Overview
Cambridge astronomers announced they'd found dimethyl sulfide and dimethyl disulfide in the atmosphere of K2-18b—molecules that, on Earth, only life produces. The detection using JWST's mid-infrared instrument hit 3-sigma confidence, meaning a 0.3% chance it's statistical noise. If real, it's the strongest evidence yet of biology beyond our solar system.
But NASA researchers aren't buying it. Their independent analysis of the same data found the signal inconclusive, likely contaminated by red noise from the telescope itself. The debate mirrors the 2020 Venus phosphine controversy—premature claims, failed replications, and the brutal difficulty of detecting life from 124 light-years away. Meanwhile, the clock ticks: reaching the 5-sigma threshold for definitive discovery requires another 16-24 hours of JWST observation time that may never be allocated.
Key Indicators
People Involved
Organizations Involved
One of the UK's premier astronomical research centers, housing Madhusudhan's exoplanet atmospheric research group.
NASA's largest space science laboratory, operating JWST and developing exoplanet detection standards.
Infrared space telescope providing order-of-magnitude improvement in exoplanet atmospheric spectroscopy precision.
Timeline
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Community Debates Next JWST Observations
StatusField divided on allocating 16-24 additional JWST hours needed for 5-sigma confirmation.
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Red Noise Paper Published
CriticismStevenson et al. demonstrate MIRI data plagued by instrumental systematics; 87.5% of retrievals find no DMS.
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NASA Team Finds 'Insufficient Evidence'
ReanalysisIndependent reanalysis of same JWST data finds no conclusive DMS, citing alternative molecular explanations.
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Cambridge Announces 3-Sigma DMS Detection
ClaimMadhusudhan publishes MIRI analysis claiming DMS and DMDS at 3-sigma confidence in Astrophysical Journal Letters.
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MIRI Follow-Up Observations
ObservationMadhusudhan team uses different JWST instrument (mid-infrared) to target DMS/DMDS absorption bands.
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First JWST K2-18b Spectrum
ObservationNIRISS/NIRSpec observations detect methane and carbon dioxide with high confidence; weak DMS hint reported.
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JWST Begins Science Operations
CapabilityJames Webb Space Telescope achieves order-of-magnitude improvement in atmospheric spectroscopy precision.
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Hycean Planet Concept Published
TheoryMadhusudhan introduces 'hycean world' classification: hydrogen atmosphere over global ocean.
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Venus Phosphine Controversy Erupts
Historical ParallelGreaves et al. claim phosphine biosignature on Venus; rapid retractions follow, setting cautionary precedent.
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Water Vapor Detection Breakthrough
DiscoveryMadhusudhan team uses Hubble to detect first water vapor on habitable-zone exoplanet.
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Mass Confirmed via Radial Velocity
ObservationFollow-up observations establish K2-18b at 8.6 Earth masses, within star's habitable zone.
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Kepler Discovers K2-18b
DiscoveryNASA's Kepler telescope detects sub-Neptune exoplanet transiting red dwarf star K2-18 in Leo constellation.
Scenarios
Additional JWST Time Confirms Biosignature at 5-Sigma
Discussed by: Cambridge team, supportive astrobiology researchers
If JWST allocates another 16-24 observation hours, stacked data could push DMS detection past the 5-sigma threshold required for definitive discovery. This would represent humanity's first confirmed detection of extraterrestrial life chemistry. However, even 5-sigma wouldn't eliminate all doubt—critics would still question whether DMS can form abiotically on hycean worlds through UV photochemistry. The finding would trigger massive follow-up programs and likely fast-track the Habitable Worlds Observatory launch.
Reanalysis Consensus: False Positive from Instrumental Noise
Discussed by: NASA Goddard researchers, Stevenson et al., Johns Hopkins APL team
As more teams reanalyze the MIRI data with different wavelength binning schemes and noise models, consensus builds that the DMS signal is red noise, not astrophysics. Madhusudhan's team quietly moves to other targets. The episode becomes a cautionary tale in exoplanet textbooks alongside Venus phosphine—a reminder that 3-sigma detections at JWST's noise floor demand extraordinary skepticism. Funding agencies tighten standards for biosignature claims.
K2-18b Declared Unobservable; Wait for HWO
Discussed by: JWST advisory committee, mission planners
JWST's Time Allocation Committee decides K2-18b is at the ragged edge of instrumental capability—too noisy, too contaminated by stellar activity, too dependent on data processing choices. The telescope moves to other targets with clearer signals. The K2-18b biosignature question remains unresolved until the Habitable Worlds Observatory launches in the 2040s with coronagraphs designed specifically for this science. Two decades of uncertainty stretch ahead.
Alternative Molecule Explains Signal Without Life
Discussed by: Atmospheric chemistry modelers, laboratory spectroscopists
Lab experiments or theoretical models demonstrate that ethane, methyl mercaptan, or other non-biological molecules can mimic the DMS absorption bands under hycean planet conditions. The signal might be real astrophysics but not a biosignature. This scenario mirrors how oxygen biosignatures can form abiotically through photolysis—a sobering lesson that even strong detections require environmental context to rule out false positives.
Historical Context
Venus Phosphine Controversy (2020-2021)
2020-2021What Happened
Greaves et al. announced phosphine detection in Venus's clouds using ALMA and JCMT telescopes, claiming a potential biosignature since phosphine on Earth comes from anaerobic bacteria. Within months, multiple teams failed to replicate the finding. Reanalysis showed the signal was likely sulfur dioxide misidentification or telescope calibration artifacts. Even supporters conceded the evidence was weak.
Outcome
Short term: Papers retracted or heavily qualified; field divided over data analysis standards.
Long term: NASA established stricter biosignature detection protocols; 5-sigma threshold became de facto requirement.
Why It's Relevant
The K2-18b DMS claim follows an eerily similar pattern: initial excitement, marginal statistical significance, failed replications, and methodological disputes. Both cases involve molecules 'only produced by life on Earth' detected at the edge of instrumental sensitivity.
TRAPPIST-1 Atmosphere Hunt (2023-2024)
2023-2024What Happened
JWST's first attempts to characterize atmospheres on TRAPPIST-1's habitable-zone planets yielded ambiguous results. TRAPPIST-1b and c showed no thick atmospheres. TRAPPIST-1e observations hinted at methane traces but suffered from extreme stellar contamination. Multiple observation campaigns couldn't definitively confirm whether atmospheres exist at all.
Outcome
Short term: Community recognized JWST struggles with M-dwarf stellar activity; techniques improved but fundamental limits remain.
Long term: Shifted focus from 'do atmospheres exist?' to developing methods to disentangle stellar contamination from planetary signals.
Why It's Relevant
Demonstrates that even detecting atmospheres—much less biosignatures—pushes JWST to its limits. K2-18b's host star is also an M-dwarf, raising questions about whether stellar flares and spots could contaminate the claimed DMS signal.
Viking Landers 'Life Detection' (1976)
1976-1977What Happened
NASA's Viking landers conducted experiments on Mars that showed positive results in the Labeled Release test, where radioactive carbon was released when nutrients were added to soil—consistent with microbial metabolism. Mission scientists debated whether this indicated life or exotic soil chemistry. Follow-up tests found no organic molecules, contradicting the biology hypothesis.
Outcome
Short term: NASA officially declared results inconclusive; lead scientist Gilbert Levin maintained life was detected until his death in 2021.
Long term: Taught NASA to avoid premature life-detection announcements; now requires multiple independent lines of evidence.
Why It's Relevant
Established NASA's institutional conservatism on biosignature claims. Goddard researchers' skepticism toward Madhusudhan's 3-sigma DMS detection reflects lessons from Viking—single-molecule detections without environmental context are insufficient to claim life.