What happened to phosphine on Venus?

Phosphine does not exist in the atmosphere. Not a haven for life: Dense clouds surround Venus at an altitude of about 50 to 70 kilometers. Phosphine does not exist in the atmosphere. Venus is not a pleasant place: An extreme greenhouse effect ensures average temperatures of about 460 degrees Celsius on its surface.Jul 16, 2021

Is there life on Venus phosphine?

Related studies suggested that the detected concentration of phosphine (20 ppb) in the clouds of Venus indicated a "plausible amount of life," and further, that the typical predicted biomass densities were "several orders of magnitude lower than the average biomass density of Earth's aerial biosphere.” As of 2019, no …

How did we find phosphine on Venus?

In September, a team led by astronomers in the United Kingdom announced that they had detected the chemical phosphine in the thick clouds of Venus. The team's reported detection, based on observations by two Earth-based radio telescopes, surprised many Venus experts.

Is there phosphine gas in Venus?

The reanalysis found that phosphine concentrations in Venus's atmosphere occasionally peak at five parts per billion. That means levels of the gas might wax and wane over time at different places on the planet, said Greaves — a situation similar to methane spikes appearing on Mars.

What is phosphine on Venus?

The claim that there is phosphine on Venus rocked planetary science last September, when researchers reported spotting the gas's spectral signature in telescope data1. If confirmed, the discovery could mean that organisms drifting among Venusian clouds are releasing the gas.

Can humans live on Venus?

The amount of water in the atmosphere of Venus is so low that even the most drought-tolerant of Earth's microbes wouldn't be able to survive there, a new study has found.

How long does phosphine gas last?

Phosphine in the atmosphere is rapidly degraded (World Health Organization, 1988). The half-life in air is approximately five hours with the mechanism of degradation being photoreaction with hydroxy radicals. The dark half-life is approximately 28 hours.

What happens if you inhale phosphine gas?

Acute (short-term) inhalation exposure to phosphine may cause headaches, dizziness, fatigue, drowsiness, burning substernal pain, nausea, vomiting, cough, labored breathing, chest tightness, pulmonary irritation, pulmonary edema, and tremors in humans. Convulsions may ensue after an apparent recovery.

When did scientists discovered phosphine on Venus?

On 14 September, scientists revealed that they had found phosphine in Venus's atmosphere, about 55 kilometres above the surface1, using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array in Chile and the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope in Hawaii.

Where is phosphine found on Earth?

Phosphine is a chemical compound made up of one atom of phosphorus and three atoms of hydrogen, and scientists have also spotted it on Earth, Jupiter and Saturn. On the gas giants, it's quite prevalent in the atmospheres, both of which are rich in hydrogen.