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James Webb Space Telescope

James Webb Space Telescope

Space Observatory

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The K2-18b biosignature hunt

New Capabilities

Operating since 2022, revolutionizing exoplanet atmospheric science

Cambridge astronomers announced they'd found dimethyl sulfide and dimethyl disulfide in the atmosphere of K2-18bโ€”molecules that, on Earth, only life produces. The detection using JWST's mid-infrared instrument hit 3-sigma confidence, meaning a 0.3% chance it's statistical noise. If real, it's the strongest evidence yet of biology beyond our solar system.

Updated Jan 7