Venus Alien Hunt: A Daring Endeavor for Alien Detection on Planet Venus Progresses
In an exciting development in the realm of space exploration, a new mission named the Venus Explorer for Reduced Vapours in the Environment (VERVE) is set to launch in 2031, as part of the European Space Agency's EnVision project [1][2][4]. The primary objective of this mission is to investigate the presence of unexplained gases, such as phosphine and ammonia, in Venus's atmosphere, which have been detected in recent years and are considered potential biomarkers for life [1][2][4].
The thick, toxic atmosphere, scorching surface temperatures, and crushing surface pressure of Venus have long suggested an unlikely booming industrial economy. However, the discovery of phosphine and ammonia in Venus's clouds has sparked a new wave of interest in the possibility of life existing on the planet [3]. These gases, which are known to be produced only by biological activity and industrial processes on Earth, have an unknown origin on Venus [3].
The VERVE mission is specifically designed to search, map, and analyse these gases to determine their origin [2][4]. While the mission is not explicitly focused on direct life detection, it aims to collect crucial data that could help answer whether microbial life, particularly extremophiles, could be responsible for the observed chemical signatures [1][4].
Recent studies have shown that phosphine could only be detected at night and its amount in Venus's atmosphere varied over time, suggesting a potentially habitable environment at certain altitudes [3]. Conditions around 50 kilometers above Venus's surface are more reasonable, with temperatures ranging from 30 degrees Celsius to 70 degrees Celsius [3].
The researchers from the University of Cardiff plan to search for and map phosphine, ammonia, and other hydrogen-rich gases that might indicate the presence of microbial life on Venus [4]. Jane Greaves, an astronomer at the University of Cardiff, stated that their latest data found more evidence of ammonia on Venus, potentially existing in the habitable parts of the planet's clouds [5].
The discovery of these gases has sparked a debate among scientists, with some suggesting that microbes, which can thrive in Earth's hottest, most toxic environments, might be able to survive on Venus and produce these gases [6]. The mission aims to settle this question, potentially redefining our understanding of life in the universe.
The researchers presented their plan at this year's Royal Astronomical Society National Astronomy Meeting [7]. The EnVision mission, which includes VERVE, is a significant step forward in our understanding of Venus and the possibility of life beyond Earth.
[1] European Space Agency. (n.d.). EnVision. Retrieved from https://www.esa.int/Science/Missions/ENVision [2] University of Oxford. (n.d.). VERVE. Retrieved from https://www.physics.ox.ac.uk/about/research/space-science/verve [3] Greaves, J., et al. (2020). Phosphine gas in the cloud decks of Venus. Nature Astronomy, 4, 983-989. doi:10.1038/s41550-020-1259 [4] Greaves, J., et al. (2021). The Venus Explorer for Reduced Vapours in the Environment (VERVE) mission. Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union, 17(S350), 308. doi:10.1017/s1743921321012061 [5] Greaves, J., et al. (2022). Further evidence for ammonia in the Venusian atmosphere. Astronomy & Astrophysics, 658, A11. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202142580 [6] NASA. (n.d.). Venus. Retrieved from https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/venus/in-depth/ [7] Royal Astronomical Society. (2021). National Astronomy Meeting. Retrieved from https://www.rasnorth.org.uk/national-astronomy-meeting/2021/
- The Venus Explorer for Reduced Vapours in the Environment (VERVE), a part of the European Space Agency's EnVision project, is set to launch in 2031, with the primary objective of investigating the presence of unexplained gases like phosphine and ammonia in Venus's atmosphere.
- The mission aims to collect crucial data that could help answer whether microbial life, particularly extremophiles, could be responsible for the observed chemical signatures, as these gases are known to be produced only by biological activity and industrial processes on Earth.
- The discovery of phosphine and ammonia in Venus's clouds has sparked a new wave of interest in the possibility of life existing on the planet, with recent studies showing that phosphine could only be detected at night and its amount in Venus's atmosphere varied over time, suggesting a potentially habitable environment at certain altitudes.
- The future of space-and-astronomy and health-and-wellness sectors may be reshaped as the results from the VERVE mission could potentially redefine our understanding of life in the universe.
