new research from UC Riverside suggests the findings may not indicate alien life<\/a>. Well, not yet.<\/p>\nK2-18b\u2019s composition<\/h3>\n Most exoplanets are not comparable to Earth, as their temperatures, atmosphere, and climates cannot support life as we know it on Earth.<\/p>\n
K2-18b, on the other hand, is different. This exoplanet receives around the same amount of solar radiation as Earth.<\/p>\n
Moreover, if the atmosphere is removed as a factor, K2-18b has a similar temperature to our planet.<\/p>\n
The exoplanet\u2019s atmosphere is predominantly hydrogen, whereas Earth\u2019s is nitrogen.<\/p>\n
Signs of water<\/h3>\n The findings fuelled speculation that there are oceans of water on K2-18b, making the exoplanet a \u2018Hycean\u2019 world, meaning a combination of a hydrogen atmosphere and water oceans.<\/p>\n
Additionally, Cambridge researchers used Webb to identify methane and carbon dioxide in K2-18b\u2019s atmosphere, another sign of life.<\/p>\n
Shang-Min Tsai, UC Riverside project scientist and paper author, explained: \u201cWhat was icing on the cake, in terms of the search for life, is that last year these researchers reported a tentative detection of dimethyl sulfide, or DMS, in the atmosphere of that planet, which is produced by ocean phytoplankton on Earth.\u201d<\/p>\n
Investigating DMS<\/h3>\n Due to Webb\u2019s data not being able to conclusively prove signs of life on an exoplanet, the UC Riverside researchers investigated whether DMS could accumulate to detectable levels on K2-18b.<\/p>\n
The researchers utilised computer models incorporating DMS physics and chemistry within the hydrogen atmosphere.<\/p>\n
They concluded that distinguishing DMS from methane in the data is improbable due to significant overlap and that the instrument is limited in this regard.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, they speculate that detectable DMS levels could accumulate if plankton or other life forms were to produce substantially more DMS\u2014around 20 times the current Earth levels.<\/p>\n
Future search for Alien life<\/h3>\n Detecting life on distant exoplanets poses challenges due to their vast distances from Earth.<\/p>\n
To detect DMS on K2-18b, the Webb telescope requires a more sensitive instrument capable of detecting infrared wavelengths.<\/p>\n
Fortunately, such an instrument is slated for use later this year, promising a definitive answer regarding the presence of life on K2-18b.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
After exciting reports last year, did the James Webb Space Telescope actually find signs of life on an exoplanet? Find out.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":47096,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[771],"tags":[801,3477,809],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
Did the Webb Telescope really find signs of life on an exoplanet?<\/title>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n