Are we alone in the universe? Is there life on other planets? What is life? These are the questions "Life in the Universe" wants you to explore. Life in the Universe is a competition for second-level students to design a website or CD-ROM which will express their ideas on terrestrial and extraterrestrial life.

"The origin of life is a topic that usually provokes strong opinions and vigorous discussions," says competition organiser Kevin Nolan. "We want students to approach any aspect of this wide topic and put their own views together with information from books, the Internet or anywhere."

The competition, open to all 14 to 18 year-olds, is organised by the European Laboratory for Particle Physics, the European Space Agency and the European Southern Observatory. Prizes will be awarded in a number of different categories and the overall winners will take part in a Europe-wide TV event in Geneva in November as part of European Science and Technology Week 2001.

Further details are available from Kevin Nolan, School of Applied Science, Institute of Technology, Tallaght. Email: knolan@seti.it-tallaght.ie Web: http://seti.it-tallaght.ie/liu