'Dimer Molecules' Aid Study of Exoplanet Pressure, Hunt for Life
Tuesday, March 4, 2014 - 16:00
in Astronomy & Space
Astronomers at the University of Washington have developed a new method of gauging the atmospheric pressure of exoplanets, or worlds beyond the solar system, by looking for a certain type of molecule. And if there is life out in space, scientists may one day use this same technique to detect its biosignature -- the telltale chemical signs of its presence -- in the atmosphere of an alien world.