James Webb Telescope Discovers Signs of Life on K2-18b, 120 Lightyears Away... but there's a problem
James Webb Telescope Discovers Signs of Life on K2-18b, 120 Lightyears Away... but there's a problem. A recent investigation conducted using NASA's James Webb Space Telescope on K2-18b, an exoplanet with a mass 8.6 times that of Earth, has uncovered the presence of carbon-based molecules, including methane and carbon dioxide.
This discovery made by Webb, contributes to recent studies that suggest K2-18b might be classified as a Hycean exoplanet, one potentially featuring a hydrogen-rich atmosphere, and a surface covered by a water ocean.
K2 18 b orbits a cool dwarf star called K2-18, located in the habitable zone and situated 120 light-years away from Earth in the Leo constellation.
The presence of methane and carbon dioxide, along with the scarcity of ammonia, lends support to the hypothesis that K2-18b, could potentially have a water ocean beneath a hydrogen-rich atmosphere.
The initial observations by Webb also hinted at the possibility of detecting a molecule, known as dimethyl sulphide. On Earth, DMS is only produced by living organisms, with the majority of it being emitted by phytoplankton in marine environments.
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