Indian-Origin Scientist Discovers Potential Signs of Extraterrestrial Life

On April 17, 2025, a team of astronomers led by Dr. Nikku Madhusudhan, an Indian-origin scientist at the University of Cambridge, reported a significant discovery regarding the exoplanet K2-18b. Located approximately 120 light-years from Earth, K2-18b resides in the habitable zone of its star, making it a prime candidate for the search for extraterrestrial life.

Utilizing data from NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, the team identified the presence of dimethyl sulfide (DMS) and dimethyl disulfide (DMDS) in the planet's atmosphere. On Earth, these compounds are primarily produced by marine microorganisms, such as phytoplankton. The detection of these molecules suggests the potential for biological activity on K2-18b, marking the strongest evidence yet for life beyond our solar system.

Dr. Madhusudhan emphasized the significance of this finding, stating, "This is a revolutionary moment; humanity has observed biological signatures on a potentially habitable exoplanet for the first time." However, he also cautioned that further observations are necessary to confirm these results and rule out non-biological sources for the detected compounds.

The discovery was published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, contributing to the growing body of research on exoplanets and the search for life beyond Earth. The findings highlight the capabilities of the James Webb Space Telescope in exploring distant worlds and enhancing our understanding of the universe.