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The Conversation
The Conversation
Jon Willis, Associate Professor, Physics and Astronomy, University of Victoria

Alien life? Why the possibility of exoplanet LHS 1140b emitting helium gas is so exciting

Earth NASA Sun
Artist’s impression of the newly-discovered rocky exoplanet, LHS 1140b. (European Southern Observatory), CC BY

This summer, exoplanet science — the study of planets orbiting stars beyond our sun — took a big step forwards.

Reports of helium gas escaping from the atmosphere of LHS 1140b propelled this exoplanet from the pages of scientific journals into the mainstream media.

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