Scientists Detect Possible Life Signs in Venus's Clouds
Researchers have detected two gases, phosphine and ammonia, in the atmosphere of Venus, which may indicate the presence of life. This discovery was announced at the Royal Astronomical Society's National Astronomy Meeting in the UK. The detection was made by the JCMT-Venus project using the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope. These gases are not easily explained by known atmospheric or geological processes on Venus, suggesting they could be potential biosignatures. However, the findings are preliminary and further research is needed to confirm these observations and understand their implications.
Separately, NASA has conducted studies suggesting that organic molecules such as amino acids could survive under the surface ice of Europa and Enceladus, moons of Jupiter and Saturn, respectively. The research, led by Alexander Pavlov from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, indicates that robotic landers sent to these moons might not need to dig deep to find signs of life. Experiments simulating the conditions on these icy moons showed that amino acids could withstand radiation if mixed with silicate dust, which might protect them. The study's findings have been published in the journal Astrobiology.
In another development, the Decadal Survey on Astronomy and Astrophysics 2020 has recommended that NASA develop a large infrared/optical/UV space telescope for the high-contrast imaging and spectroscopy of exoplanets. NASA's Exoplanet Exploration Program has released a catalog of 164 nearby stars, deemed the most accessible for surveying potentially habitable exoplanets. The catalog includes abundance measurements for 14 elements and photometry data, which will aid in the design of future space missions. This catalog is publicly available for use in future studies of promising exoplanetary targets.
