Scientists using the James Webb Space Telescope have discovered significant quantities of dimethyl sulfide (DMS) and dimethyl disulfide (DMDS) in the atmosphere of exoplanet K2-18b, located 124 light-years away. These chemicals are primarily produced by Earth’s microbial life, suggesting potential biological activity on K2-18b, a planet believed to be a vast ocean world. Orbiting a red dwarf star in the habitable zone, this discovery is considered a 'huge, transformational moment' in the search for extraterrestrial life, with concentrations of these compounds expected to be thousands of times stronger than those found on Earth.
Professor Nikku Madhusudhan comments on the significance of these findings, stating that the concentrations of DMS and DMDS detected on K2-18b are 'thousands of times stronger' than on Earth.
The discovery of the chemical fingerprints of DMS and DMDS signals the most compelling evidence for biological activity beyond our solar system, marking a transformational moment in astrobiology.
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