Is there phosphine on Venus?
A software glitch and a new analysis of 50-year-old data are all helping to answer the question
The discovery of phosphine in the clouds around Venus in September left the world wondering what could explain its presence. Phosphine might even mean life, as there’s no process to explain its origin on this planet. Following the discovery, teams of researchers worldwide are now investigating whether this is the start of a new chapter in astrochemistry – or even exobiology – or simply a data artefact.