So, About this Life on Venus Thing — What Did We Really Find, and What Does it Mean?

Photo by Luca Bravo on Unsplash

We’re all exhausted, but at least there’s something to give us some buzz: The potential discovery of life on Venus of all planets.

Venus.

So, what did scientists actually find, is it proof of life, and what does it all mean?

What is Phosphine?

So, the specific substance that was discovered in Venus’ cloud decks is called phosphine (PH3).

Phosphine is highly toxic, and flammable. It’s a decay product of phosphates, and is thus naturally generated by the decomposition of organic matter. It can also be created in the lab, generally by reacting white phosphorus with sodium or potassium hydroxide. This requires a significant amount of heat.

The primary use of phosphine is as a fumigant, although pests are becoming resistant to it. In humans, phosphine exposure can cause symptoms similar to stomach flu as well as difficulty breathing, muscle aches, chills and sometimes pulmonary edema. It has been known to cause death. Phosphine itself is odorless, but the processes that generate it smell like decaying fish or garlic.