Webb finds molecule only made by living things in another world [View all]

While the James Webb Space Telescope observed the atmosphere of an alien world 120 light-years away, it picked up hints of a substance only made by living things — at least, that is, on Earth.

This molecule, known as dimethyl sulfide, is primarily produced by phytoplankton, microscopic plant-like organisms in salty seas as well as freshwater.

The detection by Webb, a powerful infrared telescope in space run by NASA and the European and Canadian space agencies, is part of a new investigation into K2-18 b, an exoplanet almost nine times Earth's mass in the constellation Leo. The study also found an abundance of carbon-bearing molecules, such as methane and carbon dioxide. This discovery bolsters previous work suggesting the distant world has a hydrogen-rich atmosphere hanging over an ocean.

Such planets believed to exist in the universe are called Hycean, combining the words "hydrogen" and "ocean."

"This (dimethyl sulfide) molecule is unique to life on Earth: There is no other way this molecule is produced on Earth," said astronomer Nikku Madhusudhan in a University of Cambridge video. "So it has been predicted to be a very good biosignature in exoplanets and habitable exoplanets, including Hycean worlds."

https://mashable.com/article/james-webb-space-telescope-exoplanet-discovery-1

Exciting!