The James Webb Telescope: Why Does it Matter to Us?

Written by Eshal Shakir
Edited by Kristin Cho
Cover Image by Leyao Xiao

Space technology and exploration has now changed forever with the creation of the James Webb Telescope: the most powerful space telescope built to date and the only current telescope ever to  view life through infrared radiation (What Is the James Webb Space Telescope? | NASA Space Place – NASA Science for Kids, 2022). Recently launched on December 25th of 2021, Webb uses infrared light, which is invisible to the human eye, to detect and capture every stage of our solar system's cosmic past. The telescope can look back in time as far as 13.5 billion years ago, as close to the beginning of our universe as any telescope will be able to perceive (How Will the James Webb Telescope Impact Human Psychology? | Psychology Today Canada, n.d.). You may feel disconnected whenever you hear about such breakthroughs in space exploration or you may wonder, “Why does this matter to me?” How can diving billions of years back into our universe's past impact the future of human civilization, and, more specifically, how will this affect me? You may not realize it, but the implications of the James Webb Telescope are boundless, some might even say out of this world–no pun intended. Starting with the possibilities unlocked when the Webb Telescope detects and measures the elements and atmospheric conditions of planets far, far away from us, to determine if other planets in our solar system could sustain human life (Wolchover, 2021). Could these images and this research then lead to a discovery of extraterrestrial life in our solar system? Or, will the James Webb Telescope mission pave a path for future graduate students interested in this line of work? Hopefully, after reading this, you will not only care more about the many purposes of the Webb Telescope, but you will also be more interested in future discoveries. 

The universe itself is infinite, and our own solar system is not even a fully discovered area of space for humans yet. In fact, there are an estimated 5,246 exoplanets, planets located just outside of our solar system located close enough to observe, that are yet to be photographed and investigated (Psychology Today Canada, n.d.). With the new Webb infrared camera, the telescope can study stars and planetary systems 28 billion light-years away, even through thick clouds of gas and dust particles that are typically impenetrable for invisible light (Jenner, 2015). The Webb Telescope can detect biosignatures, which are measurable amounts of molecules, elements, or minerals that provide hints for past or present life on certain planets (Jenner, 2015). Webb can detect levels of carbon dioxide, methane, and water vapour, and a discovery of the ideal combination of atmospheric gases on exoplanets could lead to the discovery of inhabitable planets which could support the human population when the time comes (Jenner, 2015).   

E. T. Alien. Avatar. Eternals. So much of our pop culture and classic movies revolve around the idea of extraterrestrial life and‌ the discovery of non-human life on foreign planets. This theme is so familiar to us, yet you probably haven't even considered the implications of the James Webb Telescope in finding other life forms within our solar system. As mentioned previously, the telescope can search for habitable planets, and has already found six potential planets that could support life in our alien skies (Hall, 2022). Using biosignatures such as oxygen and ozone, both essential components for living organisms, could suggest the presence of alien life on distant planets (Hall, 2022). In addition, the compounds phosphine and ammonia have been detected in planets within our solar system (Hall, 2022). These compounds are only produced by microorganisms, and if found in large quantities, could be a strong indicator of life (Hall, 2022). Discovering the existence of extraterrestrial life in our solar system would make us think about what information which we’ve learned would want to be communicated.  

` Now that we’ve examined the exploration possibilities and learning endeavours that humans could obtain from the James Webb Telescope, let us consider how its discoveries will affect the future generations of space scientists and the knowledge with which they will be beginning their careers. Over the lifespan of the Webb Telescope, groundbreaking scientific data will be revealed and will be passed onto future generations of scientists completing their research (Shepherd, n.d.). The new knowledge uncovered by the telescope has the potential to inspire new projects for future scientists, engineers, and technologists (Shepherd, n.d.). 

The revolutionary technology introduced to the space technology industry with the invention of the James Webb Telescope, a project 20 years in the making, has changed the way scientists and space enthusiasts perceive our cosmic history and the chemical makeup of distant planets. The images captured by the telescope thus far are already filling in the gaps of our knowledge when it comes to exoplanets, other life forms, and the origins of Earth and our Solar System. We should never stop being curious about our surroundings, and that extends beyond our planetary existence, into the endless space of our solar system. 

References

Hall, S. (2022). Webb telescope spots CO2 on exoplanet for first time: what it means for finding alien life. Nature. https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-022-02350-2

How Will the James Webb Telescope Impact Human Psychology? | Psychology Today Canada. (n.d.). Www.psychologytoday.com. Retrieved November 29, 2022, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/about-thinking/202203/how-will-the-james-webb-telescope-impact-human-psychology

Jenner, L. (2015, February 26). Webb Conversations: It’s All About Infrared - Why Build the James Web. NASA. https://www.nasa.gov/content/goddard/webb-conversations-its-all-about-infrared-why-build-the-james-webb-space-telescope/

Shepherd, M. (n.d.). Why The James Webb Space Telescope Matters To Us. Forbes. Retrieved November 29, 2022, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/marshallshepherd/2022/07/12/why-the-james-webb-space-telescope-matters-to-us/?sh=647f63a86cfa

What Is the James Webb Space Telescope? | NASA Space Place – NASA Science for Kids. (2022, January 4). Spaceplace.nasa.gov. https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/james-webb-space-telescope/en/

Wolchover, N. (2021, December 3). The Webb Space Telescope Will Rewrite Cosmic History. If It Works. Quanta Magazine. https://www.quantamagazine.org/why-nasas-james-webb-space-telescope-matters-so-much-20211203/