What is a biosignature in astronomy?
Quick Answer
A biosignature is a substance or pattern that may indicate past or present life on another world. Common examples include certain gases in a planet’s atmosphere.
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Astronomers use the term biosignature for any measurable feature that could be produced by life, such as oxygen, methane, or unusual chemical combinations in an atmosphere. A single gas is not enough to prove life, because many non-biological processes can also create similar signals. Instead, scientists look for combinations of gases, surface patterns, and environmental conditions that make biology more plausible. Searching for biosignatures is a major goal of exoplanet studies and future missions to icy moons in the solar system.
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