https://goodinfo.net/en/tags/exoplanets/goodinfo.net daily curated global news: AI, tech, finance, and world affairs.Hugo -- gohugo.ioengoodinfo.netSat, 25 Apr 2026 18:00:00 +0800https://goodinfo.net/en/posts/science/webb-biosignature/Sat, 25 Apr 2026 18:00:00 +0800goodinfo.nethttps://goodinfo.net/en/posts/science/webb-biosignature/NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has detected dimethyl sulfide (DMS) in the atmosphere of exoplanet K2-18b for the first time, a substance produced on Earth exclusively by biological activity.<h2 id="-full-story">📰 Full Story</h2> <p>NASA&rsquo;s <strong>James Webb Space Telescope</strong> has made a landmark discovery.</p> <h3 id="key-findings">Key Findings</h3> <ul> <li><strong>Target Planet</strong>: K2-18b, 120 light-years from Earth, located within the habitable zone</li> <li><strong>Detected Substance</strong>: Dimethyl sulfide (DMS), produced on Earth exclusively by marine phytoplankton</li> <li><strong>Other Components</strong>: Simultaneous detection of methane and carbon dioxide, consistent with models of liquid oceans</li> <li><strong>Confidence Level</strong>: Signal confidence of 3.5σ, one step away from the 5σ discovery standard</li> </ul> <h3 id="scientific-significance">Scientific Significance</h3> <p>This is the first time humans have detected chemical signals directly related to biological activity in an exoplanet&rsquo;s atmosphere. The research team stated that more observational data is needed to finally confirm this discovery.</p> <hr> <p><em>Source: NASA press conference, Nature preprint</em></p>scienceNASAWebb TelescopeExoplanets