Scientists say new discovery points to possibility of life on Venus

A recent discovery has reignited the debate about the possibility of life on Venus . Scientists recently detected two gasses in the planet’s atmosphere that could indicate signs of life .

The detection of phosphine and ammonia in the clouds around Venus has sparked the interest of scientists.

Phosphine is a gas compound of one phosphorus atom and three hydrogen atoms, and is known to be produced on Earth by certain germs that can survive and grow where there is no oxygen, like swamplands.

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Likewise, the other gas detected, Ammonia, is also produced by microorganisms on earth, generally as they decay.

The presence of the gasses is intriguing as it suggests that there could be unknown chemical processes at work, or potentially, microbial life. The conditions in Venus’ lower atmosphere are extremely harsh with temperatures reaching as high as 872 degrees fahrenheit, and air pressure around 92 times that of Earth’s sea level.

The gasses were discovered using advanced telescopes as part of the JMCT-Venus project, which aims to study the planet’s atmosphere in greater detail. Through this research, they discovered that conditions higher up in the atmosphere are more temperate, and could potentially support life.

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While the new discovery is exciting, it is preliminary and requires further investigation. However, it does provide a new avenue for research and brings scientists one step closer to understanding the potential of life beyond earth.

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