Produced by: Mohsin Shaikh
Scientists have pinpointed methyl halides—gases produced only by life on Earth—as a potential biosignature for detecting alien life.
Hycean planets, ocean-covered worlds with thick hydrogen atmospheres, could trap biosignature gases, making them easier to detect than on Earth-like exoplanets.
Representative pic
Traditional biosignatures like oxygen and methane can form without life, but methyl halides? They’re almost exclusively biological—making them a stronger sign of life.
Representative pic
Even with its advanced sensors, JWST can’t yet detect methyl halides in small Earth-like planets. But Hycean worlds might offer a solution.
Current telescopes struggle with small planets, weak gas signals, and noisy red dwarf stars—but Hycean planets could hold biosignatures in higher concentrations.
Hycean planets may resemble Earth’s early oceans, creating ideal conditions for alien microbes to thrive and release detectable biosignatures.
If methyl halides are found on an exoplanet, it could be the strongest evidence yet that life exists beyond Earth.
Scientists are shifting focus from Earth-like planets to Hycean worlds, which might be easier targets for spotting alien life.
While JWST struggles with detecting these gases, upcoming next-gen telescopes could finally reveal the first clear signs of life in the universe.