Emily Chan
Ammonia was detected in the clouds on Venus. The clouds are made of droplets of sulfuric acid, which is a substance that can be deadly to humans if exposed to high levels of it. The substance is not known to be compatible with any life on Earth, even bacteria that can survive in extremely acidic conditions.
When ammonia is inside these droplets of acid, it can reduce acidity levels, making them low enough for some earthly bacteria to be able to survive in it. However, the scientists still can’t say for certain that there is life on Venus.
Clements emphasized that his team’s recent discovery was just a stepping stone to finding out if life exists on Venus. Further research is needed to confirm the findings.
