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Space

Life on Venus? Everything you need to know about the big discovery

By Leah Crane

14 September 2020

New Scientist. Science news and long reads from expert journalists, covering developments in science, technology, health and the environment on the website and the magazine.

Phosphine, a gas that is produced on Earth by biological processes, has been spotted in the atmosphere of Venus

JAXA / ISAS / Akatsuki Project Team

A team of researchers has used two of the biggest telescopes on Earth to find signs of phosphine gas on Venus – a compound that is produced on our planet only by living creatures and human technological processes. We don’t know any way to make this gas non-biologically on Venus.

Here is everything you need to know about the possibility that we have found life on our neighbouring planet.

How hot is Venus? Would…

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