Brief by Shorts91NewsDesk / 10:24am on 18 Apr 2025,Friday Science
Indian-origin astrophysicist Dr. Nikku Madhusudhan, a professor at the University of Cambridge, has led a team that detected dimethyl sulfide (DMS) in the atmosphere of exoplanet K2-18b, located 120 light-years from Earth. On Earth, DMS is produced exclusively by living organisms like marine algae. This discovery, made using the James Webb Space Telescope, suggests K2-18b could be a Hycean planet—ocean-covered with a hydrogen-rich atmosphere—potentially supporting life. Dr. Madhusudhan, known for introducing the Hycean planet concept, emphasized the need for caution, stating, “It is in no one’s interest to claim prematurely that we have detected life.” The findings are published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters. (PC: PBC & India TV)
