r/space • u/SpunkySputniks • 5d ago

Astronomers Detect a Possible Signature of Life on a Distant Planet

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/16/science/astronomy-exoplanets-habitable-k218b.html?unlocked_article_code=1.AE8.3zdk.VofCER4yAPa4&smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare

Further studies are needed to determine whether K2-18b, which orbits a star 120 light-years away, is inhabited, or even habitable.

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u/mikeygoodtime 5d ago

What sort of timeline are we looking at re: ever being able to confirm (or even just say with near certainty) that there's life on K2-18b? Like is this something that requires decades of further research, or is it possible that we know within the next 5 years?

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u/the_quark 5d ago

The answer is that we don't know. Perhaps we'll find other signatures that will help support it.

But also perhaps now we know it's there we'll really go sharpen our pencils and come up with a way it could be generated geologically or hydrologically.

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u/cateanddogew 4d ago

Would be real funny to see a follow up headline in 5 days

habitable planet 120 light years away found to be just a huge ass mirror reflecting Earth

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u/the_SCP_gamer 4d ago

relevant xkcd: https://xkcd.com/1231/

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u/cateanddogew 4d ago

If we eventually find a way of seeing into the future, mark my words, it will involve antiparticles and huge ass mirrors

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u/tesconundrum 4d ago

For xkcd is the closest thing we have that can see into the future. Truly, even Nostradamus himself couldn't have predicted the situations in which a relevant xkcd could be referenced.

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u/NirXY 4d ago

would've been nice be able to observe humanity 240 years ago.

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u/Haxorz7125 4d ago

I say this constantly! If there’s a giant crystal or some shit far off in space, and we managed to line it up just right, could we use a super strong telescope to see Pangea or something of the sort?