A flicker of light through a spectrograph may have brought us closer to answering one of humanity′s biggest questions: are we alone? A study published on April 17, 2025, in The Astrophysical Journal Letters reveals groundbreaking mid-infrared observations of the exoplanet K2-18 b, hinting at molecules linked to life on Earth. Led by Dr. Nikku Madhusudhan from the University of Cambridge, these findings mark a pivotal moment in the search for extraterrestrial life.

A Grain of Sand That Could Change Everything

The planet K2-18 b orbits a red dwarf star approximately 124 light-years from Earth in the constellation Leo. With a mass roughly 8.6 times that of Earth and a radius 2.6 times larger, it occupies the intriguing boundary between super-Earths and mini-Neptunes. Previous observations with JWST′s near-infrared instruments had already detected carbon-bearing molecules like methane (CH₄) and carbon dioxide (CO₂) in its atmosphere, establishing it as a promising candidate for what scientists call a ″hycean world″—a planet with a habitable ocean-covered surface beneath a hydrogen-rich atmosphere.