Scientists have recently identified two gases in the atmosphere of Venus that may suggest the presence of life. At the Royal Astronomical Society’s National Astronomy Meeting in England, researchers announced the detection of phosphine and ammonia, gases which on Earth are closely linked to biological processes.
The initial discovery of phosphine was made in 2020 and sparked significant debate within the scientific community. Phosphine is typically produced by bacteria in anaerobic environments, which led to speculation about its presence in Venus’s dense and acidic atmosphere. The new findings support this initial discovery, with further observations made using the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope and the Green Bank Telescope, which indicate larger amounts of phosphine and hint at the presence of ammonia (Yahoo News – Latest News & Headlines) (Newsx).
New evidence of phosphine gas & ammonia in the clouds of Venus.
Very likely a sign of complex chemistry. Maybe, just possibly, indications of alien microbial life.https://t.co/FwkXd69Amf pic.twitter.com/J3XxJ8UFxQ— Corey S. Powell (@coreyspowell) July 20, 2024
Venus is known for its extreme conditions, with surface temperatures high enough to melt lead and atmospheric pressure 92 times that of Earth's at sea level. However, the clouds 30 miles above the surface offer a more temperate environment, which could potentially harbor life. This raises the intriguing possibility that life may have adapted to survive in these cloud layers if it ever existed on Venus in the past (Yahoo News – Latest News & Headlines) (Newsx).
The presence of these gases cannot be easily explained by known geological or chemical processes on Venus, suggesting they could be biosignatures. On Earth, phosphine is primarily associated with microbial life, while ammonia is often a byproduct of organic processes. These gases’ detection in Venus’s atmosphere could point towards biological activity, though researchers caution that these findings are preliminary and require further investigation (Yahoo News – Latest News & Headlines) (Newsx).
This is a striking view of Venus' night side, acquired by the Japanese Akatsuki probe's IR2 camera, observing, among other things, the 'warmth' of the planet's atmosphere on its night side.
Infrared energy from hot, mid-altitude clouds shows up bright, while higher clouds… pic.twitter.com/u6bbP8BISN
— Nereide (@Nereide) July 2, 2024
The debate over these findings highlights the challenges in confirming extraterrestrial life. Critics argue that the initial phosphine discovery lacked robust statistical evidence, and alternative non-biological processes might account for the gas’s presence. Nonetheless, the detection of both phosphine and ammonia presents compelling data that merits continued study (Newsx).
Future missions to Venus could provide more definitive answers. Researchers are planning to analyze additional data and potentially deploy new missions to explore the origins of these gases more thoroughly. Such missions could investigate whether these gases are produced chemically or biologically, providing crucial insights into the potential for life in Venus’s clouds (Yahoo News – Latest News & Headlines) (Newsx).
