Scientists say they have found the strongest indications yet of the possibility of life in outer space on a planet more than 120 light years away. That’s a little over 1,000,000,000,000,000 (a quadrillion) kilometers from Earth.
But not too far for the James Webb space telescope, which has detected particular gases on a planet known as K2-18b. On earth, these gases are produced by living organisms such as algae and other microbes. The discovery suggests the planet may be teeming with microbial life. But the scientists stress they haven’t yet discovered actual alien life.
DW spoke to the project’s lead researcher Nikku Madhusdhan from the University of Cambridge about his team’s discoveries.
Astronomer and planetary scientist Sara Seager from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology also joined us to discuss research. She was sceptical that the research proved the presence of life on the planet.
Planetary physicist Raymond Pierrehumbert from the University of Oxford shared his views as well. He said that much more information was needed, pointing out that the planet’s atmosphere was very different from earth and that it wasn’t clear at all that there was even microbial life there.
00:00 Researchers find strongest evidence yet of life elsewhere
00:49 Lead researcher Nikku Madhusdhan explains their findings
07:27 Sara Seager from MIT shares her scepticism about findings.
13:39 Oxford’s Raymond Pierrehumbert shares doubts about K2-18b’s habitability
#k2-18b #alienlife #aliens
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