Almost 3‚000 years after the supposed destruction of a major Philistine city‚ the event – which is mentioned in the Old Testament – has finally been corroborated thanks to a new technique that detects ancient magnetic fields in burnt bricks. In addition to confirming that a building in the area was indeed ravaged by a fire‚ the research also settles the argument over whether or not the Biblical inhabitants of the Levant had developed the technology to fire mud bricks in a kiln.According to the Second Book of Kings‚ the mighty city of Gath was captured and ransacked by the forces of Hazael‚ king of Aram-Damascus. Radiocarbon dating of a “well-defined destruction layer” within the archaeological site of Tel es-Safi has since suggested that the event took place around 830 BCE.However‚ in 2011‚ an analysis of a toppled wall within the Tel muddied the picture somewhat‚ as the authors determined that the structure had crumbled over many decades rather than in a single violent event. They went on to suggest that while the mud bricks showed signs of having been exposed to high temperatures‚ this probably occurred when they were fired in a kiln prior to the wall’s construction.The destroyed wall in the ancient Philistine city of Gath.Image credit: Tell es-Safi/Gath Archaeological Project‚ Bar-Ilan University Such an interpretation is at odds with the widely accepted notion that kiln-fired mud bricks only became widespread in the Levant during Roman times‚ and that prior to this‚ structures were typically built with sun-dried bricks. In an attempt to straighten things out‚ the authors of a new study developed a novel method to determine whether ancient materials were subjected to firing.Describing the method in a statement‚ study author Dr Yoav Vaknin explained‚ "The clay from which the bricks were made contains millions of ferromagnetic particles – minerals with magnetic properties that behave like so many tiny 'compasses' or magnets.”“Heating to 200°C [392°F] or more‚ as happens in a fire‚ releases the magnetic signals of these magnetic particles and‚ statistically‚ they tend to align with the Earth's magnetic field at that specific time and place‚” he said. Thus‚ unlike sun-dried clay‚ a fired brick “attains a strong and uniformly oriented magnetic field‚ which can be measured with a magnetometer. This is a clear indication that the brick has‚ in fact‚ been fired.”It therefore stands to reason that if the wall was destroyed in a fire‚ all of the bricks would have recorded the direction of the Earth’s magnetic field at the exact time and place of the event. Of course‚ kiln-fired bricks also pick up this magnetic field as they are fired; yet during the wall’s construction‚ each brick would have been laid in a random orientation‚ meaning that they would have ended up with magnetic fields pointing in multiple directions.To determine whether the bricks’ fields were aligned or not‚ the study authors used a technique called thermal demagnetization. This involves heating the clay in a special oven that neutralizes the Earth’s magnetic field.During this process‚ the material becomes demagnetized when exposed to the same temperature that originally caused it to magnetize. Using this method‚ the researchers were able to determine the exact temperatures that the bricks were initially heated to‚ while also confirming that their magnetic fields all pointed in the same direction. "Our findings signify that the bricks burned and cooled down in-situ‚ right where they were found‚ namely in a conflagration in the structure itself‚ which collapsed within a few hours‚” explains Vaknin. “Had the bricks been fired in a kiln and then laid in the wall‚ their magnetic orientations would have been random.”In addition to corroborating the Biblical account of the city’s destruction‚ the study also illustrates that the bricks were sun-dried and not kiln-fired. The idea that such technology only arrived with the Romans is therefore supported."Our findings indicate that the brick firing technology was probably not practiced in the Land of Israel in the times of the Kings of Judah and Israel‚" concludes study author Erez Ben-Yosef.The study is published in the journal PLOS ONE.

NASA‚ together with private space companies Elysium Space and Celestis‚ will be sending human remains to the lunar surface this month – but not everyone is on board with the idea. The Navajo Nation has heavily criticized the plan for ignoring the sacred status of the moon in many Indigenous cultures‚ while other commentators have said the mission highlights how commercialized space missions are getting out of hand.The launch – called Peregrine Mission 1 (TO2-AB) – is currently scheduled for Monday‚ January 8‚ at 2:18 a.m. ET‚ according to NASA. Set to be the first-ever commercial robotic launch to the Moon’s surface‚ a giant United Launch Alliance (ULA) Vulcan Centaur rocket will make its maiden voyage to deliver Astrobotic’s Peregrine lunar lander to the Moon. All being well‚ the Peregrine lander will reach the lunar surface on February 23 to begin studying the Moon’s thermal properties‚ hydrogen abundance‚ magnetic fields‚ and radiation.    The robotic lander also contains payloads from two companies‚ Elysium Space and Celestis‚ that hold cremated human remains and the DNA of several people‚ which are intended to stay on the Moon indefinitely. On top of that‚ the mission will deliver some cryptocurrency-themed payloads‚ as well as a piece of Mount Everest.If you feel like this sounds a bit gratuitous‚ you’re not alone. A number of people have objected to the mission on several different grounds. The President of the Navajo Nation‚ Buu Nygren‚ has written a formal objection to NASA and the US Department of Transportation over what he describes as a “desecration of this sacred space.” “It is crucial to emphasize that the Moon holds a sacred position in many Indigenous cultures‚ including ours. We view it as a part of our spiritual heritage‚ an object of reverence and respect. The act of depositing human remains and other materials‚ which could be perceived as discards in any other location‚ on the Moon is tantamount to desecration of this sacred space‚” Nygren wrote‚ as per Native News Online. Nygren asked that the launch be delayed and demanded that authorities consult with the Navajo Nation before sending human remains to the moon. It's worth mentioning that human remains are already on the Moon. The ashes of Gene Shoemaker‚ the founder of astrogeology‚ were carried to the Moon by the Lunar Prospector space probe in 1999‚ which the Navajo Nation also objected to. However‚ some people have taken issue with the commercial nature of this latest mission. Posting on the social media platform BlueSky‚ numerous scientists discussed how the latest mission epitomizes some of the darker sides of commercial space travel. “The commercial side of space exploration has become the playground of the privileged‚” Rami Mandow‚ a radio astronomer from Australia‚ said in a post.“Sending human remains to the Moon because some privileged folks want it kinda takes agency from others - inc. the many cultures in which the Moon holds significance‚” Mandow added.NASA has tried to distance itself from the controversial cargo‚ noting that these are private commercial payloads that they have little control over. "We recognize that some non-NASA commercial payloads could be a cause for concern for some communities. Those communities may not understand that these missions are commercial and they’re not US government missions‚” Chris Culbert‚ Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program manager at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston‚ said at a media briefing on Thursday‚ January 4.“We don't have the framework for telling them what they can and can't fly‚" he added. "The approval process doesn't run through NASA for commercial missions."Celestis has also hit back at the criticism‚ arguing that no religion or culture has the right to tell others what to do when it comes to space exploration. “No individual religion can or should dictate whether a space mission should be approved‚" Celestis CEO and co-founder Charles Chafer said in a statement sent to Space.com."No one‚ and no religion‚ owns the moon‚ and‚ were the beliefs of the world's multitude of religions considered‚ it’s quite likely that no missions would ever be approved. Simply‚ we do not and never have let religious beliefs dictate humanity’s space efforts — there is not and should not be a religious test‚" Chafer added.

Archaeologists have unearthed a strange‚ early medieval belt buckle depicting a serpent-like creature‚ either a snake or a dragon‚ eating a frog. The bronze artifact may be a symbol from a previously unknown pagan cult that was once distributed across central Europe.The belt buckle was discovered by a metal detector at an archaeological site near the village of Lány‚ which is about 32 kilometers (20 miles) west of Prague. Initially‚ the researchers believed the specimen’s design was unique‚ but further examination led to a startling discovery: there were more examples elsewhere in Europe.“When the belt with the motif of a snake devouring a frog was discovered with the help of metal detectors at the site near Beclav in southern Moravia‚ we thought it was a rare find with a unique decoration. However‚ we later found that other nearly identical artefacts were also unearthed in Germany‚ Hungary and Bohemia‚” Jií Macháek‚ head of the Department of Archaeology and Museology at the Masaryk University Faculty of Arts‚ explained in a statement.“I realised that we were looking at a previously unknown pagan cult that linked different regions of central Europe in the early Middle Ages‚ before the arrival of Christianity.”The symbol of a dragon or a serpent in some sort of conflict is a common cosmogonic motif in many creation myths from across the world‚ but the image of the snake and the frog could also be linked to fertility cults from central Europe.“The motif of a serpent or snake devouring its victim appears in Germanic‚ Avar and Slavic mythology. It was a universally comprehensible and important ideogram. Today‚ we can only speculate about its exact meaning‚ but in the early Middle Ages‚ it connected the diverse peoples living in Central Europe on a spiritual level‚” Macháek added.A selection of the buckles examined: A) Lány (CZ)‚ B) Zsámbék (H)‚ C) Iffelsdorf (GER)‚ D) Nový Bydov (CZ).Image credit: Macháek et al‚ Journal of Archaeological Science 2024 (CC BY 4.0)The Lány artefact appears to belong to a group called the Avar belt fittings‚ which were produced in Central Europe around the seventh and eighth centuries BCE. They would have been part of the costumes worn by the once-nomadic Avars‚ sometimes referred to as the Maharuls‚ who eventually settled in the Carpathian Basin‚ in modern Hungary. Their fashion was not unique to them‚ however‚ as it was often adopted by their neighbours‚ such as the Slavs.During their work‚ Macháek and colleagues subjected the buckle‚ as well as similar artifacts‚ to state-of-the-art methods‚ such as X-ray fluorescence analysis (EDXR)‚ scanning electron microscopy (SEM)‚ lead isotope analysis‚ and 3D digital morphometry.Analysis with specialist software gives a more detailed view of the motif.Image credit: Macháek et al‚ Journal of Archaeological Science 2024 (CC BY 4.0) The overall material and technological analysis revealed that most of the bronze fittings were once heavily gilded and were produced using a lost-wax casting method. In addition‚ chemical analysis of the lead isotopes contained in the bronze alloy allowed the team to isolate a common source of copper from which the fittings were made. The copper came from a mine in the Slovak Ore Mountains.Finally‚ morphometric analysis of the 3D models suggested that some of the fittings were made in the same workshop‚ or at least shared a common model.The study is published in the Journal of Archaeological Science.

This year‚ as every fourth year since 1904‚ the world will add an extra day on February 29‚ making 2024 a leap year. While that is generally accepted‚ debate is growing about whether we should keep adding the occasional leap second. It might seem like an arcane question of little relevance to most people‚ but with the Russian government firmly taking one side of the debate‚ things may not go smoothly. It’s not a likely cause for World War III‚ but we could still be hearing more about this soon‚ with several solutions under consideration.One proposal‚ promoted by Dr Judah Levine of the Time and Frequency Division at the National Institute of Standards and Technology‚ is to move from frequent leap seconds to rare leap minutes. To understand the reasoning‚ however‚ it’s worth reviewing why our clocks don’t always move smoothly.Why The Leap Year?The length of the day and year makes an argument against an intelligently designed universe. Instead of the time the Earth goes around the Sun being divisible exactly by the number of times it turns on its axis‚ we get 365.2422 days to a year. If we insisted on keeping every year to 365 days our calendar would get out of step with the seasons. People at high northern latitudes might miss snow on Christmas Day‚ but historically a bigger problem would have been confusion about when to plant crops.That problem was largely solved through the introduction of a leap year every four years. When that proved insufficiently precise‚ the Gregorian Calendar was introduced. This skipped a leap year three centuries out of four. That makes the average year length so close to the true length our seasons are safe for many thousands of years to come. What was controversial about the Gregorian Calendar was making it retrospective‚ moving the date forward 10 days. Some say riots broke out because in a more superstitious time‚ people thought their life would be shortened to match‚ although this may be a myth. The banner in the back right reads "Give us back our 11 days". This painting contributed to the belief there were riots when England caught up with the Gregorian calendar adopted in Catholic countries a century before.Painting by William Hogarth‚ public domain.Shorter Leaps in TimeThere’s a mismatch in the naming of leaps. We don’t add a whole year on February 29‚ but we talk about leap years‚ not leap days. Yet when a second is added to the calendar‚ we call it a leap second‚ not the slightly extended period in which it belongs a leap hour.That pedantry aside‚ the leap second‚ and potentially negative leap second‚ were introduced to deal with a different problem; the fact the Earth’s rotation is not perfectly stable. Our days are growing longer‚ thanks mainly to interactions with the Moon. If we don’t make adjustments of some sort we could end up with the Sun rising at midnight and other deeply disruptive events. Certainly‚ it will take us an awfully long time to get to that point. Nevertheless‚ with a concern about addressing problems early humanity has notably failed to show on other matters‚ leap seconds have become a regular part of the calendar.Since 1972 every few years a second has been added at midnight either on June 30 or December 31 to keep things in balance. Clocks precise enough for this to matter get adjusted. We even have an international body to ensure the nations of the Earth are all on the same page in this matter‚ an example of cooperation again sadly lacking elsewhere on many more urgent matters. Goodbye‚ leap second‚ hello‚ leap minute?Now‚ however‚ there is dissension in the ranks. In 2022 the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM) voted to abolish the leap second – not immediately but by 2035. It was all very well to throw seconds in when the number of devices keeping such exact time was few‚ but now computers worldwide have to cope with regular readjustments‚ and some don’t like it.This is where Levine comes in. As one of the select group of people paid to think about these things‚ he notes that most people’s lives won’t be affected if the Sun crosses the meridian a few seconds away from noon. After all‚ we live in broad time zones where clock time only matches the position of the Sun precisely along a single line of longitude.  “Having to deal with leap seconds drives me crazy‚” Levine told the New York Times in the lead-up to the World Radio Conference in Dubai last year to consider such things. “We all need to relax a little bit.”Therefore‚ Levine suggests‚ we should let the seconds build up‚ the heavens getting ever so slightly behind clock time‚ until we’re behind enough to add a whole minute in. The few people who need their clocks to match the sky perfectly are those best positioned to make adjustments to official time.There are a lot of advantages to this – people might even hold parties to celebrate the leap minute; leap seconds are too common to bother with.Nevertheless‚ the conference failed to adopt Levine’s idea‚ in part because the leap second now has considerable inertia. An odd alliance is against change‚ including the Catholic Church and the British and Russian Governments. Their motives vary‚ but all favor the current system.Attachment to tradition seems to motivate some‚ but it’s been reported that Russian satellites are designed around leap seconds. If so‚ a change may be more than a simple matter of reprogramming. There’s speculation abandoning the leap second could affect Russian military systems‚ but if so‚ don’t expect them to admit it.That makes achieving change very difficult. It’s one thing to convince the Vatican that abandoning the leap second does not disconnect humanity from the cosmos. After all‚ it came around to Galileo eventually. It’s much harder to change the mind of a nuclear power who won’t even acknowledge their true reasons. Don’t expect riots over stolen time‚ but don’t book the leap minute party just yet.

During the COVID-19 pandemic‚ many people took up different hobbies as lockdown restrictions forced schools to close and people to stay inside their homes. While some took up crafts or yoga‚ one entomologist got his students involved in a rather different kind of lockdown project: studying the facial patterns of ants.The project started at Kennesaw State University in Georgia and is the brainchild of entomologist Clint Penick‚ who got his students taking close-up images and looking in detail at the facial patterns of more than 11‚000 species of ants. The photographs‚ while each fascinating in their own right‚ began to reveal patterns and the idea that the different textures and patterns found on the ants' faces could offer some kind of benefit to their survival. Over 11‚000 images were classified into these five broad groups based on their facial micro-sculpting.Image Courtesy of Dr Clint PenickFor instance‚ some species of soil-dwelling ants possess raised facial ridges that are so close together that sand grains can’t fit between them‚ said Penick in a statement seen by Science News. This could suggest that the ridges protect the ants from scratches and marks to the skin from climbing through rough substrate. Ant faces are incredibly detailed and varied‚ so much so that there are more than 150 terms to describe the different facial details. The images helped Penick come up with his own‚ more broad categories for the facial patterns – smooth‚ reticulate‚ striate‚ punctate‚ and tuberous – which helped classify 11‚739 images of ants. This classification system helped answer questions such as why different patterns evolved and what role they could play in ant behaviors.Only four of the 11‚000 plus images that feature in the study.Image Courtesy of Dr Clint Penick. Photographs taken by Polyrhachis decora (April Nobile)‚ Stictoponera taivanensis (Shannon Hartman)‚ Stictoponera biroi (Z. Lieberman)‚ and Romblonella scrobifera (Michael Branstetter)The team refer to the facial patterns as micro-sculpting and suggest that there is strong evidence that smooth was the ancestral state of most ant faces. They found that there was evidence of the other four states evolving multiple times throughout ant evolution and that the tuberous micro-sculpting pattern was the least common. This pattern was mostly found in ants that belong to the tribe Attini‚ which are fungus-gardening species. While the researchers are not 100 percent sure on the role of these different micro-sculpting patterns for the ants‚ they suggest they could provide abrasion reduction‚ help prevent the ants from losing moisture‚ influence communication‚ and even affect the interactions between the ants and different microbes they come into contact with. Given that a single gram of soil may contain 10 billion microbes‚ having a face that is not smooth and instead consists of grooves could disrupt the growth of biofilms in the same way as has been observed on the rough surface of shark denticles. For further research‚ the team suggest comparing species-level micro-sculpting patterns that could help work out the pressures that caused these different facial intricacies to develop. The paper is published in Myrmecological News.

More evidence is showing that Homo sapiens and Neanderthals are more closely related than once thought. A new estimate suggests that our species may have diverged from Neanderthals just 408‚000 years ago‚ which is “substantially later” than previous estimates. Neanderthals are an extinct species of hominin who lived in Eurasia until about 40‚000 years ago. Fossil remains reveal some noticeable physical differences between Homo sapiens and Neanderthals‚ such as a shorter and broader frame‚ a wider pelvis‚ and heavier bones.However‚ mounting evidence is showing that we are not so dissimilar from our heavy-browed hominin cousins. Neanderthals were artistic‚ adaptable‚ and highly intelligent. They seem to have taken great care when burying their dead relatives‚ implying they possessed emotional sensitivity and perhaps even had a sense of their own mortality. Researchers have long debated when the last common ancestors between Neanderthals and humans lived‚ marking the point where the two different species went their separate ways on their evolutionary journey.Statisticians at Tel-Aviv University recently used computer software called BEAST2 to study the genome of both species and work out the TMRCA (Time to Most Recent Common Ancestor). Their findings indicate that the split between modern humans and Neanderthals occurred just 408‚000 years ago – which is surprisingly late. This latest estimate from Tel-Aviv University is highly mathematical and didn’t directly involve any archaeologists or paleoanthropologists. Nevertheless‚ it's broadly in line with other recent studies that have hinted the divergence occurred much later than previously assumed. Other recent evidence from both fossils and DNA suggests that Neanderthal and modern human lineages separated between 500‚000 years ago to 650‚000 years ago. Previous estimates indicated that the divergence could have occurred over 800‚000 years ago.Whenever the split occurred‚ the presence of Neanderthals didn’t stray far from us. Genetically‚ we're 99.7 percent identical and it is starkly clear that rampant interbreeding occurred between the species time and time again. Genes from Neanderthals are especially prevalent in people of European descent who inherit about 2 percent of their genomes from Neanderthal ancestors. These genes still influence human populations today‚ such as the size of folks’ noses to their vulnerability to viral infections. Cheers for that‚ Neanderthals. The new study is published in the journal BMC Genomic Data.

Imagine being able to virtually “chat” with a deceased friend or relative: a gift to the grieving‚ or a dystopian nightmare come true? With the recent acceleration in development of artificial intelligence (AI) technology like ChatGPT‚ the idea of a “digital resurrection” is no longer just the muse of science fiction writers. But are people ready for this brave new world?Dr Masaki Iwasaki‚ an assistant professor at Seoul National University School of Law‚ wanted to find out more about people’s attitudes to digital cloning. He surveyed 222 US adults‚ across a range of ages‚ education levels‚ and socioeconomic backgrounds. In one section of the survey‚ participants were presented with a scenario in which a fictional woman in her 20s had died in a car accident. The woman’s friends and parents were considering using AI to recreate her as a digital android‚ but it was unclear at first whether the woman herself had consented to this in life. After considering this dilemma from the point of view of the deceased’s family‚ the participants were given one of two updates to the story: one said that the woman had expressed agreement with the idea of digital cloning while she was alive; the other said she had disagreed with the procedure.Perhaps unsurprisingly‚ the vast majority of survey respondents (97 percent) felt it would be inappropriate to digitally resurrect someone who was known to have disagreed with the idea. By contrast‚ 58 percent felt that it was okay when the person had expressed consent.“Although I expected societal acceptability for digital resurrection to be higher when consent was expressed‚ the stark difference in acceptance rates – 58 percent for consent versus 3 percent for dissent – was surprising‚” Iwasaki said in a statement. “This highlights the crucial role of the deceased's wishes in shaping public opinion on digital resurrection.”But the whole concept in general remains highly controversial. When asked about the possibility of their own digital cloning after death‚ 59 percent of respondents disagreed with the idea‚ and around 40 percent felt that it was socially unacceptable in all circumstances.“While the will of the deceased is important in determining the societal acceptability of digital resurrection‚ other factors such as ethical concerns about life and death‚ along with general apprehension towards new technology are also significant‚” said Iwasaki.Digital clones are already here. From an AI Einstein that can answer all your burning questions about the universe‚ to a perfect recreation of the iconic voice of Darth Vader‚ people are already making use of this technology. The burgeoning use of AI to resurrect movie stars long after their deaths was one of the central issues in 2023’s long-running strike by Hollywood screenwriters and actors.In this landscape‚ it’s important to better understand the public mood‚ and how individuals' rights and preferences might be protected.“It’s necessary first to discuss what rights should be protected‚ to what extent‚ then create rules accordingly‚” said Iwasaki. “My research‚ building upon prior discussions in the field‚ argues that the opt-in rule requiring the deceased's consent for digital resurrection might be one way to protect their rights.”So‚ is it time to add a clause about digital cloning to your will? Maybe‚ Iwasaki suggests.“For those with strong preferences documenting their wishes could be meaningful.” The study is published in the Asian Journal of Law and Economics.

Actress Jane Seymour‚ Texas Rangers pitcher Max Scherzer‚ and the cat in the header of this article. Not three figures you might typically put together‚ but they all have something in common: heterochromia.What is heterochromia?Formally known as heterochromia iridum or iridis‚ but usually shortened to just heterochromia‚ this often striking feature is characterized by color differences in the iris‚ the colored region of the eye. The kind most often thought of is complete heterochromia‚ where one iris is a different color from the other. However‚ there are also partial forms of heterochromia‚ split into two types – sectoral and central.An example of sectoral heterochromia in a human eye.Image credit: sruilk/Shutterstock.comIn sectoral heterochromia‚ there’s a slice-of-pie-like or sometimes speckled section within an iris that’s a different color to the rest; this is the type seen in Independence Day actor Bill Pullman. There are also two colors within the same iris in central heterochromia‚ but it instead occurs in the form of an inner ring.How rare is heterochromia?Heterochromia is pretty rare in humans‚ thought to affect fewer than 200‚000 people in the US. However‚ if it wasn’t already obvious from our choice of header image‚ humans aren’t the only species that can have this feature. It’s common in animals like horses‚ cats‚ and dogs‚ particularly in breeds such as Siberian huskies‚ border collies‚ and Dalmatians. Heterochromia has even been seen in a koala.What causes heterochromia?Professor Charles Xavier explains it best: a lot of the time‚ it’s a very groovy mutation. In other words‚ there’s been a change in the DNA sequence of the genes that influence eye color‚ leading to color differences between or within the iris. This can happen for unknown reasons‚ or it can be inherited as an autosomal dominant trait – a child only needs one parent to pass down the mutation for them to develop the trait. For those with this kind of isolated mutation‚ heterochromia is harmless.However‚ there are other circumstances in which heterochromia can arise. In humans‚ this includes congenital conditions such as Waardenburg syndrome‚ a genetic condition that can affect the coloring of skin and hair alongside the eyes. There’s also neurofibromatosis type 1‚ a condition characterized by the growth of tumors along nerves‚ but also features heterochromia as a symptom.Heterochromia can also be acquired as the result of injury‚ conditions such as glaucoma and the eye drops that treat it‚ tumors‚ and even a serum used to thicken eyelashes.Can heterochromia be treated?Whilst there’s no medical treatment for heterochromia itself‚ it’s worth getting it checked out by a doctor to make sure it’s not the result of an underlying condition that does need treatment. If it’s harmless – which it often is – but someone isn’t in the same camp as Professor X and would prefer to have both their eyes be the same color‚ doctors might be able to prescribe them with color contact lenses.All “explainer” articles are confirmed by fact checkers to be correct at time of publishing. Text‚ images‚ and links may be edited‚ removed‚ or added to at a later date to keep information current. The content of this article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice‚ diagnosis‚ or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

Researchers have discovered a chemical signature in the atmosphere of a distant exoplanet called K2-18 b using the James Webb Space Telescope. The molecule is called dimethyl sulfide (DMS)‚ which is only produced by living organisms on Earth‚ reports popularmechanics.com. This discovery is still being labeled as “possible” and will require follow-up data collection to confirm its presence in the atmosphere. K2-18 b is expected to be the kind of world we would expect to find signs of life on other worlds. Researchers first took interest in K2-18 b after detecting water vapor in its atmosphere. They classify it as a Hycean world‚ a type of planet entirely covered by a temperate ocean and insulated by a hydrogen-rich atmosphere. It orbits around a fairly cool star and is situated in its habitable zone. However‚ the researchers are cautioning that when looking for alien life‚ all other possible explanations must be ruled out before concluding that there is life. The extended wavelength range and unprecedented sensitivity of JWST enabled robust detection of spectral features with just two transits. One transit observation with Webb provided comparable precision to eight observations with Hubble conducted over a few years and in a relatively narrow wavelength range. We are getting good enough at seeing into the atmospheres of exoplanets that we are getting flags. Many of these flags are likely to be false‚ but having the observational capacity to see flags at all was completely out of our reach just a short time ago. The ultimate goal is the identification of life on a habitable exoplanet‚ which would transform our understanding of our place in the universe. Extraterrestrial organisms or not‚ we are getting good enough at seeing into the atmospheres of exoplanets that we are getting flags. A lot of those flags are probably going to be false‚ but having the observational capacity to see flags at all was completely out of our reach just a short time ago. “Our ultimate goal is the identification of life on a habitable exoplanet‚ which would transform our understanding of our place in the universe‚” Madhusudhan said in a news release. “Our findings are a promising step towards a deeper understanding of Hycean worlds in this quest.” The post A hint of alien life? Biosignature molecule discovered on distant planet appeared first on Anomalien.com.

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