An exoplanet, called K2-18b, orbits a small and cool red dwarf star 124 light-years away from the Earth. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), an independent agency of the US Federal Government responsible for the civil space programme, aeronautics research and space research, is constantly monitoring that distant exoplanet as it has found signs of life on it.
According to data provided by James Webb Space Telescope (a space telescope of NASA designed to conduct infrared astronomy as its high-resolution and high-sensitivity instruments allow the telescope to view objects too old, distant or faint for the Hubble Space Telescope) in May 2024, the K2-18b has a chemical that can generally exist in the presence of life! The James Webb Telescope would soon embark on an expedition to solve the mystery of life in that distant exoplanet.
NASA scientists have been excited about the K2-18b for a long time as they believe that there is a huge body of water spread across the exoplanet. Scientists further assume that the size of the ocean in the K2-18b is 2.6 times that of the Earth! Certainly, water is an important source of life.
At the same time, the presence of Dimethyl Sulphide (DMS) in the K2-18b has grabbed the attention of scientists. This flammable liquid substance is one of the proofs for the existence of life! NASA scientists are of the opinion that DMS is produced from living organisms. Hence, the presence of DMS in the atmosphere of K2-18b is quite suggestive. It may be noted that DMS is produced by phytoplankton in the oceans on the Earth.
Meanwhile, Nikku Madhusudhan, the Lead Researcher and the Professor of Astrophysics and Exoplanetary Science at Institute of Astronomy of the University of Cambridge, has stressed that he is not ready to reach any conclusion, right now! Although scientists are more than 50% certain from data provided by the James Webb Space Observatory that the distant exoplanet has DMS, further data analysis is required.
As the K2-18b is 8.6 times as massive as the Earth, the exoplanet is classed as a Super Earth and a Sub-Neptune. In other words, it is bigger than the Earth, but smaller than Neptune. Such planets appear to be the most common type in the Milky Way Galaxy. However, there are no planets like them in our solar system. The K2-18b is also considered the archetype Hycean exoplanet. The abundance of methane and carbon dioxide, and shortage of ammonia in this exoplanet suggest that an ocean may be underneath a hydrogen-rich atmosphere there.
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