Scientists have been searching for life in the Universe for decades (aka. Astrobiology) has been devoted to the search for life on other Earth-like worlds. These include terrestrial (aka. These included terrestrial (aka. Mars is the most habitable planet, next to Earth. Scientists have also suggested that life could exist in the cloud tops on Venus.The main focus of all cases is whether or not there are large water bodies on planets' surfaces. A new study by NASA-supported researchers from Germany and the UK has revealed that life's existence may not be as dependent on the amount of water present in the atmosphere, but rather the presence of water molecules. We may be more successful in finding life on Jupiter's turbulent cloud deck than Venus.Dr. John E. Hallsworth, Queens University Belfast School of Biological Sciences, led the study. His colleagues included scientists from the UK and Germany as well as the NASA Ames Research Centers Space Science Division.This artistic impression shows Venus. Astronomers from MIT and Cardiff University may have seen signs of life in Venus' atmosphere. Credits: ESO/M. Kornmesser & NASA/JPL/CaltechSince the discovery of phosphine gas in Venus' dense atmosphere, it has been the focus of much interest. According to an independent team of researchers, these findings could indicate that Venus sulfuric acid cloud (aka. This could be a biosignature. This latest study however shows that Venus's atmosphere does not have enough water activity.Hallsworth and colleagues devised a new method to determine the level of water activity in planets' atmospheres. This conclusion was based on this method. This method was then applied to Venus' atmosphere. Temperatures range from 30 to 80 C (86-176 F) at altitudes 50 km (30 miles) above the surface. Water vapor accounts approximately 0.002%.The researchers eventually found that Venus' water activity was more than 100 times lower than the lower limit. They found something completely different when they applied the same technique to Jupiter's clouds. The sweet spot is located above the stratosphere/thermosphere boundary (320km above the troposhere), where temperatures are stable, and clouds contain enough water vapor.The clouds of Venus don't have the right conditions to support life. Jupiter's upper atmosphere does. This is a crucial information at a time NASA and other space agencies are proposing various missions to astrobiology. Prior to these missions being sent out to search the universe for life, it is crucial that we prioritise destinations based upon scientific returns.NASA/JPL–Caltech/SwRI/MSSS/Kevin M. Gill, (wikimedia Commons)Dr. Hallsworth explained this in a Queens University Belfast press release.Based on our knowledge of Earth-life, we found that Venus' sulphuric acid cloud contains too little water to support active life. Also, we found that Jupiter's clouds may have the right conditions for microbial life to exist. This assumes that nutrients and other necessities are met. This finding is timely considering that NASA and European Space Agency have just announced three missions for Venus. We will be able compare our findings with one of the other missions that will measure Venus' atmosphere.The results of this study also offer another avenue for expanding the search for habitable extraterrestrials. Exoplanet characterization focuses on the detection of evidence for life on rocky planets with surface water. The detection of enough water vapor in the atmospheres gas giants like Exo-Jupiters or Exo-Neptunes may also indicate life beyond our Solar System.Dr. Hallsworth also said that we have done calculations for Mars, Earth, and showed that such calculations could be made for other planets in our solar system. Although our research does not prove that there is alien life (microbial-type life) on other planets of our solar system, it does show that such life may exist if the right conditions exist.This artist's impression shows the planet orbiting HD 85512, a Sun-like star in the southern constellation Vela (The Sail). Credit: ESOChristopher McKay (a NASA Ames planetary scientist and another co-author of the study), contributed his vast expertise in astrobiology and planetary atmospheres to this research. He said that we were able to determine water activity in atmospheres using direct observations of temperature, pressure and water concentration.The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), currently scheduled for launch in November 2021, will be finally launched into space. The JWST's advanced infrared imaging capabilities will make it a key tool in astrobiology as well as the analysis of exoplanet atmospheres. The potential number of exoplanets that are habitable is expected to increase exponentially with the help of missions such as the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope.Dr. Philip Ball, a scientist in the physics and chemical biology water of which he is also a coauthor, said:Sometimes, the search for extraterrestrial life has been too simplistic about water. Our research shows that it is not enough to assume that liquid water equals habitability. It is important to consider how Earth-like organisms use water. This allows us to question how much water is actually available to them.Additional Reading: Queens University Belfast and Nature Astronomy
