NASA's Research Provides a Roadmap for Future Exploration of Extraterrestrial Life

Astronomers conducting research at the NASA Astrobiology Institute’s Virtual Planetary Laboratory have found that the search for extraterrestrial life through the detection of specific gases in alien atmospheres, such as oxygen, ozone, or methane, cannot rely on a single gas as a definitive biosignature. Their extensive simulations over more than four years revealed that some of these gases can be produced non-biologically under certain conditions. For instance, ozone and oxygen, once considered strong biosignatures, can form without the presence of life due to ultraviolet light breaking down carbon dioxide. The study emphasized that the simultaneous detection of methane and oxygen or methane and ozone remains a reliable indicator of biological activity. This research will inform future space telescope designs for exoplanet atmosphere analysis, highlighting the need for a broader range of gas measurements to distinguish potential false positives from true signs of alien life.

For more information: https://www.nasa.gov/universe/nasa-research-gives-guideline-for-future-alien-life-search/