FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY

PRESS INFORMATION NOTE

Date: 5 November  2001

Ref. PN 01/30

Issued by:

Peter Bond,

RAS Press Officer (Space Science).

10 Harrier Close,

Cranleigh,

Surrey, GU6 7BS,

United Kingdom.

Phone: +44 (0)1483-268672

Fax: +44 (0)1483-274047

E-mail: 100604.1111(at symbol)compuserve.com

CONTACT DETAILS ARE LISTED AT THE END OF THIS RELEASE.

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‘LIFE IN THE UNIVERSE’ COMES TO LEICESTER.

The search for intelligent life elsewhere in the Universe is one of the most exciting areas of investigation for modern science.

As part of European Science and Technology Week, the Royal Astronomical Society, supported by the Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council, will be presenting an evening devoted to ‘Life In The Universe’ at the National Space Centre, Exploration Drive, Leicester, LE4 5NS.

The event, which is open to the general public, has been timed to coincide with an award evening at CERN in Geneva, Switzerland, where the overall winners of the European ‘Life In The Universe’ competition will be announced.

Cost of admission for the public (inc light refreshments) is £6 (no concessions). Telephone bookings should be made on: 0116 258 2111.

Members of the media are welcome to attend free of charge, although prior notice of attendance to Peter Bond or Alan Pickwick would be welcome.

The RAS evening will feature two lectures by leading UK scientists, followed by a wide-ranging debate on the fascinating subject of life beyond Earth.

PROGRAMME:

16:00 Dr Serena Viti, University College London - The Search for Planets Beyond our Solar System.

16:30 Planetarium Show - 'BIG'

17:00 Dr Helen Walker, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory - Conditions for Life and Extremophiles (organisms that can survive in extreme temperatures, acidity etc.)

18:00 Debate - Life in the Universe - lead by Monica Grady, Curator of Meteorites at the Natural History Museum and Barrie Jones of the Open University

19:00 Light Refreshments and a chance to continue the debate informally
            View the Space Centre Galleries

21:00 Centre Closes

‘LIFE IN THE UNIVERSE’ COMPETITION.

This competition was organised by the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN), the European Space Agency and the European Southern Observatory, in collaboration with the European Association for Astronomy Education.

Students aged 14 to 19 years from 22 European countries entered projects representing their ideas of Life in the Universe. These projects could be scientific or artistic, e.g. a talk, web pages, a newspaper, a theatre play, film or sculpture.

The winning teams from each country have been invited to a conference at CERN in Geneva (7-10 November), culminating in a special award evening on 10 November. At this event they will present their ideas to the world's experts and the overall winners will be announced. The award evening in CERN will be web-cast live around the world on http://www.lifeinuniverse.org/

The overall European winners will be awarded the ‘Super Contest Prizes’:

The UK winners of the 2001 ‘Life in the Universe’ Competition, who will be going to CERN for the final event are:

St Cuthbert's High School, Gretna Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE15 7PX
   Essay (1 Pupil, 1 Teacher)

Ysgol Y Gwendraeth, Drefach, Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, SA14 7AB
   Web Site (3 Pupils, 1 Teacher)

Oundle School, Oundle, PE8 4AT
   Essay (2 Pupils, 1 Teacher)

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Alan Pickwick,

UK National Steering Committee Organiser,

19 Edale Road,

Sale,

Cheshire

M33 4RG

Tel: +44 (0)161 973 6796

WEB INFORMATION:

European ‘Life in The Universe’ project site:

http://www.lifeinuniverse.org

UK ‘Life In The Universe’ project site:

http://www.lifeinuniverse.org.uk