Research finds that Signs of life beyond solar system may be detectable within 2-3 years

Is there life on other planets or beyond the solar system? This question has always been a matter of research for scientists across the world. The sole aim of NASA's exoplanet program is also to discover unmistakable signs of life on a planet beyond Earth. However, the University of Cambridge astronomers believe that signs of life beyond the solar system may be detectable within two to three years. According to The Guardian, experts have said this after researching on such planets that may be habitable. They have mostly looked for planets of a similar size, mass, temperature and atmospheric composition to that of planet Earth. The researchers also believed that there could be more promising possibilities after recent work revealed that a "mini-Neptune," may also be habitable, which is eight times more massive and twice the radius of Earth.

Scientists discovered a new class of habitable exoplanets 

According to a report by The Guardian, the scientists have also discovered a new class of habitable exoplanets, which is known as Hycean planets. It is considered to be more numerous and observable than Earth-like planets, with ocean-cover and hydrogen-rich hot atmospheres. The researchers believe that there could be many more in existence like the mini-Neptune, also known as K2-18b. “Hyceans are basically water worlds with hydrogen-rich atmospheres," Dr Nikku Madhusudhan, the lead author of the research, was quoted by The Guardian as saying. He also claimed that within two to three years, there may be the first biosignature detection if these planets host life. 

Hycean planets are more than twice the radius of Earth 

Stating that focus on hyceans could accelerate efforts to find life beyond Earth, Madhusudhan, Cambridge University researcher, added that the small size of Earth-like planets gave impetus to weak atmospheric signatures, which made it difficult to detect signs of life. Writing in the Astrophysical Journal, the team of researchers stated hycean planets were defined as having a hydrogen-rich atmosphere, more than twice the radius of Earth with average atmospheric temperatures reaching almost 200C. The team said that life may even be possible on the shady side of planets that they referred to as “dark hyceans,” The Guardian reported. Madhusudhan also observed that life on hyceans would possibly be aquatic and at the bare minimum, microbial life should be possible like life started on Earth, reported the Guardian. 

Image Credits: Pixabay/Representative