University college scientists to lead planetary life mission

British scientists are to lead a mission searching for signs of life on planets orbiting nearby stars.

Astronomers will use a new 1.2-metre space telescope to look for biomarkers in the atmospheres of exoplanets.

Molecules of chemicals such as ozone, carbon dioxide and methane may indicate the presence of life.

Scientists at University College London are leading the £400 million Exoplanet Characterisation Observatory mission, which is backed by the European Space Agency.

Planetary scientist Giovanna Tinetti, who heads the UCL team, said: “This is tremendously exciting news.

“One of the key aims of our mission is to see if we can detect molecules such as ozone and carbon dioxide in the atmospheres of planets not much bigger than earth.

“These molecules are key biomarkers - signs that life might be, or might have been, present.”