The molecule dimethyl sulfide (DMS) has been detected on the planet K2-18b, 120 light-years from Earth. On our planet, this molecule is produced by plankton in seas and oceans. Methane and CO2 are also said to have been found in the planet’s atmosphere. A Cambridge University professor who led the research told the BBC that his team was “shocked” when they saw the results.
The telescope was able to discover the molecule by analyzing the light coming through the atmospheres of distant planets. If certain light characteristics are missing, researchers know that light has been absorbed by particles in the atmosphere of that planet. This is how the existence of DMS was deduced.
Whether life is possible on a planet depends on many things: temperature, the presence of carbon and liquid water. The James Webb Space Telescope discovery seems to indicate that K2-18b meets all these criteria. K2-18b is almost nine times the size of Earth. Researchers emphasize that more research is needed to confirm the presence of DMS. The results are expected in a year.