Cambridge scientist believes faraway planet has ’50/50′ chance of alien life
- A Cambridge scientist believes he’s discovered signs of alien life on a distant exo-planet
- He revealed that the chances are ’50/50′ on planet K2-18b
- The presence of dimethyl sulfide gas is key
Published on May 07, 2024 at 9:06 PM (UTC+4)
by Amelia Jean Hershman-Jones
Last updated on May 09, 2024 at 6:24 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Tom Wood
A humble Cambridge scientist could get more attention than he bargained for as he believes he’s discovered signs of alien life on a distant exo-planet
And this isn’t an outside chance of aliens being present – he revealed that the chances are ’50/50′.
Ironically this discovery on exo-planet K2-18b has caused a bit of a stir on planet Earth.
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You might not have heard of Nikku Madhusudhan, a Professor of Astrophysics and Exoplanetary Science at the University of Cambridge – yet.
But his recent discovery of possible alien life 120 light years away means that could be about to change.
Speaking to LBC, Madhusudhan revealed the chances of life aren’t remote but are in fact ’50/50′.
NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope is following up with infrared astronomy to observe the planet that the academic has singled out.
It’s a nail-biting wait for the analysis of the planet, which is estimated to be about two and a half times the size of Earth.
It’s thought to be several months until anything is confirmed.
However, NASA has been warmer in their estimations than normal, stating that the discovery could be ‘potentially groundbreaking’.
This isn’t the first time the exo-planet has hit the headlines.
Scans last year revealed the discovery of carbon dioxide on its surface – which is indicative of life being present.
Methane found on Mars last month was also thought to be a sign of life on the planet.
The exo-planet was discovered by the telescope in July 2022 as part of the El Gordo, a galaxy cluster.
The cluster formed 6.2 billion years after the Big Bang and is located about 7.3 billion light-years away from Earth.
Aside from the CO2, the tipping point for the exoplanet potentially containing life was the academic’s discovery of dimethyl sulfide gas.
The organosulfur compound is mainly produced by microorganisms, like phytoplankton, in oceans, making its presence a potential indicator of life elsewhere.
“The gas is mainly found in the earth’s oceans and is known to be a robust biomarker if detected in planetary environments,” Madhusudhan said.
“The search for biomarkers elsewhere is a profound activity because the ramifications to society are enormous.
“Even if we detect the molecule we have to be really sure it’s there and from life on another planet.”
Scientists recently revealed that the color purple is what they should be looking for, due to its link to a bacteria capable of photosynthesis.
Despite the evidence and months spent verifying the data before announcing their findings, the scientist urged proceeding with caution.
“There are many false positives that can happen, but the prospect of that being there has enormous ramifications because the search for life elsewhere has been one of the longest quests in the history of humankind.
“If this is when it’s finally going to come through, it’s a momentous occasion and we don’t take it lightly.”
Madhusudhan was so excited about his find, that he claimed he couldn’t sleep for a week afterward.
But it isn’t fame or fortune that excites the academic.
“I just want to find the truth and leave it at that,” he said.
In other out-of-this-world news, a ‘UFO expert’ claims to have captured ‘holy grail’ evidence during a space station live stream.
Some of the images in this article were created using AI.
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