Experts suggest the telescope might have detected a molecule called dimethyl sulfide (DMS) on the planet, a molecule they say is produced only by living organisms, at least on Earth.
However, researchers emphasize that the detection of DMS on the planet located 120 light-years away is not strong enough, and more data is needed to confirm its presence. Researchers also detected methane gas and carbon dioxide (CO2) in the planet's atmosphere, which could imply that the planet, known as K2-18b, has a water ocean.
Prof. Nikku Madhusudhan, who led the study at the University of Cambridge, stated that the entire team was "shocked" by the data. Madhusudhan says, "On Earth, DMS is produced only by living organisms. Most of it in the Earth's atmosphere comes from phytoplankton in marine environments." However, Madhusudhan notes that the detection of DMS is not yet confirmed, and more data is needed for verification, which is expected to arrive in a year.
