Life on Venus? New updates on the search
https://www.planetary.org/articles/l...us-new-updates
Quote:
Phosphine can be a byproduct of living things, so finding it in Venus’ clouds could possibly indicate something alive floating around the planet. Venus’ surface is inhospitable, but there are regions in the cloud decks where temperatures and pressures are similar to those found on Earth.
Astronomer and astrobiologist Jane Greaves led the team that announced the discovery of phosphine in the Venusian atmosphere in 2020.
If we confirm the existence of phosphine on Venus, does that mean we’ve found signs of life?
Unfortunately not. Until we are able to observe any possible Venus microbes directly — perhaps through sample return — the next step would be to rule out all non-life sources of the phosphine.
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https://www.planetary.org/planetary-...enus-phosphine