Cambridge scientists detect organic molecules in atmosphere of exoplanet K2-18b

London: A team of scientists from the University of Cambridge has discovered organic compounds in the atmosphere of exoplanet K2 18b, a scientific bre...

London: A team of scientists from the University of Cambridge has discovered organic compounds in the atmosphere of exoplanet K2-18b, a scientific breakthrough that strengthens the hypothesis of potential extraterrestrial life.

According to researchers, K2-18b, located approximately 124 light-years away in the Leo constellation, is considered habitable due to the presence of water in its atmosphere. Additionally, they detected organic molecules, including dimethyl sulfide (DMS) and dimethyl disulfide (DMDS), which are known to be produced by living microorganisms on Earth.

Their analysis was based on data collected from the James Webb Space Telescope, though they emphasized that these indicators do not constitute definitive proof of life but are promising signs warranting further investigation.

This discovery is part of ongoing scientific efforts to explore the possibility of life beyond Earth, including NASA’s Europa Clipper mission, which aims to study Jupiter’s moon Europa, and the Breakthrough Listen project, which searches for signals from potential intelligent civilizations.