Do you think extraterrestrial life exists?
If life does exist beyond Earth, what do you imagine? Little green men? Strange and scary creatures? Super intelligent beings?
How about marine algae?
In “Astronomers Detect a Possible Signature of Life on a Distant Planet,” Carl Zimmer writes about a new study that claims to have discovered the strongest evidence yet of life elsewhere in the universe:
The search for life beyond Earth has led scientists to explore many suggestive mysteries, from plumes of methane on Mars to clouds of phosphine gas on Venus. But as far as we can tell, Earth’s inhabitants remain alone in the cosmos.
Now a team of researchers is offering what it contends is the strongest indication yet of extraterrestrial life, not in our solar system but on a massive planet, known as K2-18b, that orbits a star 120 light-years from Earth. A repeated analysis of the exoplanet’s atmosphere suggests an abundance of a molecule that on Earth has only one known source: living organisms such as marine algae.
“It is in no one’s interest to claim prematurely that we have detected life,” said Nikku Madhusudhan, an astronomer at the University of Cambridge and an author of the new study, at a news conference on Tuesday. Still, he said, the best explanation for his group’s observations is that K2-18b is covered with a warm ocean, brimming with life.
“This is a revolutionary moment,” Dr. Madhusudhan said. “It’s the first time humanity has seen potential biosignatures on a habitable planet.”
The study was published Wednesday in the Astrophysical Journal Letters. Other researchers called it an exciting, thought-provoking first step to making sense of what’s on K2-18b. But they were reluctant to draw grand conclusions.
“It’s not nothing,” said Stephen Schmidt, a planetary scientist at Johns Hopkins University. “It’s a hint. But we cannot conclude it’s habitable yet.”
If there is extraterrestrial life on K2-18b, or anywhere else, its discovery will arrive at a frustratingly slow pace. “Unless we see E.T. waving at us, it’s not going to be a smoking gun,” said Christopher Glein, a planetary scientist at the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio.
Students, read the entire article and then tell us:
Do you think there is life on other planets? Or do you think Earth’s inhabitants remain alone in the cosmos?
Does the idea that life might exist on other planets excite you — or scare you? Why?
What’s your reaction to the news of potential signs of life on a massive planet light-years away? Dr. Madhusudhan, one of the authors of the headline-making study, says, “This is a revolutionary moment. It’s the first time humanity has seen potential biosignatures on a habitable planet.” Are you ready to scream, “Aliens!” Or, do you think we should be cautious about jumping to any grand conclusions?
Do you think extraterrestrial life is more likely to be something like marine algae, or some kind of advanced organism — maybe even with a consciousness and emotions, like humans?
If extraterrestrial life exists, what do you think it might look like? Sketch or write your answer. Feel free to draw upon fictional portrayals you have seen or read about in movies, TV, comic books or elsewhere.
Do you think we will ever find definitive answers to whether life exists on other planets in your lifetime?
Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public and may appear in print.
Find more Student Opinion questions here. Teachers, check out this guide to learn how you can incorporate these prompts into your classroom.
