Core Points - The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has found evidence of an exoplanet named TWA 7b, which, if confirmed, would be the first exoplanet discovered through direct imaging by the telescope and the smallest exoplanet discovered using this method to date [1][2] - TWA 7b orbits a star located approximately 110 light-years away, with a mass similar to that of Saturn [1] - The discovery was made by an international research team, which published their findings in the journal Nature [1] Methodology - The JWST previously discovered exoplanets primarily using the transit method, which detects the dimming of a star as a planet passes in front of it [1] - Direct imaging is more challenging due to the overwhelming signals from the host star, making the detection of exoplanets more complex [1] - The research team utilized the mid-infrared instrument on the JWST to filter out signals from the TWA 7 star, identifying a signal source in the surrounding dust ring that matched theoretical predictions for the presence of a planet [1] Significance - If further research confirms TWA 7b as an exoplanet, it would represent a significant advancement in the sensitivity of direct imaging techniques, with its mass being about one-tenth of the previously smallest exoplanet discovered through this method [2]