Written by Zachary Szwarc
The JWST (James Webb Space Telescope) has pointed its “eyes” onto the K2-18 system. Surprisingly, it found a planet with a surface ocean, an atmosphere, and molecules that hint at possible life.
The planet is named K2-18b. It orbits a red dwarf star, which is a star with a very long lifespan which lasts up to hundreds of millions of years. Red dwarf stars are smaller and dimmer than our sun; however, K2-18b happens to be close enough to the star to have the perfect temperature to support potential life.
This world is a Hycean world (a world covered in oceans and having a hydrogen atmosphere). Life is a lot more likely to thrive in an ocean than on land.
Why do we think it has life? Observations have detected Dimethyl Sulphide (DMS), which is only produced by life on Earth, mainly phytoplankton.
How could humans live here? If humans get the technology to get here, we would likely build floating bases anchored down to the seafloor or if there are islands, we'd build a base there.
How could humans get there? Possibly through wormholes or manipulating space-time. Maybe through a several hundred year trip there with nuclear or antimatter engines.
Artistic representations of this world.
Definitions:
Molecule: atoms that can be the building blocks for stuff like rocks, water, life, and a lot more.
Hycean: A type of planet that is bigger than earth, has a hydrogen atmosphere, and is covered in water.
Seafloor: The bottom of the ocean with sand and basalt.
Antimatter: A reverse version of atoms that has negative weight and velocity.
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