N° 40–2001: Life in the Universe ? Is anybody out there?
6 July 2001
The possibility that there is life elsewhere in the Universe has always excited the general public. Scientists are equally enthusiastic: physicists, biologists, chemists, cosmologists and astronomers all over Europe are researching the age-old question: is there other life in the Universe?
What is our understanding at the beginning of the 21st century? Is there any scientific evidence for other forms of life? How can you define life? What signs are we looking for? What would the reaction be if other forms of life were discovered?
The European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), the European Space Agency and the European Southern Observatory, in cooperation with the European Association for Astronomy Education, have organised a competition to find out what young people in Europe think. The European Molecular Biology Laboratory and the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility are also involved.
This "Life in the Universe" project is being mounted in collaboration with the research directorate of the European Commission for the European Week of Science and Technology in November this year. Competitions are already under way in 23 European countries to find the best
projects from school students aged between 14 and 19. Entries can be in one of two categories: scientific or artistic. The projects can therefore be essays, newspapers, websites, artworks, poetry or even a theatrical or musical performance. Two winning teams (one in each category) from each country will be invited to a final event at CERN in Geneva on 8-11 November to present their projects to an international panel of experts at a special event devoting three days to enquiring into the possibility of other life forms existing in our Universe. This final event will be broadcast all over the world via the Internet.
The home base of the "Life in the Universe" project is a vibrant website www.lifeinuniverse.org where details of the programme can be found. It is still under development but already has a wealth of information and links to the national websites, where all entries are posted.
Is there other life in the Universe? We do not know - but the search is on!
To find out what is happening for "Life in the Universe" in each country contact the National Steering Committees:
Austria
Mr Christian Gottfried
Theobaldgasse 16/13
A-1060 Wien
Email : christian.gottfried@cern.ch
Bulgaria
Mrs Veselka Radeva
Astronomical Observatory and Planetarium
PO Box 120
Varna
Email : radevi@mail.varna.techno-link.com
Denmark
Ms Anne Værnholt Olesen
Tycho Brahe Planetarium
Gammel Kongevej 10
DK-1610 København V
Email : Anne_O@tycho.dk
Estonia
Kertu Saks
Tallinn Technology and Science Centre Energy
Põhja Blvd 29,
Tallinn 10415
Email : kertu.saks@energia.ee
Finland
Mr Lauri Kervonen
National Board of Education
PL380
Hakaniemenkatu 2
00531 Helsinki
Email : Lauri.kurvonen@oph.fi
France
Mr Bernard Pellequer
Geospace Observatoire d'Aniane,
Institut de Botanique,
163 rue Auguste Broussonnet,
34090 Montpellier
Email : bernard.pellequer@geospace-online.com
Germany
Ms Elisabeth Lahr-Nilles
Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie
Auf dem Hügel 69
53121 Bonn
Email : e.lahr-nilles@gmx.de Ou elahr@mpifr-bonn.mpg.de
Greece
Mrs Maragarita Metaxa
63, Ethnikis Antistaseos
152 31 Athens
Email : mmetaxa@compulink.gr
Ireland
Mr Kevin Nolan
School of Applied Science,
Institute of Technology, Tallaght
Dublin 24
Email : knolan@seti.it-tallaght.ie
Italy
Mrs Cristina Palici di Suni
Via Giulia di Barolo 3
TORINO
Email : palici@aerre.it
Luxembourg
Mr Fernand Wagner
Laboratoire de Physique
Lycée de Garçons d'Esch,
Boite postale 195,
L-4002 Esch/Alzette.
Email : fernand.wagner@ci.educ.lu
Netherlands
Mr Gert Schooten
Holtmate 14
8014 HA
Zwolle
Email : gertschooten@wish.net
Poland
Ms Barbara Popielawska
Space Research Center, P.A.N.
ul. Bartycka 18a
PL 00-716 Warszawa
Email : bpop@cbk.waw.pl
Portugal
Mrs Felisbela Martins
ASTRO - Apartado 52503 Amial
4202-301 Porto
Email : Felisbela.Martins@ip.pt
Romania
Magda Stavinschi
Bucharest,
str. Cutitul de Argint 5,
RO-75212
Email : magda@roastro.astro.ro
Slovak Republic
Mr Dalibor Krupa
Slovak Academy of Sciences
Stefanikova 49
SK-814 38 Bratislava
Email : fyzikrup@savba.sk
Spain
Mrs Rosa Maria Ros
Dept. Applied Mathematics IV,
Technical University of Catalonia,
Jordi Girona 1-3, modul C3
Barcelona
Email : ros@mat.upc.es
Sweden
Mr Björn Lingons
Mediecenter Stockholm,
Box 19612,
S-10432 Stockholm
Email : bjlin@avc.edu.stockholm.se
Switzerland
Mr Michael Reichen
Gymnase de Nyon
Route de Divonne 8
Case postale
1260 Nyon 2
Email : michael.reichen@freesurf.ch
United Kingdom
Mr Alan Pickwick
19 Edale Grove, Sale, Cheshire,
M33 4RG
Email : Alan_C_Pickwick@compuserve.com
For further information, please contact :
Helen Wilson
European Space Agency
ESTEC Education Office
Postbus 299
2200 AG Noordwijk
Netherlands
+31 71 565 5518 (tel)
+31 71 565 5590 (fax)
Email : Helen.Wilson@esa.int
For further information:
Helen Wilson
Tel: +31.71.565.55.18
Fax: +31.71.565.55.90