Source: BS
Context: Scientists using the James Webb Space Telescope have detected possible biosignature gases Dimethyl Sulfide (DMS) and Dimethyl Disulfide (DMDS) in the atmosphere of exoplanet K2-18 b, suggesting a strong potential for microbial life.
About Recent Discovery and Signs of Life on K2-18 b:
- Discovery: Researchers detected Dimethyl Sulfide (DMS) and Dimethyl Disulfide (DMDS) — gases on Earth typically produced by marine microorganisms — in the atmosphere of K2-18 b.
- Significance:
- These are the strongest indicators yet of potential life outside the solar system, representing a new era of observational astrobiology.
- The planet, categorized as a hycean world (water-rich, hydrogen-dominated atmosphere), might harbor microbial oceanic life.
- Scientists caution that more observations are needed before confirming extraterrestrial life.
About the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST)
- What it is?
- The James Webb Space Telescope is the largest and most advanced infrared space observatory ever built, designed to study the early universe, stars, galaxies, and exoplanet atmospheres.
- Launched: December 25, 2021.
- Developed by: NASA, in collaboration with ESA (European Space Agency) and CSA (Canadian Space Agency).
- Key Features:
- Size: Comparable to a tennis court with a 3-story height; built to fold origami-style to fit inside a rocket.
- Sunshield: A giant silver sunshade protects instruments from solar heat, maintaining a 600°F temperature difference between its sides.
- Infrared Vision: Captures heat signals invisible to the human eye, allowing observation through cosmic dust and the early universe.
- Gold-Coated Mirrors: 18 hexagonal mirrors coated with gold enhance infrared reflection for clearer, deeper space imaging.
