One of the biggest questions that has plagued humanity since time immemorial can wait for its solution. A number of astronomers are not only convinced that humanity is not alone in the universe, but also that we will have evidence of the existence of life outside the Earth very soon. They also have their candidate selected.
It is said that humanity will soon have undeniable evidence that it is not alone in the universe. At least a group of astronomers think so, for whom the question is not if, but when we will meet extraterrestrial life. And the most optimistic estimates count on a very early date.
The main candidate is currently the planet K2-18b, located 120 light years from Earth. This planet was discovered at the beginning of September by astronomers with the help of the James Webb telescope. The planet is in the so-called “Goldilocks zone”, as scientists refer to the ideal distance between planets and stars in which life can exist, he writes BBC.
In addition, on this planet, astronomers detected the gas dimethyl sulfide, which is formed in only one way on Earth. It is the result of the metabolism of certain seaweeds. This is what leads researchers to believe that there is life in the oceans on K2-18b.
However, the team that came up with the discovery is still very cautious. It won’t be clear until a year from now, when it will be possible to confirm or refute the suspicion that there really is seaweed or another life form capable of producing gas on a distant planet.
However, not all hopes are pinned on K2-18b alone. The American NASA is preparing the Habitable Worlds Observatory project. The satellite that NASA plans to send into space in the next decade will focus on studying the atmospheres of distant planets, especially those located in the Goldilocks zone.
According to optimistic astronomers, we may have evidence of life outside the Solar System within years. “We live in an infinite universe, with an infinity of stars and planets. And it has long been clear to us that we cannot be the only intelligent life form in the universe,” one of them, Catherine Heymans, told the BBC.
The search for life continues even in the Solar System itself. Astronomers have come up with a test to help detect traces of life from samples collected on the surface of planets. The method, which is said to have a success rate of up to 90 percent, the scientists intend to try on samples from Mars as well, the portal writes Independent.
The purpose of the test is to find out if there are biological traces in the sample, regardless of how old they are. The method, to be supported by artificial intelligence, will focus on finding small differences in molecular patterns. It is these differences at the molecular level that can reveal more not only about the past of alien planets, but also about the past of Earth itself.
Experience from space: You too can walk on Mars without leaving the planet (8/2023):
TN.cz
2023-09-30 16:17:00
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