Space
Signs of life in Venus's clouds? by futurism.com
Researchers have discovered intriguing new clues about the presence of gases associated with life in Venus's atmosphere. At a national astronomy meeting in the UK, scientists announced the preliminary detection of ammonia in the planet's clouds. On Earth, this gas is primarily produced by biological activity.
In 2020, another team reported evidence of phosphine, a gas considered a "biological signature" because bacteria in oxygen-poor environments mainly produce it. This discovery sparked intense debate within the scientific community.
Despite Venus's extreme temperatures and dense atmosphere, the new data suggest that life might have existed in the past, particularly during a warm and wet phase of the planet's history. Scientists like Dave Clements from Imperial College London believe microorganisms could have taken refuge in the clouds, where conditions are more temperate.
However, the presence of phosphine and ammonia on Venus remains controversial and requires further research. Jane Greaves from Cardiff University observed that phosphine seems to disappear in sunlight, adding to the mystery of its origin.
The European Space Agency has approved the Envision mission to uncover more about these phenomena. The mission will explore Venus's atmosphere and may finally determine whether the planet once harbored or still harbors life.
