Phosphine in the clouds of Venus
The account
A gas linked to life was found on Venus, which would point to microbes living in the planet's clouds.
What investigators found
The detection was challenged by reanalyses, which found lower levels or no signal at all. The question remains open, and new missions should settle it.
The story
In September 2020, a team led by astronomer Jane Greaves announced the detection of phosphine in the clouds of Venus. On Earth, this gas is linked to microbes that live without oxygen, and scientists knew of no other way to produce it under the planet's conditions.
The surface of Venus is an inferno of more than 400 degrees Celsius, but about 50 kilometers up, the temperature is milder. The news went around the world. In the months that followed, other groups reanalyzed the data and found problems or much lower levels. The debate continues, and future probes are expected to dive into the atmosphere of Venus to settle the question.