New Scientist: Venus' Atmosphere Implies Life 281
WolfWithoutAClause writes "This New Scientist article says that the atmosphere of Venus has features that may only be explaineable by the existence of life in its upper atmosphere. In particular it has cartain chemicals which are extremely difficult to make inorganically. At the altitude where life is suspected the temperature is about 70C and about 1 atmosphere. There are gases there which are not naturally found together. The article suggests something is actively producing them, quite possibly, life."
Life? (Score:3, Informative)
Life in the Atmosphere of Venus (Score:5, Informative)
Developing ideas (Score:2, Informative)
Meanwhile the Swedish Space Agency is looking for international partners to develop their idea for a mission to return a sample of the atmosphere from Venus around 2010.
So how'd you do it?
Re:I may not know too much, but.. (Score:2, Informative)
the temperature on venus is several 100 degrees C, not to mention the storms that rage at speeds near the speed sound, and the fact that the atmosphere would probably corrode the helmet off an astronaut in 30 minutes.
Comment removed (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Cool. (Score:2, Informative)
Yes, but to avoid the obvious innuendo people tend to derive an alternative based on 'Martian'. i.e. 'Venusian' or 'Venutian'.
But not 'Venison'.:)
The evidence so far from those other places is purely hypothetical and circumstantial. But you're right - it is comforting to think that self-replicating patterns, structures and chemicals exist beyond our world. The big question is - Are those patterns found elsewhere complex enough to form sentient beings. Or am I being sentimental?
I seem to remember reading somewhere that it would be possible to see your surroundings if you were somehow able to survive a visit to Venus' surface - the light being a dark dull red glow. If ordinary light can get through then UV will definitely make it to the surface - On a cloudy day here on Earth, 80% of the UV radiation can make it through the clouds. People don't get suntans on those days simply because they spend more time indoors.Re:Developing ideas (Score:5, Informative)
Damn straight. Venus has the same gravity as Earth, remember? Which means that getting stuff out of its gravity well is an incredible hassle. If you need an Ariane or a Proton to get an object off Earth, you're going to need another Ariane or Proton to get it off Venus again once you've landed it there. And the super-dense atmosphere is going to cause even more problems.
No, launching from Venus is a problem that can happily wait until nuclear rockets or antigravity are feasible.
Besides, if there is life on Venus, I'd much rather study it in situ than bring some back here. While it almost certainly wouldn't survive in an Earth environment, that 'almost' worries me a bit...
Re:Life in the Atmosphere of Venus (Score:4, Informative)
To test the theory, obviously you'd need a sample of the atmosphere. Although New Scientist mentions ESA's Venus Express mission, it doesn't say whether the mission would have the necessary equipment to check for life.
Re:Life? (Score:2, Informative)
New Scientist was a reputable magazine...
but my fiancee (who is a real scientist, does stuff with dna & microbes & proteins that I'll never understand - I'll stick to my C++ and my Java
eh..ah yes...she laughed. Long and loud.
She compared it to the "Womans Weekly of the science world" (i.e. trash)
Turns out that most scientists that read the New Scientist only read it for one reason: The job-advertisements in the back!
Re:Life on Earth (Score:3, Informative)
Why? We have identified thermophiles that can survive in temperatures over 100C here on earth.