NASA scientist, Dr. Michelle Thaller from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, proposes that extraterrestrial life could potentially thrive on Venus, a planet marked by extreme 475°C (900°F) temperatures; and an acidic atmosphere might seem an unlikely haven for alien life within the Solar System.
Dr. Thaller's novel concept is supported by her observation of 'possible signs of life' within the carbon dioxide-rich atmosphere, reinforcing her strong conviction that life exists elsewhere.
NASA Deputy Director of Science for Communication, Dr. Michelle Thaller helps launch the USPS "Star Trek" Forever Stamps at The Jacob K. Javits Convention Center on September 2, 2016 in New York City.
Aliens in the Solar System?
There could be signs of life on another planet in the Solar System, Dr. Thaller said during the Beyond the Light exhibit at Artechouse in New York, which seeks to provide an immersive deep space exploration encounter.
In partnership with NASA, the exhibition showcases fresh galactic information from the James Webb Space Telescope, presented artistically by Artechouse through their collaborative efforts.
Dr. Thaller noted that the likelihood of finding extraterrestrial life within the Solar System is significant, though not definitively certain. She points out that Mars exhibits chemical characteristics that, if observed on Earth, would indicate the presence of life. However, she raises the important query about the current knowledge of Mars and the potential for misinterpretation.
She believes that potential extraterrestrial life might be nearer than Mars, possibly on Venus or even beneath the ice of Jupiter and Saturn's moons, suggesting the presence of simple microbial life in our Solar System. Dr. Thaller's confidence in Venus as a candidate for such life stems from observations of atmospheric components resembling those produced by bacteria.
The expert confidently anticipates the discovery of extraterrestrial life, only differing in timing. Despite Venus's extreme heat and inhospitable atmosphere, there's been ongoing debate among scientists about the potential existence of microbial life in its clouds, which could survive on sulfur, methane, and iron.
The concept of photosynthesis occurring on Venus's surface due to solar energy penetrating its clouds has been discussed, but Professor Dominic Papineau of University College London finds challenges in testing these ideas.
He emphasizes the importance of liquid water for life-related reactions and the search for extraterrestrial fossils, necessitating the identification of sedimentary rocks associated with past liquid water presence.
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Did Venus Host Life in the Past?
The presence of liquid water on Venus's surface over billions of years could potentially have supported the emergence of microbial life, although conclusive evidence remains elusive due to current technological limitations. While orbiters provide valuable insights, detecting signs of past life necessitates closer examination.
Mars exploration involves rovers analyzing rock samples, but Venus presents challenges due to its harsh conditions and few successful lander missions, allowing only brief operational periods, inadequate for tasks like collecting and studying rock samples for potential microscopic fossils.
While Venus's surface today is inhospitable, the possibility of life surviving in its atmosphere remains. In 2020, researchers reported detecting phosphine gas in Venus's clouds at altitudes with more Earth-like conditions, hinting at potential biological associations, yet ongoing debates persist regarding its presence and origins.
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