Azerbaijan calls for global solidarity against landmine threat at UN
Azerbaijan has urged the international community to show stronger solidarity and support in tackling the global threat of landmines, as the country co...
Scientists using the James Webb Telescope have detected potential biosignatures, gases linked to life, on exoplanet K2-18 b, marking a major step in the search for extraterrestrial life. While not confirmed, the findings offer a strong "maybe".
In what could be a major step in the search for extraterrestrial life, scientists using the James Webb Space Telescope have detected chemical signatures in the atmosphere of exoplanet K2-18 b that may indicate biological activity. The gases, dimethyl sulfide (DMS) and dimethyl disulfide (DMDS) are, on Earth, only produced by living organisms, mainly marine microbes like phytoplankton. While not a confirmation of life, researchers consider this a promising biosignature that warrants cautious optimism.
Astrophysicist Nikku Madhusudhan from the University of Cambridge, lead author of the study published in Astrophysical Journal Letters, called it a groundbreaking moment. He said the findings suggest it's now possible to detect signs of life on habitable planets using existing tools, marking the beginning of a new era in astrobiology.
K2-18 b is located about 124 light-years away in the Leo constellation, orbiting a small red dwarf star in the "habitable zone" where liquid water could exist. The planet is roughly 8.6 times the mass of Earth and is believed to be a "hycean world", possibly covered by oceans and with a hydrogen-rich atmosphere, ideal for microbial life.
Previous Webb observations found methane and carbon dioxide on the planet. Now, using different instruments and wavelengths, scientists have identified DMS or DMDS with 99.7% confidence, concentrations thousands of times higher than on Earth, which cannot easily be explained by non-biological processes.
Though researchers are excited, they emphasize that more observations and theoretical studies are necessary to rule out non-living chemical sources. Confirming these findings will require repeated measurements and rigorous testing.
Experts not involved in the study agree the data is compelling but urge careful validation. The long-standing question of whether we are alone in the universe may be closer to an answer, but for now, the evidence remains a strong "maybe".
At least 69 people have died and almost 150 injured following a powerful 6.9-magnitude earthquake off the coast of Cebu City in the central Visayas region of the Philippines, officials said, making it one of the country’s deadliest disasters this year.
A tsunami threat was issued in Chile after a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck the Drake Passage on Friday. The epicenter was located 135 miles south of Puerto Williams on the north coast of Navarino Island.
The war in Ukraine has reached a strategic impasse, and it seems that the conflict will not be solved by military means. This creates a path toward one of two alternatives: either a “frozen” phase that can last indefinitely or a quest for a durable political regulation.
A shooting in Nice, southeastern France, left two people dead and five injured on Friday, authorities said.
Snapchat will start charging users who store more than 5GB of photos and videos in its Memories feature, prompting backlash from long-time users.
Nokia chief executive Justin Hotard said artificial intelligence is fuelling a structural growth cycle similar to the internet expansion of the 1990s, but rejected fears that investor enthusiasm has reached unsustainable levels.
NASA has announced that it will reopen bidding for its flagship U.S. moon landing contract, citing mounting delays in Elon Musk’s SpaceX Starship lunar lander project.
China has accused the United States of stealing sensitive data and infiltrating its National Time Service Centre, warning that such breaches could have disrupted communications, financial systems, power supplies, and the international standard time network.
Chinese tech giants, including Alibaba-backed Ant Group (688688.SS) and e-commerce company JD.com have halted plans to issue stablecoins in Hong Kong after the government raised concerns about the increasing influence of privately controlled currencies, the Financial Times reported on Saturday.
Apple has pledged to increase its investment in China despite ongoing tensions between Washington and Beijing, CEO Tim Cook said during a meeting with China’s industry minister.
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