iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Reposted by Stephen Schmidt

Alexandra Witze @alexwitze.bsky.social · 17/04/2025

"Not strong evidence" - @spschmidt.bsky.social "Almost certainly not life" - @tessafisher.bsky.social In which I round up some Community Response on the exoplanet biosignature paper from last night 🧪 www.nature.com/articles/d41...

nature.com

Signs of life on a distant planet? Not so fast, say these astronomers

Bold claims of ‘biosignature’ molecules trigger an outpouring of scepticism.

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Reposted by Stephen Schmidt

Dr Ryan MacDonald @distantworlds.space · 17/04/2025

𝗡𝗼, 𝗮 𝗯𝗶𝗼𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗱𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗞𝟮-𝟭𝟴𝗯'𝘀 𝗮𝘁𝗺𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲. K2-18b is back in the news, now with a bold claim that biosignature molecules (DMS and/or DMDS) have been 'detected at 3σ'. Most exoplanet astronomers are extremely sceptical about these claims, let's see why (1/n). 🔭🧪🪐 #exoplanet

Artist's impression of the exoplanet K2-18b.
Credit: A. Smith, University of Cambridge.

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Stephen Schmidt @spschmidt.bsky.social · 30/01/2025

Just submitted something fun to the arxiv!

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Reposted by Stephen Schmidt

Erin M. May, PhD @astronomay.bsky.social · 01/05/2024

This is irresponsible. Irresponsible science and irresponsible science reporting. 🧪🔭🪐 (apparently the paper isn't even in pre-prints yet, but I can assure you life was not found on K2-18b or any exoplanet yet. Every claim by this group does not hold up to scientific scrutiny)

screenshot of a youtube video with the title "The Cambridge scientist who thinks he's just discovered alien life". The video capture is overlayed with the text "You're about the be the most famous person in the world" and is a split picture between an artist rendition of JWST and the scientist in question

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Stephen Schmidt @spschmidt.bsky.social · 09/03/2024

Just submitted my second first-author paper!!! :D and just in time for me to leave for extreme solar systems too 😅

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