Colossal planet may have signs of life, NASA says

An analysis of Webb’s observations found the planet has abundant methane and carbon dioxide in...
An analysis of Webb’s observations found the planet has abundant methane and carbon dioxide in its atmosphere.(Illustration: NASA, CSA, ESA, J. Olmsted (STScI), Science: N. Madhusudhan (Cambridge University))
Published: Sep. 14, 2023 at 4:52 AM HST
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(CNN) – A colossal planet about 120 light years from Earth may have water flowing on it, new evidence uncovered by the James Webb Space Telescope possibly shows.

An investigation with the space-based observatory revealed the exoplanet K2-18b may have some key features of a planet that could support bodies of water and life.

An analysis of Webb’s observations found the planet has abundant methane and carbon dioxide in its atmosphere.

NASA said there’s also the presence of these carbon-bearing molecules, along with a scarcity of ammonia, which could indicate an atmosphere rich with hydrogen that surrounds an ocean world.

Carbon is considered the building block of life forms on Earth.