The search for extraterrestrial life is heating up

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has captured the first clear evidence of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere of a planet outside our solar system, per new research accepted for publication in Nature.

🪐 More deets… The exoplanet, called “WASP-39b,” is a gas giant orbiting a sunlike star 700 light-years from Earth. And while seasonal variations in carbon dioxide represent a “powerful indicator of the presence of life,” per NASA, we probably won’t find aliens here. Surface temps consistently average around 1,600°F, making it… shall we say, *difficult* to sustain life (plus seasonal variations in CO2 are generally hard to detect).

But, but, but – the recent finding ​​does offer evidence that, in the future, Webb may be able to detect and measure carbon dioxide in smaller rocky planets more similar to Earth.

🌊🔭 Speaking of… An international team of astronomers announced the discovery of a new ocean planet this week. And initial data shows the planet could potentially support life.

• Dubbed TOI-1452b, it’s made up of 30% water by mass. It’s also located at a distance from its star where surface temps would be ideal for liquid water (0°C–100°C).

The researchers’ next step? Sending Mr. Webb on an errand, aka pointing it at the planet.

Stay tuned.