Get the latest tech news

Signs of two gases in clouds of Venus could indicate life, scientists say

Separate teams find evidence of phosphine and ammonia, potential biomarkers on planet whose surface reaches 450C

A separate team revealed the tentative detection of ammonia, which on Earth is primarily produced by biological activity and industrial processes, and whose presence on Venus scientists said could not readily be explained by known atmospheric or geological phenomena. In a second talk, Prof Jane Greaves, an astronomer at Cardiff University, presented preliminary observations from the Green Bank telescope indicating ammonia, which on Earth is made through either industrial processes or by nitrogen-converting bacteria. Dr Robert Massey, the deputy executive director at the Royal Astronomical Society, said: “These are very exciting findings but it must be stressed that the results are only preliminary and more work is needed to learn more about the presence of these two potential biomarkers in Venus’s clouds.

Get the Android app