Jobaaj Stories
New Clues Suggest Possible Life on Distant Planet K2-18b
Scientists at Cambridge University may have found the strongest signs yet of life on a planet far beyond our solar system.
Using NASA’s powerful James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), researchers discovered possible traces of gases in the atmosphere of exoplanet K2-18b—gases that, on Earth, are made only by living organisms.
K2-18b orbits a small red star about 700 trillion miles from Earth. It’s more than twice the size of our planet. Scientists say the planet's atmosphere may contain two chemicals linked to life: dimethyl sulphide (DMS) and dimethyl disulphide (DMDS). On Earth, these gases are released by ocean microbes like plankton and bacteria.
Evidence Is Promising, But Not Yet Confirmed
Lead scientist Professor Nikku Madhusudhan from Cambridge University says the discovery is exciting, but it’s not yet confirmed.
“This is the strongest evidence yet there might be life out there,” he said. “We hope to confirm the signal within the next year or two.”
Right now, the confidence level of their results is about 99.7%—which sounds high, but it's still not enough to claim a discovery. Scientists usually require 99.99999% certainty for such announcements.
Even if the gas is confirmed, scientists still won’t know for sure if it's from living things. There could be non-biological explanations.
Could Something Else Be Making the Gas?
Professor Catherine Heymans, Scotland’s Astronomer Royal, says we must be careful. She explained that even with perfect data, it’s hard to know if the gases came from life.
"Strange things happen in space. We don’t fully understand the planet’s geology, and there could be other ways these gases form," she told the BBC.
To address that, the Cambridge team is working with other researchers to explore whether DMS and DMDS can be produced without life, like through volcanic or chemical processes.
A Planet Full of Water or Just Hot Rock?
Some scientists think K2-18b may have a giant ocean, especially since ammonia—a gas often found in space—is missing from its atmosphere. One theory says the ammonia might be absorbed by a huge body of water.
But others think the planet could be a “mini gas giant” or even have a molten rock surface, which would make life impossible.
Dr. Nicolas Wogan at NASA's Ames Research Center and Professor Oliver Shorttle of Cambridge have both offered different views based on the same data, showing just how complex and uncertain the findings still are.
A Big Moment in the Search for Life?
Despite the debate, Professor Madhusudhan believes this could be a historic step.
“Years from now, we might look back and say this was the moment we came close to finding life beyond Earth,” he said. “We’re finally able to ask—and maybe answer—if we’re alone in the universe.”
The full study was published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters.
