Methyl halides—organic molecules formed by the combination of methyl groups (CH 3) with halogens—are mainly produced by marine microbial processes on Earth.

However, methyl halides on Hycean worlds offer a unique opportunity for detection with existing technology," said Michaela Leung, UCR planetary scientist and first author of the paper.

“However, methyl halides on Hycean worlds offer a unique opportunity for detection with existing technology. One of the great benefits of looking for methyl halides is you could potentially find them ...

The new paper from the UC Riverside team posits Webb could detect one particular methyl halide, methyl chloride, on Hycean planets. The amount needed for detection is about 10 parts per million, ...

Methyl halides—organic compounds in which a methyl group is bound to a halogen atom (typically chlorine, bromine or iodine)—play a pivotal role in atmospheric chemistry, most notably in ...

“One of the great benefits of looking for methyl halides is you could potentially find them in as few as 13 hours with James Webb,” said Michaela Leung, first author of the study.

The gases themselves are called methyl halides. On Earth, they are usually made by bacteria, fungi, or similar – and they are made up of carbon and hydrogen atoms attached to a halogen atom.

Methyl halides are molecules that incorporate carbon atoms and three hydrogen atoms attached to a halogen atom such as bromine, chlorine or fluorine. (Halogens are group of reactive, ...

However, methyl halides on Hycean worlds offer a unique opportunity for detection with existing technology,” said Michaela Leung, UCR planetary scientist and first author of the paper. Additionally, ...

Those potential signs of life are a group of chemicals called methyl halides, which on Earth are produced by some bacteria and ocean algae. "Unlike an Earth-like planet, where atmospheric noise ...

The gases themselves are called methyl halides. On Earth, they are usually made by bacteria, fungi, or similar – and they are made up of carbon and hydrogen atoms attached to a halogen atom.