The James Webb Space Observatory (JWST) recently detected a chemical compound called phosphine in the atmosphere of Venus.
The discovery of phosphine is a reminder that this substance doesn’t have to be biological; chemical processes can also produce it. But scientists are still trying to understand why some stellar objects have phosphine and others don’t, even though models predict its existence.
Phosphine was found in the low-temperature atmosphere of Wolf 1130C. Jupiter and Saturn also have similar amounts of phosphine.
While the possible connection between phosphine and life on Venus is still open, scientists caution that its origin may be natural, not biological.
