Posted on 04/17/2025 3:17:37 PM PDT by hardspunned
A team of astronomers have detected what they call the most promising signs to date of a possible biosignature, or signs of past or present life linked to biological activity, on an exoplanet named K2-18b. But the study authors, and other experts, remain cautious and have not declared a definitive discovery of life beyond our planet.
Using the James Webb Space Telescope, the team detected chemical fingerprints within the atmosphere of K2-18b that suggest the presence of dimethyl sulfide or DMS, and potentially dimethyl disulfide or DMDS. On Earth, both molecules are only produced by microbial life, typically marine phytoplankton.
K2-18b, located 124 light-years from Earth, could be a Hycean world: a potentially habitable planet entirely covered in liquid water with a hydrogen-rich atmosphere, said lead study author Nikku Madhusudhan, professor of astrophysics and exoplanetary science at the University of Cambridge’s Institute of Astronomy.
(Excerpt) Read more at amp.cnn.com ...
Trying for grant funding?
E.T phone home.
It appears more grant funding. At least it’d be non DEI research funding now. I’m sure an application for non binary Hycean world outreach research would have been rubber stamped a year ago.
TOTAL BS
That’s always a distinct possibility.
4th article about this in 3 days...
K2-18b is larger than Earth (2.6x) and located in a habitable zone. Hydrogen atmosphere, no Oxygen with temps between -10 and 80.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K2-18b
https://www.space.com/alien-life-could-survive-hydrogen-rich-exoplanet-atmosphere.html
Yeah, but this is the definitive one, it’s CNN!
Well that solves that! Thanks for that keen input bobbob
From 2020:
Astronomers may have found a signature of life on Venus
Evidence indicates phosphine, a gas associated with living organisms, is present in the habitable region of Venus’ atmosphere.
https://news.mit.edu/2020/life-venus-phosphine-0914#:~:text=Evidence%20indicates%20phosphine%2C%20a%20gas,habitable%20region%20of%20Venus‘%20atmosphere.
On Earth, these gases are only produced by microbial life, raising interest in their presence on this distant world.
What is BS about that?
Give us some insight as to how you reached your "scientific" conclusion of "Total BS."
LMAO!!
...ok... carry on...
I’m not saying the research is BS. Getting overly excited and inferring at this early stage that life is there is what I was responding to. I would guess odds are very low that this is an actual life signature.
My comment was addressed to the person who called it BS.
It is too early to call it one way or another. It's just innocent and fun speculation at this point.
I’m certainly glad they’re doing the research. I’d like to see Elon’s thoughts on this.
K2-18b is 17.6 times the volume of Earth, and is probably tidally locked in its 33-day orbit around a red dwarf star, K2-18, which is the smallest kind of star. Plasma flares and far-UV radiation emitted by the K2-18 star could cause serious effects or loss of the atmosphere for a planet orbiting near the K2-18.
After the publicity and hype has died down, other reasons are likely to be found for the alleged presence of the chemicals on the planet.
I say abort it....per the Left it’s not really life. /sarc
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