Rocky exoplanet LHS 1140 b shows helium escape, reshaping habitability hunt
Ground-based spectroscopy captured helium escaping from the upper atmosphere of rocky exoplanet LHS 1140 b, confirming it retains an atmosphere in a star‑active red-dwarf system and suggesting a layered atmosphere; the atmospheric loss appears tied to stellar activity, making LHS 1140 b a high-priority target for JWST/Hubble to search for water and other habitability indicators.