Astronomers from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) discovered TOI-270 d, a faraway exoplanet with a massive, boiling ocean, in a groundbreaking discovery. TOI-270 d, located 70 light years away with a planetary mass two times that of Earth, has water vapor and chemical residues of methane and carbon dioxide, indicating a unique chemical makeup comparable to its water world.
Dr. Nikku Madhusudhan of Cambridge University suggests that the exoplanet’s ocean might elevate its temperature to 100 degrees Celsius. A high-temperature ocean may remain liquid at high atmospheric pressure, but its habitability is unknown.
The Canadian scientists who believe the human body would experience a devastatingly high temperature at 4,000 degrees Celsius and a rocky surface with a dense hydrogen and water vapor atmosphere are the main competitors of the above scenario.
Observations show that the argument continues, but the telescope delivers exceptional insights into worlds outside the solar system. Ammonia-free TOI-270 d’s atmosphere suggests a “hycean”—a water ocean beneath a hydrogen-rich atmosphere.
Scientists are excited by the possibility of habitability on TOI-270 d’s dark side, which is very different from Earth. Detailed research will be needed to find ocean landmarks on this distant water planet and understand other planets in the cosmos.
