Guess what? Scientists might have found signs of life on a planet far, far away! 🌌
Using the amazing James Webb Space Telescope, scientists have detected some special gases in the atmosphere of a planet called K2-18 b. These gases are called dimethyl sulfide (DMS) and dimethyl disulfide (DMDS). On Earth, these gases are made by living creatures, mostly tiny ocean plants known as phytoplankton. 🌿🌊
This means that there might be life on K2-18 b! 👽 But hold on—scientists aren’t saying they’ve found aliens just yet. They’ve found what’s called a possible biosignature, which is like a clue that life could be there. 🕵️♀️
K2-18 b is a super cool planet that’s about 124 light-years away from us, in a group of stars called the constellation Leo. It’s much bigger than Earth—about 8 times heavier and 2.6 times wider! 🌍➡️🌐
What’s really exciting is that K2-18 b orbits in the habitable zone of its star. That’s a special area where it’s not too hot and not too cold, so liquid water could exist. 💧 Scientists think it might be a “hycean world”, which means it could be covered in huge oceans with a thick, hydrogen-rich atmosphere. 🌊☁️
So, how did scientists find these gases? When K2-18 b passes in front of its star, a little bit of the star’s light goes through the planet’s atmosphere. By studying this light with the telescope, scientists can figure out what gases are there—like solving a cosmic puzzle! 🔭🧩
While this is super exciting news, scientists say we need to be patient. They need to do more studies to make sure these signs really mean there’s life on K2-18 b. But it’s a big step forward in answering the huge question: Are we alone in the universe? 🤔
Isn’t that amazing? Who knows—maybe one day we’ll find out that we’re not alone after all! 🚀✨
Reference(s):
Scientists find strongest evidence yet of life on an alien planet
cgtn.com
