What does Venus have in frequent with penguin tummies? In response to new analysis introduced by astronomer and astrobiologist Jane Greaves, they’re each locations that would doubtlessly include the molecule phosphine. Extra analysis is required to verify this, and to research whether or not phosphine within the higher clouds of Venus would come from life or one other supply. Pictured: The clouds of Venus imaged in ultraviolet by JAXA’s Akatsuki spacecraft in 2017. Picture credit score: JAXA/ISAS/DARTS/Damia Bouic.
Ocean moons appear to be much more frequent within the Photo voltaic System than we thought. Uranus’ moons Ariel and Miranda present proof of current geological exercise, suggesting a liquid layer below their icy crusts. This places the Uranian moons on the record of probably liveable worlds in our Photo voltaic System, and provides to the thrill a couple of potential flagship NASA mission to the Uranus system.
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory has its first-ever feminine director. Laurie Leshin has simply change into the tenth director of JPL and the primary girl to run the well-known heart for area science and robotic exploration. She joins this week’s Planetary Radio to speak about her imaginative and prescient and priorities for the lab.
The Planetary Society educates policymakers and influencers in regards to the worth of area exploration. At a current Society occasion in Washington, D.C., Heidi Hammel (Planetary Society board member, JWST scientist, and Vice President for Science on the Affiliation of Universities for Analysis in Astronomy) defined the primary JWST pictures to a various group of policymakers and D.C. insiders.
