UK scholars declare hints of extraterrestrial life
(MENAFN) Researchers from the University of Cambridge have announced a potential breakthrough in the search for extraterrestrial life. Using NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, the team detected a gas on a distant planet that, on Earth, is produced exclusively by living organisms.
The discovery was made while studying K2-18 b, a planet located about 124 light-years away in the Leo constellation. Known as a “hycean” planet, K2-18 b is thought to have a hydrogen-rich atmosphere and liquid water oceans, making it an ideal candidate for life.
The scientists identified two gases—dimethyl sulfide and dimethyl disulfide—in the planet’s atmosphere. On Earth, these gases are primarily produced by marine microbes such as phytoplankton. The levels found on K2-18 b were thousands of times higher than those found on Earth.
Dr. Nikku Madhusudhan, an astrophysicist from Cambridge University and the lead author of the study, described the findings as potentially groundbreaking. He suggested that the detection of these gases provides new evidence that could point to the existence of life on K2-18 b, calling it the closest humanity has come to identifying features linked to biological activity beyond Earth.
However, the team also cautioned that the gases could be the result of unknown natural processes, and more observations will be necessary to confirm whether life is indeed responsible for the presence of these gases.
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