EARTH.COM - Scientists have searched for alien life for years, but space is huge, and technology has limits, making it hard to find answers. Traditionally, researchers have focused on finding planets similar to Earth, believing that conditions mirroring our own would be the best place to look for life.
However, a new study suggests that an entirely different type of planet could provide clearer evidence of living organisms.
Instead of focusing on Earth-like planets, scientists have identified a unique biosignature gas that could reveal life in environments that are vastly different from our own.
This discovery shifts the search toward larger, ocean-covered planets with thick hydrogen atmospheres, known as hycean planets, where certain microbes could potentially thrive.
Gases could be key indicators
The recent study, led by researchers from the University of California, Riverside, explored the unexpected gases that may signify life on exoplanets.