A molecule, an exoplanet, and a possible scientific breakthrough

In April 2025, a team of researchers from the University of Cambridge, led by Dr Nikku Madhusudhan, announced the possible detection of a rare gas in the atmosphere of an exoplanet: dimethyl sulphide (DMS). On Earth, this chemical compound is produced exclusively by living organisms. There is no known geological or chemical process capable of generating it without biological life.

A distant but promising planet

This molecule has reportedly been detected on K2-18 b, an exoplanet located approximately 120 light-years away, discovered in 2015. It is a Hycean planet: larger than Earth, possibly covered by oceans and surrounded by a hydrogen-rich atmosphere. K2-18 b is located in the habitable zone of its star, a red dwarf, which means that conditions compatible with life could exist there.

 

An analysis made possible by the James Webb Telescope

Using the James Webb Space Telescope, researchers were able to analyse the light filtered through the atmosphere of K2-18 b using a process called transit spectroscopy. This method serves to identify the chemical composition of an exoplanet’s atmosphere by studying the light from its star. Among the gases detected: methane, carbon dioxide, and potentially DMS.

The signal needs to be confirmed

At this stage, it is not yet proof of life. The DMS signal is weak and needs to be confirmed by other observations. However, according to several experts, including Clara Sousa-Silva (Harvard), this is the most credible clue detected so far in the search for extraterrestrial biosignatures.

Even if the biological origin of DMS is ultimately ruled out, its detection shows that the search for life is now scientific, measurable and targeted.

How this inspires us at Davidson

At Davidson, we don’t design telescopes. But the approach adopted by these researchers speaks to us:

  • identifying weak signals,
  • looking for meaning in the data,
  • making meaningful connections.

This is what we do every day in our tech and data projects. Reading between the lines, asking the right questions, spotting what really matters. Because a useful discovery often begins with a subtle but well-interpreted observation.