Do new discoveries make Venus habitable?

Venus often referred to as the Earth's twin because of their similar size, proximity from the sun, mass etc. has been long overlooked in the search for extraterrestrial life due to factors like its average surface temperature exceeding 800° Fahrenheit and it's a dense atmosphere which consists of more than 96% carbon dioxide. The only attempt at studying this planet is Akatsuki, a Japanese spacecraft. 

However, the recent discovery of "Phosphine" has forced scientists to reconsider their beliefs about venus not being a suitable habitat for life. 

Phosphine is a gas that is believed to be produced by anaerobic life or microbial organisms that do not require oxygen. According to Clara Sousa Silva, a molecular astrophysicist at Harvard University whose research has been focused on phosphine, if one atom of phosphorus and three atoms of hydrogen are subjected to immense heat and pressure it is possible for them to form a phosphine molecule. However, research suggests that on smaller, rocky planets like Earth and Venus there is not enough energy to produce the copious amount of phosphine in the same manner. Thus, the presence of living organisms is the only viable explanation. 

This is an unexpected yet crucial discovery that makes scientists wonder, is it time to prioritise Venus?

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Writer: Myra Mittal

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