CBSE Class 7 An Alien Hand NCERT Solutions Chapter 10: An Alien Hand

Tilloo successfully reached the 'forbidden passage' by cleverly using his father's security card. While his father was resting, Tilloo took the card. He then avoided his mother's attention and went to the passage. A metal door blocked his way, but he remembered seeing his father use the security card in a slot. Tilloo replicated this action, and the door opened silently. He then entered the well-lit passage, retrieved the card from another slot in the wall, and proceeded along an upward slope.

Having lived his entire life in the underground home, Tilloo was very curious about the surface. He hoped that once he emerged from his underground dwelling, he would be able to see the sun if it was daytime, or the stars if it was nighttime.

Tilloo's father advised him against going to the surface because it was not safe for ordinary people. The father explained that the atmosphere on the surface was extremely thin, making it difficult to breathe, and the temperature was so low that anyone exposed to it would freeze to death. Therefore, survival on the surface was impossible without special protection.

Significant environmental changes forced the inhabitants to live in underground homes. The sun, which was once a source of sustenance, had turned hostile. Even a slight alteration in the sun's nature disrupted the planet's ecological balance. This led to the extinction of birds, followed by animals, and then fishes. Human beings, with their advanced technology, managed to survive by constructing and living in underground shelters.

The Control Room staff became greatly excited because a small dot appeared on the large TV screen against a completely clear background. They initially suspected it might be a spacecraft, and this unusual sighting warranted close monitoring and investigation.

The spacecraft was unmanned. This was indicated when Number One informed the President that their reports confirmed the spacecraft did not contain any living beings; it was equipped only with instruments.

Number One suggested that while they could destroy the spacecraft with missiles if they landed, they lacked the capability to disable them while they were in space. He implied they could deal with them if they landed. Number Two proposed a strategy of non-interference and passive observation. He argued that they knew nothing about the capabilities or intentions of the spacecraft's creators and that any aggressive action, like destroying the ships, might reveal their own existence, which they wanted to avoid.

Based on its actions, the mechanical hand appeared to be attempting to dig into the surface of the planet. Its purpose was likely to collect samples of the soil and possibly other materials for scientific examination and analysis by the beings who sent it.

The 'damage' referred to was the immediate cessation of the mechanical hand's operation. By pressing the red button, Tilloo inadvertently deactivated the alien device, preventing it from continuing its task of collecting soil samples.

The spacecraft had originated from Earth.

Tilloo and his parents live on a planet where the surface environment has become hostile due to changes in the sun, forcing them to reside in underground homes. The story implies this is Earth, especially given the spacecraft's origin.

Living in an underground home like Tilloo's would present several challenges. The most difficult aspects might include the lack of natural sunlight, the confinement, and the absence of open spaces and natural landscapes like skies, trees, and open fields. The constant reliance on artificial environments could feel isolating. However, potential compensations might include safety from harsh surface conditions, a controlled and stable environment, and perhaps advanced technological conveniences within the home. The close-knit community living underground could also foster strong bonds.

Mankind might be driven to live underground due to extreme environmental changes on the planet's surface. This could include severe climate shifts making the surface uninhabitable (like extreme temperatures or radiation), catastrophic natural disasters (such as asteroid impacts or widespread volcanic activity), or the depletion of the atmosphere making it unsafe to breathe. Essentially, any situation that renders the surface hostile to life, similar to the scenario in the story where the sun's change made the planet's surface dangerous, would necessitate a move to underground dwellings for survival.

The possibility of life on other planets is a fascinating question. Scientifically, given the vastness of the universe and the countless stars and galaxies, it seems plausible that life could exist elsewhere. The 'kind of people' or beings on other planets could vary immensely. They might be microbial, plant-like, animal-like, or even intelligent civilizations. Their differences from us could be profound, shaped by their planet's unique environment, gravity, atmosphere, and evolutionary path. They might have different physical forms, sensory perceptions, communication methods, and societal structures. For instance, beings on a high-gravity planet might be shorter and stockier, while those on a planet with a different atmospheric composition might not even breathe oxygen. Their technology and understanding of the universe could also be far beyond our own, or perhaps less advanced.