Scientists Detect The Strongest Signal Of Life Abroad

JAKARTA - Scientists detected the strongest signal of life beyond Earth in a recent study of a planet located far from the solar system. This discovery gives new hope in a long search for living things in the universe, although researchers still warn that this result cannot be considered definite evidence.

Quoted by AP, Friday, April 18, research was led by a team from the University of Cambridge that analyzed data from the James Webb Space Telescope. From the study they found the presence of a chemical compound in the planet's atmosphere called K2-18b, a compound that on Earth is usually only produced by living things.

According to Nikkuwasudhan, a Cambridge astrophysicist, this is the strongest signal of life beyond Earth ever detected so far. "This could be a sign of biological activity outside the solar system," he said.

The compounds in question are dimethyl sulfide and dimethyl disulfide, two substances on Earth are known to be produced by marine microorganisms, especially phytoplankton. This discovery is in the spotlight because K2-18b is in the habitable zone of its star, which is an area whose temperature allows for water in liquid form, one of the main conditions for life.

K2-18b itself measures more than twice the Earth, with an eight times larger mass. The planet is about 124 light years from Earth, or nearly 750 trillion miles away. The results of this research have been published in the scientific journal Astrophysical Journal Letters.

However, calmsudhan emphasized that further research is still needed to ensure the origin of the compound. It could be that these substances are produced by non-biological chemical processes that are not fully understood.

David Clements, scientists from Imperial College London, also added that the atmosphere of other planets is very complex. With limited data, interpretation can be a challenge in itself. Even so, he called this research a very promising first step.

So far, astronomers have confirmed more than 5,500 planets outside the solar system. Thousands of other planets are still awaiting verification, from billions of planets believed to orbit stars in the Milky Way galaxy.

The James Webb telescope, launched in 2021, is the most advanced space telescope to date. Thanks to its sophistication, hopes for detecting signs of life are becoming increasingly real, including the possibility of retaking the strongest signal of life beyond Earth.