‘Revolutionary moment’: Astronomers report progress in search for extraterrestrial life

Astronomers reported imaginable signs of beingness astatine K2-18 b, a satellite light-years distant successful the constellation Leo that could person a planetary ocean.

Nikku Madhusudhan, a University of Cambridge astrophysicist who leads the team, said their announcement was a “revolutionary moment.”

Astronomers person been utilizing NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope to cod information from K2-18 b, a satellite astir 8 times bigger than Earth.

K2-18 b was archetypal discovered successful 2015. Madhusudhan’s squad reported successful 2023 that determination were signs of methane and c dioxide successful its atmosphere.

On Wednesday, successful The Astrophysical Journal Letters, the squad reported detecting dimethyl sulfide, oregon DMS, a chemic compound that could beryllium a motion of beingness connected K2-18 b.

“A Hycean satellite with an water that is teeming with beingness is the script that champion fits the information we have,” Madhusudhan said successful a quality release.

Måns Holmberg, a researcher astatine the Space Telescope Science Institute successful Baltimore who co-authored the report, said “it was an incredible” realization.

“This could beryllium the tipping point, wherever abruptly the cardinal question of whether we’re unsocial successful the beingness is 1 we’re susceptible of answering,” Madhusudhan said.

Not everyone successful the technological assemblage celebrated the findings arsenic advancement successful the hunt for impervious of extraterrestrial life, arsenic immoderate argued that DMS isn’t a reliable biosignature and much probe is needed. Madhusudhan and his squad program to proceed their work.

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