Who is Nikku Madhusudhan, the Indian-origin scientist behind breakthrough in search for life outside the Earth
The name of Dr Nikku Madhusudhan exploded in the public domain with his breakthrough research on a planet named K2-18b. What made the announcement significant was his assertion that his team has found the most promising sign yet of a possible biosignature outside the solar system.
'This is the strongest evidence yet there is possibly life out there. I can realistically say that we can confirm this signal within one to two years,' said Dr Madhusudhan.
This could be one of the most significant discoveries in the history of science and humankind – if proved true. And he is positive about it.
What did his team find?
Dr Madhusudhan and his team found chemical fingerprints of dimethyl sulfide (DMS), in the atmosphere of the exoplanet K2-18b. It is a molecule linked to life on Earth. They have used data from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) to arrive at this conclusion.
K2-18b is an exoplanet 124 light years away from Earth. Exoplanet simply means it is a planet outside of our Solar System. It orbits the red dwarf star K2-18 and is located in the Leo constellation.
Who is Nikku Madhusudhan?
Dr Nikku Madhusudhan is an Associate Professor in Astrophysics, at the Institute of Astronomy at the University of Cambridge.
Born in India, Dr Madhusudhan is educated in India and abroad. He obtained a B.Tech. from the Indian Institute of Technology (BHU) Varanasi and later earned an M.S. and Ph.D. in planetary science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
According to his Cambridge University profile, he is widely known for pioneering the inverse techniques to measure atmospheric properties of exoplanets based on their atmospheric spectra observed using a wide array of observational facilities in space and from the ground.
His other notable studies include estimations of chemical compositions of exoplanetary atmospheres and interiors, and using them to investigate the formation mechanisms of exoplanets.
Before joining Cambridge, Dr Madhusudhan held postdoctoral positions at MIT, Princeton, and Yale (where he was the YCAA Prize Postdoctoral Fellow).
Dr Madhusudhan has received several awards, including the EAS MERAC Prize in Theoretical Astrophysics (2019), the IUPAP Young Scientist Medal in Astrophysics (2016), and the ASI Vainu Bappu Gold Medal (2014)
How far is 124 light years?
How far away is this exoplanet? A light-year is the distance that light travels in one Earth year. In one second, light travels 299,792,458 meters. So one light year would be approximately 9.461x 10 12 kilometres. Most of us would have already lost the sense of distance with this number. And 124 light-years would be 124 times this figure, which turns out to be 1.17x10 15 km.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Al Etihad
27-05-2025
- Al Etihad
James Webb Telescope captures earliest ever galaxy seen yet
27 May 2025 11:35 WASHINGTON (AGENCIES) Astronomers announced that they were able to observe the earliest galaxy ever seen – MoM-z14, which was discovered as part of the Mirage or Miracle NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), scientists were able to confirm that the light they captured was emitted just 280 million years after the Big Bang. For context, the Big Bang is thought to have occurred 13.8 billion years JWST is Earth's most advanced infrared space telescope capable of capturing images of some of the most distant galaxies. These galaxies experience severe redshifts – a phenomenon where the wavelength of light is stretched because of distance, shifting it towards the red part of the colour seen in MoM-z14 are also common among the most ancient stars born in the Milky Way. According to the researchers, this suggests that they were witnessing the formation of similar stars in dense various methods, scientists were able to determine that the galaxy is an extremely compact star-forming galaxy and could rank among the most nitrogen-enhanced sources discovered with the JWST yet. Since its launch in late 2021, the JWST has provided humanity with information from the deepest depths of the universe.
Arabian Post
26-05-2025
- Arabian Post
Astrolight Secures €2.8M to Propel Laser Communication Breakthroughs
Lithuania's Astrolight has secured €2.8 million in seed funding to advance its laser-based communication systems, aiming to establish a high-speed, secure optical data highway between satellites and Earth. This investment underscores the growing confidence in optical communication technologies as a superior alternative to traditional radio frequency systems. Astrolight's flagship product, the ATLAS terminal, is engineered to facilitate data transmission from low Earth orbit satellites to ground stations at speeds up to ten times faster than conventional methods. This technology not only enhances data throughput but also offers increased resistance to jamming and interception, addressing critical concerns in both commercial and defence sectors. The company's collaboration with NATO's Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic has positioned it among the top ten innovators selected from 44 participants. This partnership provides Astrolight with access to up to €300,000 in additional funding, specialised training, and a network of investors, facilitating the adaptation of its technologies for defence applications. ADVERTISEMENT Astrolight's POLARIS system, designed for ship-to-ship communication, exemplifies its dual-use approach. Developed in collaboration with the Lithuanian Navy and the Center for Physical Sciences and Technology, POLARIS aims to replace traditional signal lamps with laser-based communication, enhancing operational stealth and resilience in contested environments. In a significant stride towards international collaboration, Astrolight has been selected to supply its ATLAS-1 optical terminal for the PeakSat mission, a CubeSat project led by Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. Scheduled for launch in the fourth quarter of 2025, PeakSat will demonstrate laser communication capabilities from LEO to ground stations in Greece, marking a pivotal step in validating next-generation optical communication technologies. Astrolight's recent operational test of a mobile optical ground station achieved gigabit-per-second data rates over a 10-kilometre distance, demonstrating the viability of cost-effective, scalable ground stations built from commercial off-the-shelf components. This development is crucial in addressing the limitations of radio frequency spectrum and meeting the increasing demand for high-speed data transmission from LEO satellites. The global satellite laser communications market is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 40% between 2024 and 2032, reaching an estimated $15 billion. Astrolight's advancements in laser communication technologies position it as a key player in this burgeoning market, offering solutions that cater to both commercial and defence needs. Founded in 2019 by Laurynas Mačiulis, a former CTO of Kongsberg NanoAvionics, Astrolight has rapidly evolved from a research initiative into a company at the forefront of optical communication innovation. Its strategic partnerships and technological breakthroughs reflect a commitment to enhancing global communication infrastructure through laser technology.
Zawya
22-05-2025
- Zawya
VinFuture 2025: 1,705 nominations worldwide – twelvefold increase in nominating partners over five seasons
HANOI, VIETNAM - Media OutReach Newswire - 22 May 2025 - The VinFuture Prize, a global science and technology award, has officially concluded the nomination period for its fifth season with a total of 1,705 nominations submitted from around the world. Notably, the number of official nominating partners has seen exceptional growth, reaching 14,772 – more than a twelvefold increase from the 1,200 recorded in the inaugural season – underscoring the Prize's reputation as a global hub for scientific and intellectual excellence. This season marks a significant leap in both the quantity and quality of nominations, as demonstrated by the wide engagement of the esteemed global scientific community. Among the nominating partners, the majority are from the Americas (31%), followed by Europe (28.6%), Asia (26.8%), Africa (7.1%), and Oceania (6.5%). Among the 14,772 nominators, nearly half (7,240 experts) are affiliated with leading universities and research institutes worldwide. Institutions represented include Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University (USA), the University of Cambridge, the University of Oxford (UK), the University of Melbourne (Australia), the University of Toronto (Canada), and the National University of Singapore (Singapore), among others. Notably, 1,395 nominators (9.4%) are scientists ranked among the top 2% most highly cited researchers globally, based on the prestigious list compiled by experts at Stanford University. The nominations for the 2025 award season continue to span a comprehensive range of critical fields essential to human well-being and global sustainable development. These include medicine and healthcare (36.7%); energy, transportation, and construction (17.8%); environment and earth sciences (17.8%); and agriculture and food (11.3%). These core fields mirror global science and technology priorities, attracting considerable attention from the international community. VinFuture's nominating partners play a vital role in identifying and nominating groundbreaking scientific innovations for well-deserved recognition. These innovations demonstrably benefit humanity on a global scale while also amplifying the VinFuture Prize's stature within the international scientific community. Driven by the Prize's profound mission and global vision, all nominators participate on a voluntary basis. In 2024, following a nomination by Professor Monica Lam, a leading computer scientist at Stanford University (USA), Mr. Jensen Huang, CEO and co-founder of NVIDIA, was honored as one of the 2024 VinFuture Grand Prize Laureates for his industry-driven contributions to the advancement of deep learning. Dr. Thai-Ha Le, Managing Director of the VinFuture Foundation, remarked: " Our five-year commitment to the mission of 'Science for Humanity' has establisheds VinFuture as an international beacon of scientific excellence and hope. The exponential growth in nominating partners and the exceptional quality of this year's nominations not only underscore the growing trust of the international scientific community in the Prize, but also highlight the urgent need for science and technology solutions to build a world where humanity thrives in harmony with a sustainable environment." The 2025 VinFuture pre-screening round will take place from May 26 to August 31. Its goal is to enable the 10-member Pre-Screening Committee to meticulously evaluate the most impactful and award-worthy nominations for advancement to the final round. In pursuit of scientific integrity, objectivity, and transparency, the Committee will assess the nominations through a rigorous evaluation process based on the highest international standards and core criteria. These criteria include the degree of scientific or technological advancement, the impact on people's lives, and the project's scale and sustainability. Within just five years, the VinFuture Prize has rapidly established its international stature and prestige, as evidenced by the growing list of laureates honored with prestigious global accolades. Notable examples include Dr. Katalin Karikó and Prof. Drew Weissman (laureates of the 2021 VinFuture Grand Prize and 2023 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine); Dr. Demis Hassabis and Dr. John Jumper (laureates of the 2022 VinFuture Special Prize and 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry); Prof. Geoffrey Hinton (laureate of the 2024 VinFuture Grand Prize and 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics); Prof. Yoshua Bengio, Prof. Geoffrey Hinton, Mr. Jensen Huang, Prof. Yann LeCun, and Prof. Fei-Fei Li (laureates of the 2024 VinFuture Grand Prize and 2025 Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering); and Prof. Daniel Joshua Drucker, Prof. Joel Francis Habener, Prof. Jens Juul Holst, and Assoc. Prof. Svetlana Mojsov (laureates of the 2023 VinFuture Special Prize and 2025 Breakthrough Prize). Hashtag: #VinFuture The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. VinFuture The VinFuture Foundation, established on International Human Solidarity Day on December 20th, 2020, is a non-profit organization co-founded by billionaire Mr. Pham Nhat Vuong and his wife, Mrs. Pham Thu Huong. The Foundation's core activity is awarding the annual VinFuture Prize, which recognizes transformative scientific and technological innovations capable of making significant positive changes in the lives of millions of people worldwide. The VinFuture Prize consists of four prestigious awards presented each year. The most esteemed prize is the VinFuture Grand Prize, valued at US$3 million, making it one of the largest annual prizes globally. Additionally, there are three Special Prizes, each valued at US$500,000, specifically dedicated to honoring Women Innovators, Innovators from Developing Countries, and Innovators with Outstanding Achievements in Emerging Fields. VinFuture
