Indian-origin scientist finds possible life clue in space

Washington DC

A major discovery may point to life beyond Earth. Indian-origin astrophysicist Dr. Nikku Madhusudhan and his team have detected a chemical in space that, on Earth, is only made by living organisms. The chemical—dimethyl sulfide—was found in the atmosphere of a planet named K2-18b, 120 light-years away.

Dr. Madhusudhan, from the University of Cambridge, said this could be a “revolutionary moment” in space science. Though scientists aren't calling it proof of life yet, they believe the planet may be covered in warm oceans where life could exist.

The planet K2-18b is much larger than Earth and lies outside our solar system. In 2021, Madhusudhan’s team suggested such planets might host “Hycean” conditions—meaning oceans with hydrogen-rich atmospheres. With the help of the James Webb Space Telescope, they studied the planet’s atmosphere as it passed in front of its star.

They detected large amounts of dimethyl sulfide—thousands of times more than on Earth—alongside similar molecules. On Earth, dimethyl sulfide comes only from living algae in oceans.

Other scientists called the finding exciting but urged caution. They said more research is needed to confirm if K2-18b truly supports life. Some believe it might just be a hot rocky planet with no water.

NASA is developing stronger telescopes to investigate such planets further. But budget cuts under the Trump administration could stop future space missions. Scientists worry this would stall the search for life.

Still, many experts believe the clues from K2-18b are promising. “I’m not screaming ‘aliens!’ yet,” one scientist said, “but I reserve the right to.”