Phosphine on Venus: Debate Renews Over Life Potential

The debate between supporters is renewedPhosphine in the clouds of Venus And those who are skeptical. In 2020, a group of researchers put forward this hypothesis for the first time.But a few months later other scientists suggested that it was mistake.

New evidence. Now the first researchers are back with new researchers. prove. the Phosphine is of great importance. in Searching for life outside Earth Because, on Earth, it is produced almost exclusively by Biological processesHis presence among Venus clouds It can indicate biological activityin spite ofhostile environment The planet, with Temperature To Earth 470 degrees Celsius and A pressure 90 times the Earth’s atmosphere.

Recently one New data analysis The follower Pioneer Venus Multi-Purpose Probe NASA, launched in 1978, has provided evidence of Phosphine is found at an altitude of about 55 kilometers. these Evidence Enhanced by Research by Dave Clements of Imperial College London, who noted:“We don’t yet have an accurate model of the Venusian atmosphere, but we assume that phosphine is present at that altitude, consistent with Pioneer data,” the observations come from the project. JCMT-VenusWhich uses James Clerk Maxwell’s telescope. To monitor not only phosphinebut also others. Particles likesulfur dioxide (SO2)water“There are several anomalies in the atmosphere. Venus“Phosphine is just one of the new features emerging from ongoing research,” Clements said. “The amount of water and sulfur dioxide also varies over time, but notWe still don’t know why.».

Three campaigns. The research team continuesAnalytics From data collected in three campaign to noteGiven the complexity of the problem and the potential Impact of Discoveries Researchers take a very firmalso using independent research, including data from the Pioneer Venus Multiprobe, which detected traces of Ammonia.

to’Ammonia It could be next big heresy To Venus. Although it could easily be Produced in the laboratoryIts presence on a rocky planet is a good thing. Biofermabecause they are not there Known sources of ammonia that are not derived from life. But Clements and his team continue to work. to cautionexplore Different hypotheses Which could explain the presence of these particles. Without necessarily meaning life.

Life in a drop? the Possibility of life on Venus Jane Greaves, of Cardiff University, was prompted to investigate the existence of Ammonia.

According to chemist William Baines, this substance can be used By living organisms (possibly) to neutralize the acidity of Venus’ clouds.Which makes the tiny water droplets habitable. However, observations made using the Green Bank Telescope in the United States were also Difficult to calibrate due to the brightness of Venus.so researchers still consider it Qualifiers.

the Planned missions to study Venus It is now of great importance. There is a task davinci NASA’s mission, scheduled for the end of the decade, will exploreVenusiana atmosphere. until European EnVision Missionwho will study The relationship between the atmosphere and geological activityin preparation. Finally, a mission of its own. rocket laboratory This is scheduled to be done in January 2025, and we hope to achieve it. Answers For questions still open about the planet’s atmosphere.

And then there’s juice. Moreover, the team is trying to convince those responsible for this. ESA Juice Mission To use his tools while Venus flyby scheduled for next yearwhile he will be on his way to JupiterAt the moment, there are no published scientific papers on the new findings yet, but they are in preparation and the results were presented in a special session at National Astronomy Meeting.