They found astronomers One of the most promising indications that extraterrestrial life may exist on another planet. With the aid of the James Webb space telescope, scientists have detected what they think may be the Biosengresses of maritime microorganisms on K2-18b, an exoplanets located in the residence zone of their parent star 124 years from the hotel.
According to research conducted by the University of Cambridge, the team has detected traces of dimethyl sulfide (DMS) and dimethyl disulgy (DMD) in the planet’s atmosphere. On Earth, these compounds are produced only by micro -formula life, such as phytoplankton.
Scientists admit that there is a possibility that these substances have been produced on the planet by an unknown chemical process not related to microorganisms. However, they also emphasize this data They represent the strongest evidence so far for a possible life on a planet other than ours. The results were published in the scientific journal Astrophysical letters of the journal.
K2-18b is 8.6 times larger than the mass of the Earth and its size almost three times. It lies towards the constellation Leo and orbits a compact, low -temperature star called the red dwarf. The planet is very close to its star – the completion of one orbit takes only 33 days – but due to the low temperature of the red dwarf, the planet is in the area of space, which theoretically enables the existence of a liquid on its surface.
This exoplanets is one of the leading potential examples of the hydrogen planet, the theoretical class of worlds characterized by enormous liquid oceans and a hydrogen -rich atmosphere. According to astrobiologists, the discovery of a planet with hydromassage would be one of the best opportunities to find extraterrestrial life.
This is not the first time K2-18b drew the attention of astronomers. In 2023, the same team of scientists He found methane and carbon dioxide in his atmosphere. Coal -based particles on the planet in the area of residence of space were found for the first time. Scientists also identified distributed signals at that time, which looked as if they could be a dimethylbardy. And so two years later the team gave another look at the promising planet.
“We did not know for sure if the signal we saw last time was caused by DMS, but only the tip was exciting enough that we could give another look with JWST using another instrument,” said Nikk Madhusudhan, a scientist who conducted research, wa. press release.
“Earlier theoretical works have foreseen that the high level of sulfur-based gas, such as DMS and DMD, are possible in Hycene worlds. And now we have observed this, according to what was planned. Considering everything we know about this planet, the Hycen world with the ocean, which is full of life, is a script that best suits the data, Madhusudhan.
This story originally appeared Wired in Spanish and was translated from Spanish.