Scientists have developed a new method for detecting oxygen in exoplanet atmospheres – an important indication of alien life. US astronomers are using NASA's James Webb Telescope to detect changes in light signals caused by oxygen molecules when they collide. The James Webb Space telescope provides incredible sensitivity for light readings compared to its predecessor, according to NASA, which has worked with Astronomers at UC Riverside in California to develop the technique. Because hydrogen atoms are very light, they can escape from a planet's gravitational force into space, leaving oxygen behind. When launched in 2021, the much-delayed Webb telescope will study the history of exoplanets and the origins of the universe's first stars.

Source: Daily Mail January 06, 2020 15:56 UTC