Scientists say they have discovered life on other planets, and we are not alone

Among the existential questions of humanity is whether there is life in outer space other than on Earth. It is the reason why the SETI project and the Arecibo radio telescope were built decades ago. Yesterday, a group of scientists from the University of Cambridge announced the discovery of the existence of life on planets other than Earth. So, what should you know about it?

For your information, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST)'s scientific instruments can analyse the composition of a planet's atmosphere based on the light it reflects. On planet K2-18b, JWST detected the presence of dimethyl sulfide (DMS) and dimethyl disulfide (DMDS). On Earth, these two gases are produced by bacteria and plankton, providing evidence of life on K2-18b, which is also believed to have an ocean.

Planet K2-18b is 2.5 times larger and is located 124 light-years (~1178 trillion kilometres) from Earth. This means that even if life existed, humans would not be able to travel to this planet using existing technology. Although DMS and DMSS were detected in the atmosphere of K2-18b, scientists need another two years to confirm the findings announced yesterday. This is because a second, more detailed reading ensures that there are no errors when the readings are taken and must be confirmed by the scientific community. Only after this is done can scientists say that our Earth is not the only planet capable of supporting life in the universe.

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