A gigantic planet 124 light years away, K2-18 B, can have the strongest evidence so far from extraterrestrial life, astronomers say.
The James Webb Space Telescope detected Potential signs of Dimethylsulfide (DMS) and Dimethyl Disulfide (DMDs) – compounds on earth that are only produced by living organisms.
Although it is not definitive evidence, the discovery brings humanity closer to answering whether we are alone in the universe.
“This is the strongest evidence to date for biological activity outside the solar system,” said Prof. Nikku Madhusudhan of the University of Cambridge, who led the study. “We can watch for decades and acknowledge that it was when the living universe came within reach.”
K2-18 B, almost nine times the mass of the earth, turns a cool red dwarf in the habitable zone. In 2019, Hubble detected water vapor, but follow -up observations suggested methane instead. The Madhusudhan team now claims that the planet can organize a huge ocean – although this remains discussed.
“The signal came through strong and clear,” said Madhusudhan.
“If we can detect these molecules on habitable planets, this is the first time we have been able to do that as a species … It is astonishing.”
Published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters, the findings show DMS/DMDS levels thousands of times higher than the earth, with a chance of 0.3% to be a false detection. Yet Madhusudhan warns: “There may be processes that we don’t know … but I don’t think a well -known process can explain this without biology.”
There are skeptics that alternative explanations exist, such as comet effects, volcanoes or exotic chemistry. “Life is one of the options, but it’s one of the many,” said Dr. Nora Hänni, who found DMS on a lifeless comet.
Others, such as Dr. Jo Barstow, remain careful: “For such a profound discovery, the burden of proof must be very high. I don’t think this will cross that threshold.”
Although K2-18 B is too far away for direct study, Madhusudhan believes that indirect methods are sufficient: “In astronomy, the question never goes there … We try to determine whether the laws of biology are universal.”
Whether this marks a breakthrough or a false alarm, the search will continue-with K2-18 B, an excellent candidate in the hunt for alien life.
