--- title: "James Webb Spots Signs of Life on Nearby Planet" description: "Astronomers say they've spotted a possible sign of life in the atmosphere of exoplanet K2-18b, using NASA's James Webb Space Telescope." date: "2025-04-17" modified: "2025-04-17" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/james-webb-signs-life-exoplanet-k2-18b" categories: - "James Webb Space Telescope" - "NASA" - "Space" tags: - "biosignatures" - "Exoplanets" - "habitable planets" - "red dwarf star" --- # James Webb Spots Signs of Life on Nearby Planet ![Astronomers say they've spotted a possible sign of life in the atmosphere of exoplanet K2-18b, using NASA's James Webb Space Telescope.]() *\Image: Getty / Futurism\* Astronomers say they've spotted a possible sign of life in the atmosphere of K2-18b, an exoplanet 124 light-years away, using NASA's James Webb Space Telescope. As detailed in a [new paper]() published in the journal *Astrophysical Journal Letters*, the international team of researchers led by University of Cambridge astrophysicist Nikku Madhusudhan says they've detected the molecule dimethyl sulfide (DMS) in the planet's atmosphere, which here on Earth — at least as far as we know — is only produced by living organisms. The team also suggests that it's possible that K2-18b may be a "Hycean" planet, a portmanteau of the words "hydrogen" and "ocean." It's located in its parent red dwarf star system's habitable zone, which means that the conditions could allow liquid water to exist on its surface. But, as always, extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. For one, there's no guarantee that DMS is the result of biological activity; it could be present in the exoplanet's atmosphere for other reasons. "It's pretty hard to be sure that a chemical that we associate with life can ONLY be made by living things," science communicator and TV personality Joe Hanson wrote in a [Bluesky post](). "Chemistry is pretty weird, and the galaxy is a very big petri dish." And to their credit, the researchers themselves were careful — in some ways — about making sweeping claims about having found extraterrestrial life. "It is in no one’s interest to claim prematurely that we have detected life," Madhusudhan told reporters. However, he still called it a "revolutionary moment," claiming that it's the "first time humanity has seen potential biosignatures on a habitable planet." "Either we are looking at a new chemical process that we haven’t seen before... or we’re witnessing the first signs of biological activity outside of Earth," coauthor and Space Telescope Science Institute postdoctoral researcher Mans Holmberg [added](). On Earth, marine algae and other living organisms are known to produce dimethyl sulfide, which can eventually reach the air and give the sea a distinctive odor, as the [*NYT* points out](). According to the researchers, K2-18b may be teeming with the stuff, at concentrations thousands of times higher than on Earth, hinting at the possibility of oceans brimming with life. But while it's a tempting conclusion to draw, experts remain highly skeptical. "It’s not nothing," Johns Hopkins University planetary scientist Stephen Schmidt, who was not involved in the research, told the *NYT*. "It’s a hint. But we cannot conclude it’s habitable yet." "Not yet a biosignature, but a timely prompt to sharpen our methods and expectations," concluded astrophysicist Sara Seager, who was also not involved, [told the *Washington Post*](). "There’s never going to be one biosignature where everyone says, yes, we all agree, definitely life," University of Cambridge biologist Emily Mitchell added. "Any one signature is always going to be debated." "Unless we see ET waving at us, it’s not going to be a smoking gun," Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio planetary scientist Christopher Glein told the *NYT*. It's nonetheless an exciting development, highlighting the cutting-edge observations NASA's JWST has enabled. And the number of potentially habitable exoplanets [keeps growing](). Despite broad skepticism, the ongoing conversation surrounding the possibility of life on K2-18b is ultimately a positive thing, Hanson argued. "People who are not part of this research team are very much more skeptical of these claims than the people who did the research," he wrote in a [follow-up post on Bluesky](). "That's not necessarily a glaring red flag, it's actually how science should work!" **More on habitability:** *[Scientists Intrigued by Nearby Planet That Could Potentially Support Life]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()