"Entering the Venusian atmosphere in a Cadet-rated vehicle is not recommended."
Posted on 09/25/2002 6:30:44 PM PDT by Pokey78
The clouds of sulphuric acid that cloak Venus could be hiding alien life, a team of American researchers claims.
The existence of microbes high above the planet's surface could explain some of the puzzles about its atmosphere.
Venus is usually regarded as one of the least likely places in the solar system to find life. Enveloped in clouds of acid, the surface of the planet is around 460C, while the atmospheric pressure is 10 times greater than Earth's.
But scientists at the University of Texas, El Paso, believe that conditions in the atmosphere may be favourable to life.
At an altitude of 30 miles, the temperature is around 70C, while the pressure is similar to that at sea level on the Earth. Although the clouds are acidic, they contain plenty of water, New Scientist magazine reports today.
Dr Dirk Schulze-Makuch, who led the research, said: "From an astrobiology point of view, Venus is not hopeless." His team believes that life could explain the puzzling data about Venus from American and Russian space missions.
Although lightning and solar radiation should create large amounts of carbon monoxide in the atmosphere, there is relatively little of the gas around, raising suspicions that something is using it up.
The atmosphere also contains hydrogen sulphide and sulphur dioxide, two gases that should react with each other. For both gases to exist, something must be producing them, the team believe.
Venus also contains carbonyl sulphide, a gas usually regarded as a sign of life.
Dr Schulze-Makuch suspects that the gases could be by-products of bugs living in the clouds of Venus. The microbes could be using ultraviolet light from the sun as a source of energy.
Many experts are sceptical, however.
Dr Andre Brack, from the Centre for Molecular Biophysics in Orleans, France, said: "I am reluctant to believe this result. For life, you need a volume of water, not just tiny droplets."
LOL!
What buffoonish arrogance.
The topic is absolutely, utterly alien life, and this frog poseur pontificates about what might, or might not, be conducive to its well-being.
Hey Andre...
What are next Wednesday's winning Powerball numbers going to be?
Revealing something as mundane as this should be a breeze for someone as omniscient as you would have us believe you are.
(Thinking to himself)
Heh heh... Ahm gonna get some uh that Venusian poon-tang
Hey UTEP guys: life is more likely to occur in the atmosphere surrounding Uranus.
Awwww, never mind. I gotta start growing up.
OK, Venus is tall and strong, and some people say that as a tennis player, it's almost like she's from another planet. But still, to suggest that she could be "hiding alien life" seems a bit extreme. I mean, for starters, I seriously doubt she's pregnant. Good girl, professional athlete, etc.
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