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New Scientist: Venus' Atmosphere Implies Life

Posted by chrisd on from the conway-would-be-proud dept.

WolfWithoutAClause writes "This New Scientist article says that the atmosphere of Venus has features that may only be explaineable by the existence of life in its upper atmosphere. In particular it has cartain chemicals which are extremely difficult to make inorganically. At the altitude where life is suspected the temperature is about 70C and about 1 atmosphere. There are gases there which are not naturally found together. The article suggests something is actively producing them, quite possibly, life."

5 of 268 comments (clear)

  1. exaggerated article title by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Flamebait
    The New Scientist article title is "Acidic clouds of Venus *could* harbour life." To summarize, the New Scientist article basically says that Venus could have life, but nobody really knows for sure. But the slashdot article title is "New Scientist: Venus' Atmosphere Implies Life." Give me a break. I suspect Slashdot exaggerated the content of the posted article just to get page hits. Also, New Scientist is not one of the more reputable science news sites on the net (even though /. likes to link to their articles).

    Slashdot really sucks nowadays. There are better alternatives. I'm quitting /. now. You should, too. Check out

    The Quit Slashdot Movement for some better quality "new for nerds" sites.

  2. I just hope they would... by Kynde · · Score: 0, Flamebait


    actually find some microbes or virii from Venus, Mars, hell even from Ganymede. That'd finally put a full stop to all those religious morons that are so full of "we're the centre of the universe". Just by showing that there's _a_ life form outside earth would remove a huge barrier from all those debates and we could concentrate on more interesting topics.

    --
    1 Earth is warming, 2 It's us, 3 it's royally bad, 4 we need to take action NOW
  3. TELL YOUR LORD THAT I GAVE HIM GONORRHEA by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Flamebait
  4. Self-contradiction in action by Steve+Franklin · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    "There are gases there which are not naturally found together"

    Well, let's see:

    1) Venus is certainly a "natural" place--no industry or McDonalds or Republicans anywhere in sight.

    2) The gases are found together in this place.

    3) Conclusion: Gee, I guess those gases ARE found together "naturally." Could it be that the database of what is natural just isn't extensive enough? I think it comes down to the fact that putting your toes in the surf doesn't make you an expert in marine biology.

    --
    Hic iacet Arthurus, rex quondam rexque futurus.
  5. Re:We have Found Lando Calrissian's Hideout by Anonvmous+Coward · · Score: 1, Flamebait

    As if anybody visiting this site would know how to find a life. Heh.