Planet 8 times bigger than Earth is covered in oceans. Could it have life?
India TodayNasa's James Webb Space Telescope has made a groundbreaking discovery on a planet outside the Solar System, revealing the presence of carbon-bearing molecules including methane and carbon dioxide. This finding adds to recent studies suggesting that the planet, K2-18 b, could be a Hycean exoplanet, a type of planet with a hydrogen-rich atmosphere and a water ocean-covered surface. The discovery of carbon-bearing molecules on K2-18 b has sparked interest among astronomers, as it supports the hypothesis of a water ocean underneath a hydrogen-rich atmosphere. The planet's large size suggests that its interior likely contains a large mantle of high-pressure ice, similar to Neptune, but with a thinner hydrogen-rich atmosphere and an ocean surface.
History of this topic
Signs of life? Why astronomers are excited about carbon dioxide and methane in the atmosphere of an alien world
The Hindu
NASA’s James Webb Telescope detects possible signs of life on distant exoplanet
Live Mint
Atmosphere-rich world 2.5 times bigger than Earth discovered
India Today
Nasa says newly-discovered exoplanet could have water clouds and a ‘tail’
Hindustan Times
Forty-five known exoplanets possess an Earth-like atmosphere
Daily MailDiscover Related
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