Everything Everywhere Daily The Search for Life Outside the Solar System
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Apr 18, 2025 Discover the thrilling journey of finding life beyond our solar system, starting with the first exoplanet discovered in 1995. Dive into cutting-edge techniques like spectroscopy, revealing signs of life through biosignatures such as oxygen and methane. K2-18b emerges as a notable candidate, where the presence of water and dimethyl sulfide sparks excitement among astronomers. Explore how advancements might one day facilitate travel to these distant worlds, all while enjoying insights from curious listeners.
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Solar System Life Search Is Feasible
- Searching for life inside the solar system involves sending probes or landers to run tests or return samples.
- This approach is costly and slow but feasible, unlike interstellar probes which require breakthroughs not yet developed.
Light-Based Search Beyond Solar System
- Travel to other star systems for life search isn't feasible with current tech; we rely on light analysis techniques instead.
- Transit spectroscopy reveals atmospheric composition when a planet passes in front of its star, filtering starlight through its atmosphere.
Spectroscopy Reveals Exoplanet Biosignatures
- Astronomers detect exoplanet atmospheres via spectroscopy to find molecular fingerprints indicating gases like oxygen and methane.
- This reveals potential biosignatures despite extreme observational challenges and interference.