Venus is the closest planet to Earth in the solar system and has long been considered the sister star of Earth. Similar to the structure of the Earth, but smaller than the Earth, it is also the second closest planet to the Sun, with a surface temperature of 471 degrees Celsius, enough to melt lead. Venus is wrapped in a thick layer of toxic atmosphere, preventing heat loss from its surface. Phosphine is a compound composed of phosphorus atoms and three hydrogen atoms. It has a odor, is highly toxic, colorless and flammable. Used as insecticides, rat poison, and also used in the electronics industry. Phosphoric acid on Earth is produced by anaerobic microorganisms by absorbing phosphates from minerals or biological materials. Of course, not all hydrogen phosphide except the Earth is produced by anaerobic microorganisms.
Scientists have previously discovered phosphine in the atmospheres of Jupiter and Saturn. In any case, both Jupiter and Saturn have nothing to do with the signs of life, as both planets have extremely high core temperatures and pressures, allowing phosphine to rise into the atmosphere when it forms internally. As far as scientists know, other planets cannot form sufficient amounts and sufficiently stable phosphine on their own. Previously, the phosphine levels detected in Venus' atmosphere were shocking. They studied whether the inanimate processes on Venus could produce observed phosphine, taking into account all possible situations, including gas from Venus volcanoes, intense lightning, plate motion and cosmic dust.
None of these processes produces the phosphorus content they observed. They have only two options: unknown geological processes or photochemical reactions on Venus may produce phosphorus; the other is that there is some kind of life on Venus that can produce phosphoric acid. The researchers noted in the paper that they simply raised two possibilities and said it was too early to say that there was life on Venus.
Other scientists questioned the reliability of the research results and believed that the phosphine signal mentioned in the paper may be caused by telescope observation or data processing errors. Whether future observations or detections of Venus really confirm the existence of life in the atmosphere, it is a path worth pursuing. The discovery of phosphine in Venus' atmosphere is a major discovery, but people's knowledge of the planet is still limited and more research is needed to prove it.
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