K2‑18b’s Tantalising Chemical Clues

In the vast reaches of space, astronomers have turned their gaze to a distant world

known as K2‑18b. Using the James Webb Space Telescope, they have detected unusual molecules

in its atmosphere — dimethyl sulfide and other organics, substances that on Earth are primarily

produced by living organisms. Yet, caution prevails. While these chemical

signals are tantalising, scientists stress that non-living processes could also create them.

What we see is not proof of life, but a hint — a whisper that this planet may host conditions

where life could exist. Across the cosmos, complex organic molecules have been

found near young stars and in protoplanetary discs, suggesting that the raw ingredients