K218b: DMS Clues, Hyacin Worlds, and the Search for Life

A Science Corner deep dive into JWST's hints of dimethyl sulfite (DMS) in the atmosphere of exoplanet K218b, a candidate 'hyacin' world about 124 light-years away. We unpack how transmission spectroscopy works, why a 3-sigma signal is intriguing but not a discovery, and the caveats of abiotic explanations. We discuss multi-wavelength evidence across near- and mid-infrared observations, the tentative DMDS hint, and what would be needed to reach five-sigma confirmation. Direct exploration remains out of reach for now, but these observations are uniquely advancing our ability to sniff alien atmospheres from afar.

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