Meet Dr Nikku Madhusudhan – The Indian-Origin Scientist Who Found Possible Alien Life

Indian-British astrophysicist Dr. Nikku Madhusudhan and his colleagues at Cambridge University have discovered possible indicators of extraterrestrial life on a faraway planet known as K2-18b. Utilizing NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), the researchers identified the existence of dimethyl sulfide (DMS) and dimethyl disulfide (DMDS) gases, which are especially significant since they are generated by the marine algae found in the ocean.

Dr. Madhusudhan, who was born in India in 1980, received his B.Tech. degree from the Indian Institute of Technology, BHU, located in Varanasi. Subsequently, he obtained his master’s degree and a PhD from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). In 2009, his doctoral dissertation focused on examining the atmospheres of planets beyond our solar system, known as extrasolar planets.

Following his PhD, he took on multiple roles as a postdoctoral researcher at MIT, Princeton University, and Yale University, where he received the YCAA Prize Postdoctoral Fellowship. In 2013, he became part of the University of Cambridge and dedicated four years to working as a lecturer in astrophysics. He is presently a professor of astrophysics and exoplanet science.

He proposed the concept of hycean planets, which are considered the most promising type of planets in the search for life. The environment of the hycean planets is abundant in hydrogen, with oceans lying beneath it. His research encompasses examining their atmospheres, interiors, and the processes of their formation. His research involves investigating Hycean planets, Sub-Neptunes, and biological indicators. He additionally focuses on radiative transfer, planetary chemistry, and atmospheric retrieval techniques for exoplanets utilizing HST, JWST, and extensive ground-based telescopes.

In 2012, he researched a planet named 55 Cancri e, which is larger than Earth, and proposed it could possess a carbon-rich core. In 2014, he headed a team that assessed water levels in three hot Jupiters and discovered less water than anticipated.