The so-called Hycean planet K2–18 b is around twice the size of Earth and orbits in the habitable zone of a star located 120 light-years from our solar system.
JWST
The space telescope seems to have detected dimethyl sulfide , which on Earth is only produced as a by-product of life, mainly created by phytoplankton. The team is cautious about this detection, which is far less certain than the presence of carbon molecules."Upcoming Webb observations should be able to confirm if DMS is indeed present in the atmosphere of K2–18 b at significant levels," explained Madhusudhan.
With a width of around 2.6 times that of Earth, the planet's size means its interior contains high-pressure ice similar to Neptune but with a thinner atmosphere and an ocean surface. This means the planet may be boiling away liquid water, making its oceans too hot to host life.
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