Page 9 - Final for web Spectrum Volume 15 Issue 5

2022 | Spectrum | Volume 15 Number 5 9

Life beyond Earth : The Search Journey of a

for Extra-terrestrial Life Snowflake

ANAGHA SUNIL
UTTARA PHATAK feathery as they increase their
Are we alone in the universe?
area of spread. Time passes by
This question has fueled the My life is uncertain as long and I grow.
imagination of mankind for as I pertain. Even though I am
centuries. When we look up at rare, I make sure that there is I grow up and I become more
the night sky, are we looking always a variety in the shape fragile than before, beginning
at civilizations that are millions that I wear. With the ice as my to see a soft and snowy bed
of light-years away, or are we shield and pollen in my heart, to rest on. Tired of the fall, I
truly alone? Is life on Earth a I explore the cold places until get ready to embrace my end.
bizarre cosmic rarity, or is it a only a certain part. Mother nature blows me away, to
repeating feature in our universe? a spot where I have to just wait
Up in the clouds, where there for my final moment, longing
The possibility of extra- is only cold, I gather all my for someone to compliment
terrestrial life has had a water fractions together around my beauty.
tremendous impact on our my heart. As the forces of this
culture. From bestselling novels, E.M. of Martian-meteorite ALH84001: some scientists physical world help me, I form
comic books, and films to believe the structures to be fossilized microbes. my hexagonal skeleton. My
scientific interest, the possibility parent clouds feed me with
of extra-terrestrial life is a source planets: Mercury and Mars inside and outside our galaxy, water droplets and enthusiasm
of intrigue. Movies like “The and the moons: Europa, Ceres, scouring for radio signals and for becoming an enchanting
Predator”, “Independence Day” Enceladus and Titan are speculated sending out messages, have entity. Once my personality gains
portray them as warmongering to have conditions that might we never come across any enough weight, I jump off to
overloads determined to wipe out have supported or still may extra-terrestrial life?. There are take a flight full of expectations.
humanity, whereas “Superman” support life. A popular theory multiple answers to this question,
presented the beloved alien from states that life did not originate ranging from logical to bizarre; As I fall down I figure out
Krypton as humanity’s saviour on Earth but was brought to Theories range from inadequate that I am not alone, who was
and a beacon of hope. Since Earth by an asteroid millions technology to Earth and its life born to grow unique. I realize
the mid-20th century, research of years ago. Scientists like forms existing as part of an how turbulent the flow of life
has been conducted to search Stephen Hawking, Fred Hoyle and intergalactic experimental setup is. The little suspended water
for extra-terrestrial life. Some Chandra Wickremasinghe believe or even multiple dimensions. pearls against my fall hurt a
examples are the Viking Mars that it would be improbable for As technology advances and lot, but I add them over and
landers project, the Breakthrough life to not exist beyond Earth. we explore more uncharted over to decorate myself. The
Listen project, and Operation Then why, despite our numerous areas of our universe, we may new pearls begin to crystallize An entity so delicate,
SETI. In our solar system, the endeavours, including searches soon find out. over my skeleton and I look a Snowflake

Two-Day online hands-on

training on MIT-MEEP

STAFF WRITER Dr. Preeta Sharan, Professor,
Dept. of ECE, The oxford college
SRMIST’s tug-of-war team (left) and basketball team
(right) emerged victors in national-level events The department of ECE in of Engineering, Bengaluru.
association with SRM optica explained about “Application of
SRMIST’s Sportswomen are conducted two-day honour photonic crystal for biosensor
on MIT-MEEP on 26th Nov.,
design” with case study named
2021. The hands on training Sea Water Analysis using Smart
on a Winning Streak! introduced researchers in the Technology in Nanophotonic
photonics and optics community Platform. Lab session started
ANAHITA GUPTA the 34th Senior Nationals Tug of to setting up and launching
War Championship and secured a electromagnetic simulations with Vaishnavi, explained the
Building on the growing list of bronze medal. The championship using the state-of-the-art finite- commands in Linux after that
achievements, two women teams was held at Mata Mandir Grounds, difference time-domain (FDTD) she explained design of ring
from SRMIST – Basketball and Palghar, Maharashtra between the software package. resonator and its plots. At the
Tug of War- emerged winners Nov. 19-20, 2021. The basketball end Anup M Upadhaya and
in national level events held team includes Priyanka. P (II Started Day 1 session with Vaishnavi clarified all doubts
recently. The basketball team, Year BA), Parthiba Priya. J (II Mettina Vice-President of SRM raised by participants.
coached by K.Natraj, has won Year MBA) and Rajeshwari .S OPTICA student chapter to Hands-on lab session started
the Indian National Basketball (I Year MSc). The Tug of war welcomed all participants and with Ranjith B, explained
League 3-on-3 open tournament. team comprised of K. Mathumitha then she called Dr. Manohari,
The event, organized by the (I Year M.Sc), Kiruthika G.V Assistant Professor, Dept. about introduction to MEEP
Basketball Federation of India, (I Year MBA), Merin Sajan (I of ECE, SRM IST, to talk tool in Linux platform and also
was held on the Nov. 19-20, 2021 Year MBA), Reny Richard (I about OPTICA and chapter practically implemented different
in Bangalore. With an astounding Year MBA), Nivetha S (III Year activities after that Dr. R. waveguide structures. Finally,
win ratio of 100 per cent over six B.Sc), Trupti Laware (II Year Kumar addressed about the he addressed the participants
games, the team - better known B.Sc), Narmada (III Year B.Sc), importance of MIT-MEEP queries. The event concluded
as the “Ballers”- brought home Suveena. P (III Year B.Sc), and and how it will be useful for with vote of thanks by the SRM
the trophy by securing first R.Nivetha (III Year B.Sc). The research activities. Later host OPTICA student chapter member
place with fifty-nine points. In teams were lit with pride to have called the Chief Guest of the and specially mentioned thanks
parallel, the women’s team of brought victory and joy to the hands-on training session Dr. to participants, organizing
SRM represented Tamil Nadu in institution. Preeta Sharan. committee members.