Noted astrophysicist Dr Jayant Narlikar has said that the world might be closer to finding answer to the question as to whether the living organisms are found elsewhere in the universe.
The curiosity about extra-terrestrial (ET) life was age-old, and had stirred the human imagination for long thanks to old folk tales and the modern science fiction films; but the time had come to demystify the mystery, Narlikar said.
He said this while delivering the 22nd Dr Yelavarthy Nayudamma Memorial Lecture on 'Are we alone in the universe?' after receiving the Nayudamma Memorial Award here on Saturday.
The study of bacterium found high above the earth's surface may yield answer to this question in the near future, he said.
Narlikar mentioned a programme known as SETI (search for extra-terrestrial intelligence) which has been in operation for more than four decades, under which coded messages about earth life were sent to likely locations, usually within a few tens of light years range.
But this method, which relies on the extra terrestrial life forms -- if they exist -- understanding and replying to the message, needs huge patience, as the reply would take decades to reach back here, he said.
The second approach, Dr Narlikar said, involved searching for life in a microbial form, right at the earth's doorstep.
"The riddle was: Do cells, bacteria and viruses exist at heights of 40-50 km above the earth's surface?" he said.
"Then we thought of getting a balloon capable of carrying the scientific payload up to 41 km height. It was launched from the National Balloon Facility in Hyderabad managed by the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research," said Dr Narlikar, a Padma Vibhushan recipient.
