Richard Ebright grew up in Pennsylvania where he developed a strong interest in science from a young age through collecting rocks, fossils, and butterflies with his mother's encouragement. He excelled in science fair competitions through his experiments with monarch butterflies, discovering the purpose of gold spots and how hormones affect cell development. His work won several prizes and helped establish that DNA is the genetic blueprint for life. Ebright's curiosity, dedication to experiments, and competitive spirit helped make him a successful scientist.