Extra Terrestrials: How and Where to Find Them

Written by Harshit Sharma

People have always been fascinated by space, from observing the Moon to sending rovers to Mars. This article describes a young learner’s encounter with “ETs” in Ahmedabad: not little green creatures, but meteoroids and other space-related discoveries.

Meteoroids are chunks of rock travelling through space. When they enter Earth's atmosphere they become meteors; those that survive the journey and land on the surface are called meteorites. The author visited the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) during World Asteroid Day celebrations and explored more than ten laboratories.

Four fascinating discoveries

1. Telescopes

Telescopes help scientists observe the Moon and celestial bodies. Long-exposure photographs can show star trails caused by Earth's rotation.

2. Lightning detector

Scientists study lightning-like phenomena beyond Earth, including research into possible lightning on Venus.

3. Simulator

Simulators help researchers recreate environmental conditions to test materials such as meteorites and moon rocks, supporting the design of space-exploration equipment.

4. Radiation detector

Radiation-detection equipment helps researchers study radiation and conditions relevant to space science.

Exploring these laboratories shows how curiosity, observation and experiments can help us understand the universe and the possibility of life beyond Earth.

Editor’s note: The article was written by Kian Sarkar, a SciKnowTech student, following a visit to PRL.