Don’t call Iker Jiménez: so far, no Venusian has appeared on Earth greeting and asking to meet our leader. But according to the latest report from a group of astronomers, it is possible that by fearing Martians, we have been looking in the wrong direction in the solar system. Is there life on Venus? The answer is more “maybe” than a resounding “no.”
Venus from the arms
‘Nature Astronomy’, a science journal that has been published since January 2017, has released a study indicating the presence of a peculiar molecule called phosphine in the clouds of Venus. Phosphine is a highly flammable gas that must be frozen to maintain its stability; at room temperature, it explodes and emits a distinct odor of garlic and rotten fish. If Venusians exist, the first thing we should teach them is about cologne.
Although not certain, phosphine could serve as an indicator of life. While it has also been found on Jupiter and Saturn, the difference lies in the fact that on Venus, it is not located in the planet‘s atmosphere but is instead formed by decomposing organic matter. In other words, its composition consists of phosphorus and hydrogen.
It is also true that the presence of phosphine found is not significant enough to cause a major shift in our understanding. In December 2022, NASA did not detect the molecule in Venus’ atmosphere, and at most, there would be 0.8 parts of phosphine per billion parts of everything else (hey, some people have even fewer chances of dating). However, researchers in Hawaii and Chile have been more optimistic, although they need more time for further investigation.
If you were expecting the answer to this article to be “Yes, definitely, and they will come to have breakfast at your house tomorrow, so don’t forget to buy croissants,” we understand the disappointment. However, it remains an incredible scientific advancement that could potentially change everything in the long run. For now, continue making plans for tomorrow; it doesn’t seem like the Venusians will be invading us anytime soon.
