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Explore the fundamental question of whether we are alone in the universe through this comprehensive lecture examining cutting-edge discoveries in exoplanet research and astrobiology. Delve into the revolutionary concept of Hycean worlds, a newly-proposed class of habitable exoplanets that are temperate, ocean-covered planets with hydrogen-rich atmospheres, which offer unprecedented opportunities for detecting signs of life due to their accessibility to atmospheric spectroscopy. Learn about groundbreaking observations from the James Webb Space Telescope of K2-18 b, a possible Hycean world, and discover how these observations have revealed multiple carbon-bearing molecules in its atmosphere with potential hints of biomarkers. Examine the atmospheric composition and physical processes of this distant world, along with the tantalizing possibility of a habitable ocean beneath its atmosphere. Understand how Hycean planets' larger sizes and more extended atmospheres, compared to rocky planets of similar mass, make them significantly more accessible for detailed study. Gain insights into the latest developments in atmospheric retrieval methods for determining exoplanetary properties using spectroscopic observations from large telescopes. Discover the future prospects and methodologies in the search for habitable environments and life beyond our solar system over the next decade, presented by Professor Nikku Madhusudhan, a leading expert in astrophysics and exoplanetary science who pioneered many of the techniques used in modern exoplanet atmospheric analysis.
