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maltatoday | SUNDAY • 9 APRIL 2023 7 SCIENCE Fly me to the moon: Journey to space at Esplora AT some point in our childhood, we all dreamt of becoming astro- nauts, or wanted to know what it's like on the surface of the moon, and for good reason. Outer space is captivating due to its mysteri- ous, infinite nature. It's no great surprise then that children grow up with a great wonder towards it and a wish to explore and learn more. Whether it's watching bright stars at night,or pondering about where the sun goes when the day is over, the universe is a never-ending source of fascina- tion for children and adults alike. More often than not, children are innately curious about the world around them – not just when it comes to outer space. They nat- urally ask questions and seek to learn more about things that, to us, may seem mundane, but to them are novel experiences that they are encountering for the first time in their lives. As their guardians, our role as parents is to encourage this en- thusiasm and curiosity. Passing on appreciation towards science in general is always a great ad- vantage for children while they are growing up. In particular, teaching them about space comes with a number of benefits that are valuable for our children's edu- cation. By introducing them to planets beyond ours, children will learn about the huge scale of the universe and realise that there is much more out there than they can see with their naked eyes. In turn, this will also help them ap- preciate how unique and special our Planet Earth is. It has the per- fect conditions for humanity to be able to live and, in the whole uni- verse, these same living conditions haven't been found anywhere else yet. This can be extended to teach children about the importance of sustainability and how impor- tant it is to look after our planet. If there is only one like it in the whole universe, then we should do our utmost to preserve it for the generations who will come af- ter us. At the end of the day, chil- dren who grow up with an inter- est in space may eventually lead to more adults who pursue careers in this field in the future. This will open up a world of possibilities for more innovations and discoveries that will be made by the astro- nauts and engineers of tomorrow. Today's children will be at the forefront of future space endeav- ours and will be the ones who ad- dress the challenges we currently face. In doing so, they will also be improving and expanding current technology, while also shaping our understanding of life as we know it. As former NASA astronaut, Alan G. Poindexter, said, "I'm really hopeful about the fu- ture of space exploration and hu- man spaceflight. Civilisation as we know it has been defined by ex- ploration. You know, we need to go off and find out what's around the next corner and what's just beyond what we already know. It's part of our being; it's part of our moral fibre to go off and explore." During the upcoming Easter holidays, children and adults alike will get the opportunity to satisfy their curiosity, explore and learn more about all things space at the Esplora Interactive Science Cen- tre. From lunar rovers to rocket launches and aerospace engineer- ing, there is something planned for all the family to enjoy. The activi- ties and workshops are designed and led by a team of trained pro- fessionals, who have science ed- ucation at heart. Therefore those interested are guaranteed to learn something new during their visit. In a first for Esplora, the Universe Exhibition (housed in the Plan- etarium building) will be open to all ticket holders. Visitors are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity and stop by this area to explore our solar system and learn more about our galaxy, thanks to space-themed exhibits. (The EsploraPlanetarium will be screening entertaining and edu- cational films and shows as usual, however this is still at an added cost, as per usual ticket prices.) In addition to acquiring new information, Esplora is also com- mitted to celebrating and appre- ciating local Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, more commonly known as STEM, research. Therefore, visitors will also have the opportunity to meet a number of professionals cur- rently working in the field of space sciences. This includes anything related to astronomy, satellites, earth observation and even as- trobiology – the study of life in outer space. These individuals will be here on a number of days throughout the event and will be showcasing their ongoing pro- jects, while also inviting children to participate in live demonstra- tions, short activities and experi- ments. In doing so, Esplora aims to bridge the gap between science and society while also highlight- ing the fact that there are oppor- tunities available locally when it comes to studying and working in the space sciences. This will be the perfect opportu- nity for all of those students, who are interested in pursuing such a career in the future, to ask any questions they may have and to gather advice from successful pro- fessionals in the field. If this sounds like it may be in- teresting for you or for one of your family members, pay a visit to Esplora Interactive Science Centre in Kalkara between the 11th and 16th of April. For more informa- tion regarding opening hours and ticket prices, please visit esplora. org.mt EVENT DATES: 11 – 16 APRIL 2023 OPENING HOURS: 10AM TO 5PM Join us during the Easter Holidays, when Esplora will be transforming into a hub for all things extra-terrestrial.