Gas Linked To Life Found On Venus? Scientists Behind Controversial Discovery 'Back With More Proof'

According to a report by CNN, the team presented their observations 'for the first time on July 17 at a Royal Astronomical Society meeting in Hull, England'.

The new data, researchers say, offers stronger evidence of phosphine in the clouds of Venus.

Source : Pixabay

A team of scientists who made the unexpected discovery of phosphine — a gas linked to life on Earth — in the clouds of Venus four years ago has now reportedly come up with more proof of their findings. 

According to a report by CNN, the team presented their observations "for the first time on July 17 at a Royal Astronomical Society meeting in Hull, England".

When the team initially said they had discovered phosphine, a toxic gas produced by decaying organic matter, in the clouds of Venus, they faced heavy criticism after subsequent observations failed to match their findings, the report noted.

The new data, researchers say, offers stronger evidence of phosphine in the clouds of Venus. The second planet of the solar system, Venus is often referred to as Earth’s “evil twin”, as they are similar in size but the latter has extreme surface temperatures that can melt lead and clouds composed of corrosive sulfuric acid, the CNN report added.

A separate team, including one of the researchers behind the phosphine finding, has also shown the presence of ammonia in Venus' atmosphere.

“That is arguably more significant than the discovery of phosphine," Dave Clements, a reader in astrophysics at Imperial College London and the researcher involved in both teams, told CNN. “We’re a long way from saying this, but if there is life on Venus producing phosphine, we have no idea why it’s producing it. However, if there is life on Venus producing ammonia, we do have an idea why it might be wanting to breathe ammonia,” he added.

'Preliminary Finding'

The researchers have expressed caution and said the findings are preliminary, adding that detection of the gasses does not necessarily mean that it is evidence of microbial life.

“There’s a lot of other processes that could go on, and we just don’t have any ground truth to say whether that process is possible or not,” said Jane Greaves, a professor of astronomy at Cardiff University in the United Kingdom, to CNN.

Dr Kate Pattle, a lecturer in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at University College London, said the detection of these gasses does not conclusively suggest the presence of life.

“It’s important to note that the team behind the measurements of phosphine are not claiming to have found life on Venus. If phosphine is really present on Venus, it might indicate life, or might indicate that there is Venusian atmospheric chemistry that we do not yet understand,” she added, as quoted by CNN.