“Are we alone?” This age-old question has been a fundamental part of human inquiry since time immemorial. In contemporary astronomy, it pivots towards the quest for extraterrestrial life. Do we, as a species and as a planet, stand solitary in the cosmos, or does life flourish elsewhere?
Traditionally, this question conjures images of peculiar, green-hued humanoids. Yet, life encompasses a broader spectrum: animals, fish, plants, and even the tiniest of organisms such as bacteria—all these are the diverse forms of life we aspire to uncover in the boundless expanse of space.
One remarkable facet of life on Earth is its capacity to leave discernible traces in the chemical composition of the atmosphere. Thus, we search for telltale signs like these when hunting for potential alien life. Recently, scientists from the United Kingdom and the United States have reported intriguing chemical traces in the atmosphere of a distant exoplanet named K2-18b, located approximately 124 light-years away from Earth. In particular, they may have detected a substance that, on Earth, is exclusively produced by living organisms.
Meet K2-18b, the Exoplanet:
K2-18b is a captivating exoplanet, one that orbits a distant star. Initially identified in 2015 through the Kepler Space Telescope’s K2 mission, it belongs to the category of sub-Neptunes, which are smaller than Neptune within our solar system.
This exoplanet is approximately eight and a half times more massive than Earth and orbits a type of star known as a red dwarf, which emits significantly less heat than our sun. However, K2-18b is situated within the habitable zone, where conditions are just right—neither too scorching nor too frigid—for liquid water to exist, a critical factor for life as we know it.
Earth, for obvious reasons, is classified as a rocky planet, whereas sub-Neptunes like K2-18b are gas giants, characterized by vast atmospheres composed of hydrogen, helium, and other elements.
This brings us to the intriguing developments surrounding K2-18b.
Deciphering an Atmosphere’s Fingerprint:
The Kepler Space Telescope initially discovered this planet by monitoring distant stars, observing the telltale dimming of a star’s light when a planet transits in front of it. Although this method effectively identifies planets, it provides limited insight into their atmospheres—essential information for assessing their potential habitability or the presence of life.
NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, launched in late 2021, has since observed and analyzed the atmosphere of K2-18b. This was accomplished by meticulously measuring the spectrum of light, with unprecedented precision, to detect traces of specific atoms and molecules—a process known as spectroscopy. Each element and molecule exhibits a distinct color signature, akin to a fingerprint, enabling astronomers to deduce the elements and compounds present in the exoplanet’s atmosphere.
Although the exoplanet itself doesn’t emit light, astronomers patiently waited for K2-18b to pass in front of its host star. During this transit, they examined the starlight as it traversed the planet’s atmosphere, allowing them to identify characteristic fingerprints of various substances.
Alien Clues in the Atmosphere:
The recent study unveiled an abundance of carbon dioxide and methane in K2-18b’s atmosphere, reminiscent of the compositions found on Earth, Mars, and Venus in our solar system, as opposed to Neptune.
However, a curious discovery emerged—a trace amount of dimethyl sulfide, a molecule composed of carbon, hydrogen, and sulfur. On Earth, it is often associated with distinctive odors but is also intrinsically linked to life. The sole known process for generating dimethyl sulfide on our planet is biological in origin, particularly associated with marine life and plankton, which emit it as a form of flatulence.
Hence, scientists are tantalized by the intriguing possibility of alien marine emissions on K2-18b, if these observations indeed indicate the presence of life.
The Ongoing Quest:
While dimethyl sulfide is closely linked to life on Earth, its presence on other planets could be related to geological or chemical processes. After all, K2-18b bears resemblance to Neptune, a celestial body about which we still have much to learn. Recent research even uncovered a connection between Neptune’s clouds and the sun’s 11-year activity cycle. The study of planets and their atmospheres remains a complex and evolving field of exploration.
Moreover, the detection of dimethyl sulfide is subtle compared to the more prominent signals of carbon dioxide and methane. This suggests that further detailed measurements are necessary to enhance the strength of the signal.
Collaborative efforts involving other telescopes, such as the Very Large Telescope in Chile and the new instrument Veloce on the Anglo Australian Telescope at Siding Spring Observatory in Australia, could bolster our understanding of alien atmospheres. Furthermore, forthcoming space telescopes like Europe’s PLATO, currently under construction, promise to provide even deeper insights into these enigmatic realms.
Therefore, while the presence of dimethyl sulfide on K2-18b may not conclusively point to extraterrestrial life, it remains a compelling prospect, and there is still much uncharted territory to explore in our quest for answers.
Source: The Conversation