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Abu Dhabi: Many local pupils discovered a new love for science and astronomy after attending a presentation on life elsewhere in the Universe at the Kerala Social Centre.
Sakher Abdullah Al Saif, head of the Amateur Astronomy League at Emirates Heritage Club in Abu Dhabi, and Hassan Ahmad Mohammad Al Hariri, chairman of the Dubai Astronomy Group, recently held a presentation titled "The Miracle of Creation - The Search for Life in the Universe".
It was organised by the children's wing of Shakthi Theatres and the Kerala Social Centre, two Indian organisations in Abu Dhabi.
The astronomers imparted the basics of astronomy to the children with films, pictures and exhibitions of rocket and robot prototypes.
One of the pupils who attended the presentation could not believe that scientists have not been able to find life elsewhere in the Universe yet.
"I think there may be UFOs [unidentified flying objects] somewhere. The astronomers said there are 400 billion galaxies in the Universe," said Govind Sreenivas, an eighth-grade pupil at Our Own English High School in Abu Dhabi.
A girl was browsing the Nasa (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) website to see its findings about life on other planets. "I became curious when the astronomers said Nasa scientists have not been able to find life anywhere in the Universe except on Earth," said Jyothi Janardanan, eighth-grade pupil of St Joseph School in Abu Dhabi.
Vishnu Vijayan, a fifth-grade pupil, was fascinated by the fact that more than 900 Earths could fit into Jupiter.
"It was interesting to see how the Phoenix landed on Mars," he said.
Allan S. Deve, an eighth grade pupil at Abu Dhabi Indian School, was interested in looking for different versions of Nasa accounts about life in outer space. "I want to find out more about life anywhere else in the universe."
All the pupils said they now don't miss newspapers and magazines that carry articles on space, stars, the planets and galaxies.
Sakher Al Saif said the curious questions from the pupils showed their real interest and curiosity.
He was surprised by a question from a little boy. Anirudh, a fifth-grade pupil, who asked when the Universe will end. The astronomer had to reply that he did not know. But he was impressed with the question because the boy's words proved his interest.
"We will arrange a planetarium visit and star gazing trips for them," he said.
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