Recent research suggests that scientists may have found evidence of life in space. But should we reach out to them? Leading physicists warn that contacting aliens could result in “the end of all life on Earth.”

The search for extraterrestrial life has been one of the greatest scientific pursuits for centuries. Scientists may have taken a huge step towards finding life outside our Solar System. The planet K2-18b, more than twice the size of Earth and 120 light-years away, is located in the habitable zone of the Leo constellation. Analyses of the planet’s atmosphere have revealed a large amount of chemical substances produced only by living organisms.

THE STRONGEST CLUE YET Experts say this is the “strongest clue yet” to biological activity beyond our Solar System. British physicist Mark, speaking to MailOnline, said that contact with aliens could lead to “the end of all life on Earth.”

THEY MIGHT BE MUCH STRONGER Buchanan told the Daily Mail that “personally, I think it would be a terrible idea to make blind contact without trying to learn more about another civilization. We might see that they are not very friendly, and they could be incredibly more powerful than us.” Historically, when different civilizations on Earth have made contact, the weaker group has often perished or been enslaved.

SENDING THEM A MESSAGE IS POSSIBLE Scientists can send a message to another solar system using radio or light signals, similar to sending information via email on the internet. According to Buchanan, the best way to communicate with aliens would be to send light signals to their world because they move very fast.

“NOT AN INTELLIGENT CIVILIZATION” Buchanan emphasizes that these potential life forms on the planet K2-18b are most likely “not an intelligent civilization, but rather a form of microbial life.” The planet K2-18b, which is more than eight times the mass of Earth and more than twice its size, was discovered ten years ago, but the presence of water vapor in K2-18b’s atmosphere was only reported in 2019. It was later reported in 2023 that the James Webb Space Telescope detected carbon dioxide and methane in the atmosphere.

CAN ONLY BE PRODUCED BY LIFE Even more excitingly, the discovery of dimethyl sulfide (DMS) and dimethyl disulfide (DMDS) in the planet’s atmosphere was reported. DMS and DMDS are produced only by life on Earth, particularly by microbial life such as marine phytoplankton; suggesting a similar form of life on a distant planet.