Biosignature Gas Phosphine in Atmosphere of Venus

Astronomers using the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT) and the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) have detected phosphine (PH3) gas in temperate but hyperacidic cloud decks of Venus. In Earth’s atmosphere, this gas is uniquely associated with anthropogenic activity or microbial presence.

Studying the atmospheres of rocky planets gives clues to how they interact with surfaces and subsurfaces, and whether any atmospheric compounds could reflect the presence of life.

An ideal biosignature gas would be unambiguous. Living organisms should be its sole source, and it should have intrinsically strong, precisely characterized spectral transitions unblended with contaminant lines — criteria that are not usually all achievable.

It was recently proposed that any phosphine gas detected in the atmosphere of a rocky planet is a promising sign of extraterrestrial life.

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Image credit: Institute of Space and Astronautical Science / Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency.

A composite image of Venus as seen by JAXA’s Akatsuki spacecraft.

Sourc / Image Courtesy

Scientists have detected trace amounts of phosphine gas in the clouds of Venus, which could be a potential indicator of life on Earth's inhospitable neighbor. On Earth, phosphine is produced by microbes that inhabit oxygen-free environments.

The Royal Astronomical Society hosted a news conference to announce the huge scientific breakthrough. Phosphine molecules have been detected according to data from the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope and the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array.

The detection of phosphine could point to extraterrestrial 'aerial' life, according to experts.