Confirming the existence of life on Venus's atmosphere would be a major breakthrough for astrobiology; thus, it is essential to follow-up on this exciting result with theoretical and observational studies to exclude the possibility that phosphine on rocky planets may also have a chemical origin different than on Earth." “A long time ago, Venus is thought to have oceans, and was probably habitable like Earth,” Sousa-Silva says. Planetary scientist Sara Seager: This is an astonishing and ‘out of the blue’ finding. Known for its scorching temperatures and acidic atmosphere, Earth’s twin hardly seems a promising place for living things. It's believed to have had oceans billions of years ago. Skip to main content ... ©2020 Group Nine Media Inc. While the surface of Venus is far too hot to support life as we know it on Venus, scientists haven’t ruled out life in the clouds of Venus being the source of the phosphine molecules. Let me answer the click-bait question above immediately by saying that life has not been found on Venus. 2020 | 16:00. This would make sense for Venus obviously because the atmosphere is just so densely composing carbon dioxide. Venus was once a planet not too dissimilar to Earth, and if Jupiter hadn't altered its orbit around the sun, it might have been able to support life, according to researchers. Here’s a sample of the hype going around the media echo chamber: Daily Briefing: ‘Unexplained’ molecule on Venus hints at life ().). Are we alone in the universe? Venus is a toxic place, at least when it comes to life as we understand it. Hints of life on Venus. I highly recommend reading these two articles by Phil Plait and ArsTechnica about what was found. It’s incredibly hot and the pressure on the surface is crushing. In 1962, the Mariner 2 probe confirmed that the surface of Venus was too hot for Earth life–800°F. Scientists have long considered it the hell of the solar system, hotter than molten lead and with an unbreathable atmosphere. In September, news about the possibility of floating, cloud-based life on Venus caused a storm in the science world as tumultuous as the sulfur clouds that … Methane might mean life on Mars, but it might not. Like I said before, phosphene is produced on earth by organisms that are living in environments that are very poor in oxygen. Have we spotted alien life floating in the clouds of Venus? Now they’ve detected what might be life right next door.. On September 14, in the journal Nature Astronomy, scientists reported the discovery of a chemical called phosphine in the clouds of Venus.On Earth, phosphine gas is given off by living things. A probe that was sent to Venus back in 1978 returned readings … An international group of scientists reported in the journal Nature Astronomy that the famously inhospitable planet’s atmosphere contains traces of phosphine, a gas that is associated with life where there is no oxygen. At least not yet. Venus, roughly the same size as Earth, is often called our sister planet. After the moon, Venus is the brightest object in the night sky, gleaming like a tiny diamond in the darkness. Deals to your inbox Virus numbers by … “Phosphine has been detected in Venus’s atmosphere, raising the thrilling question of whether the molecule might be a sign of life on the planet.”. After all, life on Venus would be a big surprise. What scientists have ruled out thus far are other sources for the molecules like lightning, sunlight, and volcanic activity due to the amount of molecules observed. NASA is currently considering its first missions to Venus since 1989. On Venus there is a sweet spot at 48 to 60 km (30 to 37 miles) above Venus' surface, in the clouds, where the temperature is not too hot, not too cold, but just right for life. It can also be produced by geological processes. An international team of astronomers including UK scientists from Manchester and Cardiff, today announced the discovery of a rare molecule – phosphine – in the clouds of Venus. But while the likelihood of finding signs of life on its surface remains low, scientists have long speculated that primitive life forms could potentially eke out an existence high up in the clouds. On Earth, it’s found in sewage facilities and in the guts of living animals. But I’m not ready to set solar sail for Venus just yet. But today, it's considered inhospitable to life. The discovery of phosphine, a byproduct of anaerobic biology, is the most significant development yet in building the case for life off Earth. If life on Venus did not totally disappear when this happened — if it merely evolved into some microbial form that exists in the clouds — then, perhaps, the same will hold true when (spoiler alert) Earth’s oceans inevitably boil in approximately one billion years. There’s been a lot of Venus in the news lately and for very good reason. ET on Sept. 14, 2020. Starguide: November 2020 — Life beyond Venus. High in the toxic atmosphere of the planet Venus, astronomers on Earth have discovered signs of what might be life. But there's reason to require the concept seriously. Posted on September 23, 2020 September 23, 2020 by Dr. Paul Edmon. On Sept. 14, a team of scientists made a bombshell announcement within the journal Nature Astronomy: Using telescopes, they'd detected phosphine, a toxic gas long proposed as a possible sign of alien microbial life, within the upper a part of the planet's thick atmosphere. Duration: 06:34 More clips from The Sky at Night. Recorded in secret before the … Europe/London. If there is indeed life in Venus’ clouds, the researchers believe it to be an aerial form, existing only in Venus’ temperate cloud deck, far above the boiling, volcanic surface. (Photo courtesy: NASA/JPL-Caltech) What may be the first hints of life on Venus have been discovered by an international team of astronomers using observations from the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT) on Maunakea.The team detected the gas phosphine in Venus’ upper clouds; on … It's an idea that has been around for decades - even Carl Sagan speculated about the possibility of life in the atmosphere of Venus back in 1967. Scientists have spent years searching deep into space for signs of life beyond our planet. ... ©2020 Mashable, Inc. Exciting! A life in the clouds. Signs of life on Venus? Updated at 7:22 p.m. Astronomers spotted in Venus' clouds the chemical signature of phosphine, a noxious gas that on Earth is only associated with life. It will definitely fuel more research into the possibilities for life in Venus’s atmosphere. Bottom line: On September 14, 2020, Venus was added to the list of potentially habitable worlds in the solar system. What makes the discovery of phosphine in Venus’ air so compelling is that the researchers have racked their brains trying to come up with ways to explain its presence short of invoking biology. A new study suggests the possibility of life existing in the clouds over the surface of Venus. She and Sara Seager co-authored a paper in January 2020 titled, ... Have scientists found evidence of life on Venus? The Sky at Night gains exclusive access to the team of scientists behind the recent discovery of possible signs of life on Venus. Life on Venus? Venus is the second planet from the Sun with a surface temperature above 860 degrees Fahrenheit. If life does exist on Venus it would look very different to Earth. NASA found the clues to life on Venus almost four decades ago but never realized it. Yet, as it was so ably reported by Lisa Grossman for Science News, the chemical in question, phosphine, is no guarantee of life on Venus. Stargazing with Pete - September 2020. Life on Venus continues to be an extended shot. ... More clips from Life on Venus. By Keely Savoie There is a whiff of possible life in Venus’s atmosphere. If phosphene is a sign of life on Venus, it’s entirely possible it is simply only one form of life. Is There Life On Venus September 22, 2020 Staff Reporter Community News , Science & Technology 0 This artist's rendering shows what one of the seven planets, TRAPPIST-1f, might look like. That on Earth by organisms that are living in environments that are very poor in oxygen, 2020 23! 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