Evidencia de vida en otro planeta

Señales captadas por el telescopio Webb marcan que puede existir vida en el universo, más allá de la Tierra.

Transcript

00:00Gracias.

00:30We have found evidence for possible biological activity on an exoplanet.

00:37We have found signs of biosignature molecules, either DMS or DMDS or both,

00:45both of which are produced uniquely by life here on Earth

00:50and have been predicted to be biosignatures on planets around other stars as well.

00:55And we found the strongest evidence to date on a biosignature molecule,

01:02in this case a combination, potentially around another star outside the solar system.

01:08And that is a major breakthrough in our search for life beyond the solar system.

01:18Not only that there is a chance that the planet can actually be habitable,

01:24but what we are finding is that we are demonstrating that it is possible to detect biosignatures

01:32in atmospheres of such planets around nearby stars with existing facilities.

01:38And that's a big breakthrough.

01:54Currently, the only scenario that explains all the observations, in other words, detections of methane and carbon dioxide,

02:10non-detection of ammonia and carbon monoxide, and now possible detection of these molecules,

02:15means that based on our current understanding, the only scenario that explains all of this

02:20is one where it's a Haitian world that is teeming with life.

02:24And what is a Haitian world? It's an ocean-covered surface with a thin hydrogen-rich atmosphere.

02:30And the ocean being habitable.

02:32So that is the only scenario which can currently explain all the observations together.

02:36However, we want to remain open to other alternatives one might come up with in the future.

02:42This moment in history of science will be viewed as a paradigm shift in our search for life.

02:53And the reason for that is that we have breached the level where we are demonstrating that if there is life out there,

03:01if there are Haitian worlds out there, these ocean worlds with hydrogen atmospheres with life on them,

03:07we are basically establishing here that we can detect that kind of signature,

03:13those kinds of planets and biosignatures in them.

03:17So that is a paradigm shift in our understanding.

03:20This is a monumental discovery. It is very important, but we also have to be extremely cautious.

03:37The reason is that this is one of the biggest questions we have asked as a species in all of science,

03:42and we have to deal with it very carefully in that we want to be really, really robust

03:47in establishing whether this is actually life that we are seeing.

03:50We want two things. We want more observations to confirm that the signal is robust.

03:55We are seeing it at a three sigma level.

03:57We still have three in a thousand chance of it being a fluke.

04:00So we want to observe more to get it to a five sigma level, less than a chance in a million,

04:05a part in a million of a fluke.

04:07But we also want to do more theoretical and observational studies to make sure

04:13that there is absolutely no other way we can make this molecule without life.

04:17I think it is our responsibility as scientists and as part of a society

04:22that we want to answer this very deep question in a very careful and robust manner.

04:26But the excitement is still there nevertheless that we've got the capability to do it now.

04:37Thank you.

05:01Gracias por ver el video.