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biosignature
This term is primarily used in astrobiology and planetary science to describe a "smoking gun" for life. It differs from a "biomarker" in that a biosignature is often sought in the context of remote sensing or the study of extraterrestrial environments, whereas biomarkers are more frequently associated with terrestrial biological samples or medical diagnostics.
Because a biosignature is an indicator rather than a direct observation of a living organism, scientists distinguish between "strong" and "weak" biosignatures. A strong biosignature is a phenomenon that cannot be explained by any known abiotic process, while a weak one could potentially be produced by geological or chemical reactions without the presence of life.
Meanings
Examples
The telescope is designed to detect a biosignature in the atmosphere of distant exoplanets.
Could this strange chemical pattern be a genuine biosignature?
Scientists are searching for a biosignature that proves life once existed on Mars.
The presence of methane can sometimes be interpreted as a potential biosignature.
We need more data before we can confirm this as a definitive biosignature.
The rover analyzed the soil samples for any trace of a biological biosignature.
A strong biosignature would change our entire understanding of the universe.
They debated whether the signal was a geological fluke or a true biosignature.