New evidence has recently been presented at the National Astronomy Meeting that suggests there may be life in the clouds above Venus.

The researchers say that they have likely detected ammonia, which is typically created due to biological activity on Earth.

This gas, combined with the detection of phosphine in 2020 help to strengthen the argument that there may be life living high above the surface of the planet.

One theory is that Venus was once a much cooler planet where life may have been abundant. Since then, the temperatures on the surface have risen to the point where they can melt metal, and the toxic gasses are lethal, but it is possible that life was able to adapt to live in the clouds.

In the presentation, Dave Clements, a reader in astrophysics at Imperial College London, explained:

“It could be that if Venus went through a warm, wet phase in the past then as runaway global warming took effect [life] would have evolved to survive in the only niche left to it — the clouds.”

Of course, just because these gasses are present does not conclusively prove that life is, or ever was, around on Venus.

The fact that these gasses on Earth are generally caused by biological life, however, does at least make this a possibility. Clements explains this, saying:

“Our findings suggest that when the atmosphere is bathed in sunlight the phosphine is destroyed. All that we can say is that phosphine is there. We don’t know what’s producing it. It may be chemistry that we don’t understand. Or possibly life.”

Since as far as we know, phosphine is destroyed when the atmosphere is exposed to sunlight, but the scientists are able to detect phosphine, it is likely that something is creating new phosphine to replace what is destroyed by the sun.

If this gas is created in the same way as it is on Earth, that means that there would be biological life on Venus today, not just in the past.

Of course, much more research will be needed to conclusively prove or rule out the presence of life.

This type of finding, however, could serve as a justification for additional funding for research or even a probe mission to the planet in the future.

Venus is a fascinating planet, and may be home to living neighbors in space.

If you thought that was interesting, you might like to read about why we should be worried about the leak in the bottom of the ocean.