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Amino Acids Stable in Venus' Acidic Clouds, Study Finds

MIT researchers' discovery challenges assumptions about Venus' habitability, suggesting its clouds could support life.

Image
This composite image, taken by JAXA’s Akatsuki spacecraft, shows Venus. Image credit: JAXA / ISAS / DARTS / Damia Bouic.

Overview

  • A new study reveals that 19 essential amino acids can remain stable in sulfuric acid concentrations similar to those found in Venus' clouds, challenging previous assumptions about the planet's habitability.
  • The discovery suggests that Venus' cloud layer could potentially support complex chemicals necessary for life, despite its highly acidic environment.
  • The research, led by MIT scientists, is part of ongoing efforts to explore the possibility of life in the solar system beyond Earth, with Venus as a key focus.
  • Several missions to Venus are planned, including a privately funded mission set to launch in January 2025, aimed at analyzing the planet's cloud chemistry for signs of organic molecules.
  • The findings add to a growing body of evidence that life, if it exists on Venus, would have to adapt to extreme conditions, but may not be as far-fetched as previously thought.