Possible Chemical Signs of Life Found on Distant Exoplanet, Say Scientists

London: In a discovery that has stirred excitement in the scientific community, researchers from the University of Cambridge have detected potential chemical markers of life in the atmosphere of a distant exoplanet, K2-18b, located 124 light-years from Earth.

Using data from NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, the team identified compounds—dimethyl sulfide (DMS) and dimethyl disulfide—that, on Earth, are primarily produced by marine microorganisms like phytoplankton. These chemicals could hint at biological activity beyond our solar system, though scientists urge caution and call for further investigation.

“This is the strongest sign to date of any possibility of biological activity outside the solar system,” said lead researcher and astrophysicist Nikku Madhusudhan during a livestream on Thursday. The findings were published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters. K2-18b is more than twice the size of Earth and over eight times more massive. It orbits within the “habitable zone” of its star—a region where temperatures could allow liquid water to exist, considered essential for life as we know it.

However, experts stress that these findings are preliminary. David Clements, an astrophysicist at Imperial College London, noted that planetary atmospheres are highly complex and difficult to interpret, especially from such vast distances. “This is really interesting stuff and, while it does not yet represent a clear detection, it’s a step in the right direction,” he commented.

Since its launch in 2021, the James Webb Space Telescope has revolutionised the search for alien worlds. To date, over 5,500 exoplanets have been confirmed, with thousands more under observation in our galaxy. While the mystery of life beyond Earth remains unsolved, discoveries like these are bringing us tantalisingly closer to an answer.