Astronomers say there is an increased opportunity to live on this distant planet

Astronomers are approaching a statistically significant finding that could confirm the potential signs of life found on the distant exoplanet K2-18B are not accidental.

The astronomers team led by CambridgeUsed data from the James Web Space Telescope (used only since the end of 2021) to detect chemical traces of dimethyl sulfide (DMS) and/or dimethyl disulfide (DMDS), which are said to be produced only from life as phytoplankton in the sea.

According to the University, “the results are the strongest proof that life can exist on a planet outside our solar system.”

The findings were published this week in Astrophysical letters of the magazine And they indicate the possibility of an ocean on the surface of this planet, which scientists have hoped to find for years. In the summary of the document, the team says: “The possibility of the Hico worlds, such as the oceans for the entire planet and atmospheres rich in H2, significantly expand and accelerate the demand for habitable environments elsewhere.”

However, not everyone agrees that what he has found proves that there is an exoplanet life.

Scientific writer and founder of OpenMind Corey Corey S. Powell Published for the findings Bluski writing “The potential discovery of alien life is so tempting that it enhances even renowned retail outlets to manage naive or outspoken misleading stories.” He added: “Here again with the planet K2-18b. Hm …. there is serious evidence of non-biological sources of DMS of the molecule.”

The K2-18B is 124 light-years and much larger than the earth (more than eight times greater than our mass), but smaller than Neptune. The search for signs of even the main life of a planet like this increases the chances that there are more planets such as Earth that can be habitable, with temperatures and atmospheres that could maintain human life forms. The team behind the paper hopes that a more study with James Web’s space telescope will help confirm their original findings.

More studies to find life on k2-18b

The Exoplanet K2-18B is not the only place where scientists are examining the possibility of life and this study is still an early step in the process, said Christopher Glavin, Geochimic, Planetary Researcher and a leading scientist in the southwestern San Antonio Research Institute. The excitement of the meaning of the study, in his opinion, should be tempered.

“We have to be careful here,” Gladin said. “There seems to be something in the data that cannot be explained, and DMS/DMD can give an explanation. But this detection is stretching the limits of JWST’s capabilities.”

Glain added: “Further work is needed to check that these molecules are actually present. We also need additional studies evaluating the abiotic origin of K2-18B and similar planets. That is, the chemistry that can occur in the absence of life in this potentially exotic environment.

The trappist-1 planets, according to him, are examined as potentially habitableAs LHS 1140B, which he said “Is another astrobiologically significant exoplanet that can be a massive ocean world.”

As for K2-18b, Glein said many more tests should be performed before there was a consensus for the life of it.

“Finding evidence of life is like a pursuit of a case in the courtroom,” Glain said. “Many independent evidence is needed to convince jurors, in this case the world scientific community.” He added: “If this finding is retained then this is step 1.”