Webb Discovers Methane, Carbon Dioxide in Atmosphere of Exoplanet

[Waspie_Dwarf]

Webb Discovers Methane, Carbon Dioxide in Atmosphere of K2-18 b

Quote

A new investigation with NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope into K2-18 b, an exoplanet 8.6 times as massive as Earth, has revealed the presence of carbon-bearing molecules including methane and carbon dioxide. Webb’s discovery adds to recent studies suggesting that K2-18 b could be a Hycean exoplanet, one which has the potential to possess a hydrogen-rich atmosphere and a water ocean-covered surface.

The first insight into the atmospheric properties of this habitable-zone exoplanet came from observations with NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope, which prompted further studies that have since changed our understanding of the system.

Read More: NASA

 

[+joc]

6 hours ago, Waspie_Dwarf said:

Webb Discovers Methane, Carbon Dioxide in Atmosphere of K2-18 b

 

 120 light-years from Earth in the constellation Leo.  

Pretty exciting read!

[Jon the frog]

Interesting ! Don't know if we will be able to reach the stars in the future but we can hope.

Edited September 13 by Jon the frog

[Abramelin]

Just what I had hoped for, and expected would be detected some day.

Great news!

[Cho Jinn]

The aliens are chuckling at you, Massey.

[NCC1701]

I love the smell of dimethyl sulphide when walking along the beach.

[Hankenhunter]

Dimethyl sulphide? So they detected farts?

6 hours ago, NCC1701 said:

I love the smell of dimethyl sulphide when walking along the beach.

No, that was you. Ease off on the Mexican food.

[rjos]

I'd love to know how they can identify a molecule from 120 Light years away.

[Waspie_Dwarf]

2 hours ago, rjos said:

I'd love to know how they can identify a molecule from 120 Light years away.

Amazingly the same way it is identified on Earth, spectroscopy. Each molecule absorbs or emits light in a series of distinct wavelengths. It is as unique to each molecule as a fingerprint is to a person.

When light from a star shines through a planet's atmosphere molecules in the atmosphere absorb the light in these distinct wavelengths. By taking a spectrum of the star, and a spectrum of the star light passing through the planetary atmosphere it is possible to deduct one from the other and deduce which molecules are present in the atmosphere. 

[josellama2000]

9 hours ago, Hankenhunter said:

Dimethyl sulphide? So they detected farts?

No, that was you. Ease off on the Mexican food.

Now they cant detect that guy that loves tacos from far away in wherever planet he is...
 

[Roshman]

Life could have arrived on Earth from elsewhere.

[Cho Jinn]

On 9/15/2023 at 7:38 AM, Roshman said:

Life could have arrived on Earth from elsewhere.

No it could not have.  There is no flying saucer in my driveway, ergo, there are no aliens anywhere and none have ever visited Earth at any time. The absence of evidence is evidence of absence!  Iä! Richard Dawkins!  #skepticism

[Waspie_Dwarf]

2 hours ago, Cho Jinn said:

No it could not have.  There is no flying saucer in my driveway, ergo, there are no aliens anywhere and none have ever visited Earth at any time. The absence of evidence is evidence of absence!  Iä! Richard Dawkins!  #skepticism

Wow, what an incredibly ignorant post on so many levels.

It shows a total lack of knowledge (or an inability to understand) all of the following:

• Scientific method
• Basic logic
• The panspermia hypothesis
• Simple English comprehension

No one mentioned flying saucers and so your comment constitutes a straw man argument, and so can be dismissed outright as a logical fallacy.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Straw_man

 

2 hours ago, Cho Jinn said:

The absence of evidence is evidence of absence!

The actual quote is:

Quote

Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence

So we either have a colossal failure to understand a very simple concept or an out and out attempt at dishonesty:

https://quoteinvestigator.com/2019/09/17/absence/

 

The idea that life may arrive on planets is a valid scientific idea and has nothing to do with flying saucers. It is known as the panspermia hypothesis.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panspermia

Your comment is so utterly idiotic that I suppose it could have been an attempt to be funny, in which case I need to add humour to the list of concepts that you don't understand.

 

[Cho Jinn]

1 hour ago, Waspie_Dwarf said:

Your comment is so utterly idiotic that I suppose it could have been an attempt to be funny, in which case I need to add humour to the list of concepts that you don't understand.

 

You forgot the paean to Shub Niggurath.  I agree with you, my comment was just satirical, and humor (sp.) is rather subjective.

[josellama2000]

On 9/18/2023 at 1:38 PM, Cho Jinn said:

No it could not have.  There is no flying saucer in my driveway, ergo, there are no aliens anywhere and none have ever visited Earth at any time. The absence of evidence is evidence of absence!  Iä! Richard Dawkins!  #skepticism

exactly, using panspermia as an argument, without explaining how life appears outside earth, is a fallacy similar to the Zeno's paradox, like Achilles and the tower of tortoises.