romanian cities that will take part in NASA’s International Space Apps Challenge, one of the largest hackathons in the world.

The event, which engages thousands of problem solvers each year, will take place on April 29-30 this year, in cities around the world. It embraces collaborative problem solving with a goal of producing relevant open-source solutions to address global needs applicable to both life on Earth and life in space.

During the 48-hour hackathon, coders, scientists, designers, storytellers, makers, builders, technologists, and everyone enthusiastic about space come together to address challenges people face on Earth and in space. This year’s themes are focused on Earth. They cover both people's relationship with this planet, as well as the current environmental problems.

The 2016 edition of the event was the largest yet, with more than 160 events and 15,000 people participating across 6 continents. Last year, Cluj-Napoca was the only Romanian city that took part in the international hackathon.

Find out more about the 2017 edition of NASA Space Apps Challenge here.

Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com