London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Sep 15, 2025

Do aliens exist? The key mysteries that could be unlocked after the James Webb telescope launched

Do aliens exist? The key mysteries that could be unlocked after the James Webb telescope launched

The world's most powerful telescope is set to profoundly transform scientists' understanding of the universe and our place in it.

Scientists say a "new era of astronomy" could be brought in after the launch of the James Webb telescope.

The device is expected to profoundly transform scientists' understanding of the universe and our place in it.

NASA, which produced the $10bn infrared telescope in partnership with the European and Canadian space agencies, has hailed it as the premiere space-science observatory of the next decade.

An artist's rendering of what the telescope would look like in space.


What can the James Webb telescope do?


The instrument will give humankind its first glimpse of the infant universe as it existed when the earliest galaxies are believed to have formed.

A replacement for the Hubble telescope, Webb will be able to view the cosmos just 100 million years after the Big Bang, the theoretical flashpoint that led to the expansion of the universe 13.8 billion years ago.

By comparison, Hubble can only see back to about 400 million years following the Big Bang.

Astronomers want to use Webb to study super-massive black holes believed to occupy the centers of distant galaxies.

Cosmologists will work to map the dark matter around galaxies to reveal more about the mysterious substance thought to make up most of the universe.

The telescope's mirror consists of 18 hexagonal segments of gold-coated beryllium metal


Could the telescope find aliens?


The space observatory will also investigate whether planets outside our own solar system may be suitable for life.

Cameras on the telescope will take images of other planets to look for the presence of water and other hints of life in the atmosphere.

Professor Martin Barstow, a scientist who helped develop the device, said it could reveal the existence of extra-terrestrial life forms in space.

"We will learn about the origins of the universe and how life came about and possibly, although we can't guarantee, about other life in our galaxy as well," he said.

He described the launch as "the beginning of a new era in astronomy".

"The telescope is that important that it's going to completely change the way we view the universe and the way we view our place in it," he said.

The Hubble telescope orbiting the Earth.


How Webb works

Named after NASA's chief during most of the agency's formative decade of the 1960s, Webb is about 100 times more sensitive than Hubble.

While Hubble operated mainly at optical and ultraviolet wavelengths, Webb will be able to see the cosmos in the infrared spectrum, peering through clouds of gas and dust where stars are being born.

The new telescope's primary mirror has a much bigger light-collecting area that allows it to observe objects at greater distances.

The telescope being secured on top of the Ariane 5 rocket.


What happens after launch?


The Webb telescope will spend another month reaching its destination in solar orbit - about 1 million miles from the Earth and about four times farther away than the moon.

The Sunshield test unit for the James Webb telescope


The device's special orbital path will keep it constantly aligned with the Earth and its trajectory around the sun.

After about six months of alignment and the calibration of Webb's mirrors and instruments, the telescope's operation will be managed from the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
London Daily Podcast: London Massive Pro Democracy Rally, Musk Support, UK Economic Data and Premier League Results Mark Eventful Weekend
This Week in AI: Meta’s Superintelligence Push, xAI’s Ten Billion-Dollar Raise, Genesis AI’s Robotics Ambitions, Microsoft Restructuring, Amazon’s Million-Robot Milestone, and Google’s AlphaGenome Update
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Musk calls for new UK government at huge pro-democracy rally in London, but Britons have been brainwashed to obey instead of fighting for their human rights
Elon Musk responds to post calling for the murder of Erika Kirk, widow of Charlie Kirk: 'Either we fight back or they will kill us'
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
USA: Office Depot Employees Refused to Print Poster in Memory of Charlie Kirk – and Were Fired
Proposed U.S. Bill Would Allow Civil Suits Against Judges Who Release Repeat Violent Offenders
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
French Debt Downgrade Piles Pressure on Macron’s New Prime Minister
US and UK Near Tech, Nuclear and Whisky Deals Ahead of Trump Trip
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
Anesthesiologist Left Operation Mid-Surgery to Have Sex with Nurse
Tens of Thousands of Young Chinese Get Up Every Morning and Go to Work Where They Do Nothing
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
The German Owner of Politico Mathias Döpfner Eyes Further U.S. Media Expansion After Axel Springer Restructuring
Suspect Arrested: Utah Man in Custody for Charlie Kirk’s Fatal Shooting
In a politically motivated trial: Bolsonaro Sentenced to 27 Years for Plotting Coup After 2022 Defeat
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Turkish authorities seize leading broadcaster amid fraud and tax investigation
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
ChatGPT CEO signals policy to alert authorities over suicidal youth after teen’s death
The British legal mafia hit back: Banksy mural of judge beating protester is scrubbed from London court
Surpassing Musk: Larry Ellison becomes the richest man in the world
Embarrassment for Starmer: He fired the ambassador photographed on Epstein’s 'pedophile island'
Manhunt after 'skilled sniper' shot Charlie Kirk. Footage: Suspect running on rooftop during panic
Effective Protest Results: Nepal’s Prime Minister Resigns as Youth-Led Unrest Shakes the Nation
Qatari prime minister says Netanyahu ‘killed any hope’ for Israeli hostages
King Charles and Prince Harry Share First In-Person Moment in 19 Months
Starmer Establishes Economic ‘Budget Board’ to Centralise Policy and Rebuild Business Trust
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Brazilian police say ex-President Bolsonaro had planned to flee to Argentina seeking asylum
Trinidad Leader Applauds U.S. Naval Strike and Advocates Forceful Action Against Traffickers
Kim Jong Un Oversees Final Test of New High-Thrust Solid-Fuel Rocket Engine
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Supreme Court temporarily allows Trump to pause billions in foreign aid
Charlie Sheen says his father, Martin Sheen, turned him in to the police: 'The greatest betrayal possible'
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
Pig Heads Left Outside Multiple Paris Mosques in Outrage-Inducing Acts
Nvidia’s ‘Wow’ Factor Is Fading. The AI chip giant used to beat Wall Street expectations for earnings by a substantial margin. That trajectory is coming down to earth.
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
On the Anniversary of Queen Elizabeth’s Death: Prince Harry Returns to Britain
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Murdoch Family Finalises $3.3 Billion Succession Pact, Ensuring Eldest Son’s Leadership
×