An astronomer discovered One of the most promising signs that there could be extraterrestrial life on another planet. With the help of James Webb Space Telescope, researchers have detected what they believe is a marine microbial biosignature of K2-18B, an exoplanet, located in the habitable zone of the parent star 124 light years away.
According to a study led by the University of Cambridge, the team detected traces of dimethyl dimethyl sulfide (DMS) and dimethyl (DMDS) in the planet’s atmosphere. On Earth, these compounds are produced only by the lifespan of microorganisms such as phytoplankton.
Scientists acknowledge that these substances may be produced on Earth by unknown chemical processes that are not related to microorganisms. But they emphasize that data Represent the most powerful evidence ever for possible life on planets other than ourselves. The results were published in the Scientific Journal Astrophysics letters.
The K2-18B is 8.6 times the mass of the Earth and is almost three times its size. It is located in the direction of the constellation Leo, and its orbit is a small, cold-temperature star called the Red Dwarf. The planet is very close to the star, and it only takes 33 days to complete one orbit, but the low temperature of the red star d’s planet is in a region of space that, in theory, allows liquid water to exist on its surface.
This exoplanet is one of the major potential examples of the Hycean planet, and is a theoretical class of the world characterized by its vast liquid and hydrogen-rich atmosphere. According to astrobiologists, discovering the HYCEAN planet would represent one of the best opportunities to find extraterrestrial life.
This is not the first time that the K2-18B has attracted the attention of astronomers. The same team of scientists in 2023 Methane and carbon dioxide were found in the atmosphere. It was the first time a carbon-based molecule was discovered on a planet within the habitable region of space. Researchers also identified a diffusion signal that looked like dimethyl sulfide at the time. And two years later, the team saw another promising planet.
“I wasn’t sure if the signal I saw last time was due to DMS, but that hint alone was exciting enough for JWST to use a different instrument to take a different view.” press release.
“Previous theoretical studies predicted that high levels of sulfur-based gases such as DMS and DMD would be possible in the Hycean world, and now we have observed that in line with what we predicted.
This story originally appeared Wired enspañol Translated from Spanish.
