'IIT grad may have found alien life': Meet Nikku Madhusudhan, the scientist on NASA's speed dial
Produced by: Mohsin Shaikh
Indian Breakthrough
Cambridge professor Dr. Nikku Madhusudhan, an IIT-BHU alumnus, leads a groundbreaking team that may have found the strongest signs of alien life yet—120 light-years away.
Planet Spotted
The focus is K2-18b, a sub-Neptune orbiting a red dwarf in the Leo constellation. It lies in the “Goldilocks zone,” where temperatures could support liquid water.
Hycean Hope
K2-18b could be a Hycean planet—hydrogen-rich with vast water oceans. This exotic type might expand our definition of where life can thrive, says a 2021 Nature study.
Carbon Clues
Using NASA’s JWST, scientists detected methane and carbon dioxide in the planet’s atmosphere, a chemical mix that supports the Hycean life hypothesis.
DMS Whispers
They also found a faint hint of dimethyl sulfide—a molecule produced only by marine life on Earth. Experts say if confirmed, it would be a historic biosignature.
Gas Gaps
Notably, ammonia is missing from K2-18b’s atmosphere, aligning with predictions from exoplanet models that simulate life-friendly hydrogen layers.
Next Look
New Webb Telescope scans are scheduled within the year to verify DMS levels. NASA says we may be one year away from the most profound discovery ever.
Galactic Impact
“If we confirm life here, it suggests life is common in the galaxy,” says Madhusudhan. His team’s work could rewrite the rulebook on planetary habitability.
Mission Future
ESA’s Ariel mission, launching in 2029, will deepen our understanding of planets like K2-18b. Scientists hope it will bring clarity to the life-on-other-worlds debate.