Astronomers found One of the most promising signs shows that there may be an extraterrestrial life on another planet. With the help of James Webb space telescopeThe researchers have discovered what they believe may be the biology of marine microorganisms on K2-18B, one Exoplanet Located in the area that can stay in its mother star 124 light years ago.
According to a study led by the Cambridge University, the team has found the trace of Dimethyl Sulfide (DMS) and Dimethyl Disulfide (DMD) in the planet's atmosphere. On Earth, these compounds are only produced by microorganisms such as phytoplankton.
Scientists admit that these substances are likely to be produced on the planet by an unknown chemical process that is not related to microorganisms. However, they also emphasized that data Representing the most powerful evidence so far for life can be on a planet other than ourselves. The results were published in the Journal of Science Letters of Astronomical Physics magazine.
K2-18B is 8.6 times the mass of the earth and nearly three times its size. It lies in the direction of the constellation and rotates around a small star, low temperature called red dwarf. This planet is very close to its star, only takes 33 days to complete a trajectory, but due to the low temperature of the red dwarf, this planet is located in a space area, in theory, allowing liquid water to exist on its surface.
This exoplanet is one of the leading potential examples of a planet Hycean, a world class typical by having vast liquid oceans and hydrogen -rich atmosphere. According to astronomers, discovering a planet Hycean will represent one of the best opportunities to seek life outside the earth.
This is not the first time K2-18B has attracted the attention of astronomers. In 2023, the same group of scientists Found methane and carbon dioxide in its atmosphere. It was the first time carbon -based molecules were discovered on a planet in an area of space that could stay. The researchers also identified the diffuse signals at that time that they could be Dimethyl Sulfide. And so, two years later, the research team looked at the promising planet.
We do not know for sure whether the signal we saw last time was DMS, but just a suggestion about it was interesting enough for us to have a different view of JWST using another musical instrument, Mr. Nikku Madhusudhan, the scientist led the research, in a tool. Press release.
The theoretical work has previously predicted that high -sulfur -based gases such as DMS and DMD are possible in the Hycean world. And now we have observed it, consistent with what is predicted.
This story initially appeared on Stringed in Spanish And was translated from Spanish.