Scientists have once again found phosphine in Venus’ atmosphere, a molecule that could be an indication of life. Presented at the National Astronomy Meeting 2023 of the Royal Astronomical Society in Cardiff, Wales, this finding has reignited discussions about the potential for life on our neighboring planet.
Phosphine is an inflammable gas that is not typically present in Earth’s atmosphere. However, it is created by certain bacteria on Earth and is considered a potential biosignature, or indication of life, on other planets.
The team of scientists used the James Clark Maxwell Telescope (JCMT) at the Mauna Kea Observatory in Hawaii to examine Venus’ atmosphere. They discovered phosphine in Venus’ clouds at levels much higher than what non-biological processes could produce.
Jane Greaves, a professor of astrophysics at Cardiff University and one of the study’s lead authors, said that the discovery of phosphine in Venus’ atmosphere was an incredibly exciting result. She suggested that it could mean that there was life on Venus, or at the very least, some very unusual chemical reactions occurring on the planet.
Scientists caution that finding phosphine does not conclusively prove the existence of life. It is possible that an unknown non-biological process is responsible for producing the phosphine.
Greaves stated that they need to do more research to determine the molecule’s source. However, she said that this was a very encouraging result, and it gave them hope that they may not be alone in the universe.
The discovery of phosphine in Venus’ atmosphere is a significant development with the potential to transform our understanding of the planet. If life is indeed responsible for producing the phosphine, it would mean that there is another planet in our solar system capable of supporting life.
Phosphine is a colorless, flammable, and explosive gas at ambient temperature that has the odor of garlic or decaying fish.