Earth-like exoplanet could have life-supporting water on its surface

Key Points:

• Researchers have confirmed the first observational detection of an atmosphere around a rocky exoplanet, LHS 1140b, located 49 light years away in its star’s habitable zone, potentially supporting liquid water on its surface.
• LHS 1140b is a super-Earth with 5.6 times Earth's mass and 70% larger radius, orbiting a quiet red dwarf star in the constellation Cetus, and exhibits conditions favorable for habitability including a protective atmosphere and suitable temperature.
• Using infrared spectroscopy at the Magellan Clay telescope, scientists detected helium escaping from LHS 1140b’s atmosphere in 2024, a finding rigorously tested to exclude contamination or false positives, though the helium signal was absent in 2025 observations.
• The discovery is significant because red dwarf stars often strip atmospheres from orbiting rocky planets, making LHS 1140b a key subject for studying atmospheric retention and the potential for life in such environments.
• Experts caution that while the escaping helium indicates atmospheric loss detectable from Earth, it relates to the planet’s upper atmosphere and does not directly inform the presence of life or conditions in regions where life might exist.