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Webb Discovers Methane, Carbon Dioxide in Atmosphere of K2-18 b - NASA (www.nasa.gov)

submitted 8 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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This is about as close as we can get for carbon-based life habitable planet. 2.6 times the radius of Earth and mostly ocean, what sort of marine lives swim in there? Give me chills if they exist.

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[–] [email protected] 3 points 8 months ago (1 children)

It’s a good biosignature but a real smoking gun would be if a planet has intelligent life that’s not always so intelligent. Then, we might detect chlorofluorocarbons or some other synthetic pollutant.

“Well, we detected an alien civilization but their atmosphere is in way worse shape than 1950’s London and they’re 100 light years away. I guess we’ll keep checking and see if they get their act together or not.”

[–] [email protected] 1 points 8 months ago

Plot twist, they're already dead by the time we detect them, the light from them exploding the planet just hasn't reached us yet.