22/08/2026
Social Sky Vol.112
Imagine looking up at the night sky and knowing that, 124 light-years away, there's a world unlike anything in our Solar System. K2-18 b is a giant planet that sits in the "habitable zone" of its star, where temperatures could allow liquid water to exist. What really grabbed scientists' attention was the discovery of water v***r in its atmosphere—an exciting clue that this distant world might have the ingredients needed for life.
The mystery only deepened when the James Webb Space Telescope detected molecules such as methane and carbon dioxide in the planet's atmosphere. Researchers have even found hints of a molecule that, on Earth, is mainly produced by living organisms. It's far too early to claim we've found alien life, but K2-18 b has quickly become one of the most exciting planets ever discovered. Every new observation brings us a little closer to answering one of humanity's biggest questions: are we alone in the universe?
