Have scientists just found life on another planet? Astronomers may have uncovered the strongest evidence yet that we're not alone in the universe.
A team from the University of Cambridge says they've detected molecules in the atmosphere of a distant exoplanet that, here on Earth, are only produced by living organisms like marine algae.
They're calling it a revolutionary moment. But not everyone's convinced. Other scientists are urging caution, saying we need more proof before we can declare this as the first real sign of alien life.
So we thought we'd chat to University of Auckland head of the department of physics Professor Jan Eldridge about the discovery and if it is actually the first sign we have that we are not alone in the universe.
James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), illustration. This infrared telescope launched in December 2021. Photo: JAMES VAUGHAN/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBR/AFP
