Astronomers find strongest evidence yet of life beyond Earth on distant planet: ‘This could be the tipping point’

In a groundbreaking discovery, astronomers believe they may have found the most compelling evidence of life beyond Earth. A planet located 124 light-years away, known as K2-18b, has revealed two chemical signatures in its atmosphere that are only produced by life on Earth, reported Mirror.

Also read: Want to go to space like Katy Perry? Pay ₹1.28 crore first to get in the queue

Researchers say they are now 99.7% sure that some form of life exists on the planet, which lies more than three billion times farther from us than the distance between Earth and the Moon. The gases detected, dimethyl sulphide (DMS) and dimethyl disulphide (DMDS), are typically made by microscopic marine algae on our planet.

What makes this even more significant is K2-18b's location in the so-called Goldilocks zone, an orbital sweet spot where conditions are just right for liquid water to exist on a planet’s surface. Scientists have previously found methane and carbon dioxide in its atmosphere, marking the first detection of carbon-based molecules in the atmosphere of a habitable-zone exoplanet. This earlier research had already positioned K2-18b as a likely candidate for being a 'Hycean' world—one with a hydrogen-rich atmosphere and potentially a vast, life-supporting ocean.

Now, the latest data has taken things a step further. “Given everything we know about this planet, a Hycean world with an ocean that is teeming with life is the scenario that best fits the data we have,” said Professor Nikku Madhusudhan from the University of Cambridge’s Institute of Astronomy.

He added, “Decades from now, we may look back at this point in time and recognise it was when the living universe came within reach. This could be the tipping point, where suddenly the fundamental question of whether we’re alone in the universe is one we’re capable of answering.”

Also read: ‘Fear of eating’: 27-year-old woman hasn’t eaten fruits, vegetables in 20 years

Probability to certainty

To move from a 99.7% probability to a 99.994% certainty, astronomers say they need just 24 more hours of follow-up research. If confirmed, the findings would mark one of the most significant scientific breakthroughs in human history.

In addition to the excitement surrounding K2-18b, scientists have also identified another potentially life-supporting world, HD 20794 d, located less than 20 light-years away. The so-called "super-Earth" is believed to possibly contain water, according to an international research team.

With the consensus now suggesting there is a planetary system for every star in our galaxy, the search for life has entered a thrilling new phase. Astronomers are increasingly focused on locating exoplanets that offer the best chances for in-depth study and evidence of life.