Life on Venus? Detection of phosphine gas in planet’s upper atmosphere leaves astronomers puzzled – Times of India
NEW DELHI: In an unexpected finding, astronomers have detected the presence of phosphine, a toxic gas associated with anaerobic life on Earth, in the clouds of Venus. The discovery, published in the journal Nature Astronomy, has sparked a heated debate among scientists about the possibility of life existing in the harsh environment of Earth's sister planet.Phosphine is a flammable, smelly gas that can be produced by some species of anaerobic bacteria living in oxygen-starved environments. On Earth, it is also manufactured as a chemical weapon and used as an agricultural fumigant.The detection of this gas in Venus' atmosphere is puzzling because the planet's chemistry should destroy phosphine before it can accumulate to the observed levels.The research team, led by Jane Greaves from Card...