NASA finds 'Waterworld with a boiling ocean' on exoplanet. Know if life too has been found there

James Webb Space Telescope has discovered what could be a 'Waterworld with a boiling ocean'. Situated on a sub-Neptune distant exoplanet nestled in the TOI-270 system, it is nothing short of a space spectacle. According to 'The Guardian', the exoplanet is twice Earth’s radius and about 70 light years away. A vast reservoir of water vapor and chemical signatures of methane and carbon dioxide have been found in the atmosphere of this exoplanet.

Hydrogen-rich atmosphere

Prof Nikku Madhusudhan of the University of Cambridge told the news outlet that the chemical mix found there is consistent with a water world where the ocean would span the entire surface accompanied by a hydrogen-rich atmosphere. He also said that the ocean could be as hot as
100 degrees Celsius. He said further that at high atmospheric pressure, an ocean this hot could still be liquid, but it’s not clear if it would still be habitable.

NASA finds 'hycean'

Prof Madhusudhan said that it could be a so-called 'hycean' world—with a water ocean under a hydrogen-rich atmosphere. Besides, ammonia is highly soluble in water and would be depleted in the atmosphere if there were an ocean down below.

Life on Exoplanet?

Carbon disulphide has also been found on the exoplanet. It is an interesting discovery because the discovery of carbon disulfide is linked to biological processes on Earth. But other scientists have cautioned against concluding that life may exist there.

The JWST has been a pioneer in studying atmospheric characterizations of temperate low-mass exoplanets. It has recently detected carbon-bearing molecules in the candidate Hycean world K2-18 b.

FAQs:

What is a 'hycean'?
A 'hycean' is a world filled with a water ocean under a hydrogen-rich atmosphere. Besides, ammonia is highly soluble in water and would be depleted in the atmosphere if there were an ocean down below.

Is life possible on exoplanet with boiling ocean?
Carbon disulphide has been found on the exoplanet which also contains an ocean of boiling water. It is an interesting discovery because the discovery of carbon disulfide is linked to biological processes on Earth. But other scientists have cautioned against concluding that life may exist there.