Astronomers have found One of the most promising signs that may be supernatural life on another planet. With the help of James Web Space Telescope, researchers have discovered what they believe that there may be biosphere of marine microorganisms on the K2-18B, which is an exoplanet located in the habitable field of its original star 124 light-year.
According to research led by the University of Cambridge, the team detected the marks of Dimethyl Sulfide (DMS) and Dimethyl Dyulfide (DMDS) in the planet’s atmosphere. On Earth, these compounds are produced only by microbial life such as phytoplinkton.
Scientists admit that there is a possibility that these substances have been unrelated to microorganisms by an unknown chemical process on the planet. However, they also emphasize that the data represents the strongest evidence for a possible life on any other planet other than us. Results were published in scientific magazine The astrophysical journal letters.
The K2–18B is 8.6 times the mass of the Earth and about three times. This constellation is located in the direction of Leo and performs a small, low -temperature type orbit called red dwarf. The planet is very close to its star – it takes only 33 days to complete an orbit – but due to the low temperature of the red dwarf, the planet is in an area of space, which in principle, allows liquid water to be present on its surface.
This exoplanet is one of the major potential examples of a hycian planet, which is a theoretical class of the world with giant liquid oceans and a hydrogen -containing environment. According to the astrobiologist, discovery of a hycian planet will represent one of the best opportunities to find extrastral life.
This is not the first time that K2–18B has attracted the attention of astronomers. In 2023, the same team of scientists found methane and carbon dioxide in their environment. This was the first time carbon-based molecules were discovered on a planet within a habitable area of space. Researchers also identified the spread signals at that time, which seemed that they could be dimethyl sulfide. And so two years later, the team took another look at the promising planet.
“We did not know to ensure whether the signs we saw last time were due to DMS, but the indication for us was exciting to keep another eye with JWS using a separate equipment,” said scientist Nikku Madhusudhan, who led the research in a press release.
“Earlier theoretical work predicted that high levels of sulfur-based gases like DMS and DMD on the hician world are possible. And now we have seen it, which was predicted.
This story appeared originally Wire N aspanol And has been translated from Spanish.
