In what could be a transformative moment in the ongoing search for extraterrestrial life, scientists at Cambridge University have found what they believe may be signs of life in the atmosphere of a far-off planet named K2-18b Of course, YWN readers are wondering: If there really is a habitable, ocean-covered planet out there, with sunlight and possibly beaches, how long until we see the first Pesach or Sukkos program on K2-18b? And will it finally make Orlando go out of style? These are questions still too early to ask. The planet, located 124 light-years away in the constellation Leo, is more than twice the size of Earth and orbits a small red star. Despite the vast distance, researchers were able to analyze the composition of its atmosphere using NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), which captures the starlight filtering through the planet’s gases. Their findings showed the potential presence of dimethyl sulfide (DMS) and dimethyl disulfide (DMDS)—two organic compounds that, at least here on Earth, are produced exclusively by marine microorganisms such as phytoplankton and certain bacteria. The surprising abundance of these molecules, far exceeding levels found on Earth, has raised hopes that K2-18b may be more than just a lifeless rock. “If the association with life is real,” said lead researcher Professor Nikku Madhusudhan, “then this planet could be teeming with life.” The data, while exciting, is still preliminary. Scientists use a confidence system called “sigma” to express certainty, and the current results are at “three sigma,” or 99.7% certainty. That may sound impressive, but scientists require five sigma—about 99.9999%—before officially declaring a discovery. In other words, while this is the most promising evidence of alien life ever observed, it’s not quite a done deal. Still, it represents a major leap forward from earlier studies, which only reached one sigma. To reach that gold standard of certainty, researchers plan to conduct additional JWST observations over the next one to two years. The Cambridge team is also working alongside other scientific groups to see if DMS and DMDS could possibly be produced by non-biological means, like volcanic activity or chemical interactions inside the planet. “We want to be really, really thorough,” said Professor Madhusudhan. “This is a big claim if true, so we need the evidence to be airtight.” Even if the presence of life-linked gases is confirmed, questions remain. Scientists still aren’t sure what kind of world K2-18b really is. Some believe it’s an ocean-covered planet, with a hydrogen-rich atmosphere and no ammonia—a sign that a vast body of liquid water might be absorbing it, creating conditions that could support life. Others argue the planet might instead be a “mini gas giant” with no solid surface at all, or possibly even a world of molten rock, which would make life as we know it impossible. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)