In 2023, debate erupted in the astronomy community about whether life could exist on an exoplanet called K2-18b. It started when a group of scientists published a paper suggesting a specific chemical, dimethyl sulfide, or DMS, may exist in the planet's atmosphere. A consensus wasn't reached at the time, and conversation has certainly continued into the present. Many astronomers wonder if the DMS signature from K2-18b can really be trusted, and even question whether DMS is a reliable proxy for the presence of life to begin with.
If not, maybe the discussion about K2-18b's habitability is, more or less, pointless.
