Today is Tuesday, Sept. 15th, 2020. Here’s what you need to know:
Good morning,
Phosphine probably isn’t something everyone hears all the time, but the molecule itself can lead to big changes. Astronomers recently published the discovery of the molecule in a cloud on Venus, an uninhabitable planet, in the Nature Astronomy journal. While phosphine doesn’t directly conclude aliens exist, it’s considered to be one of the indicators of life.
No definitive conclusions have been made surrounding the origin of the gas, but scientists are not willing to rule out extraterrestrial life, as it could help fill in the gaps. Creating the compound naturally isn’t as easy as mixing water and salt. In fact, on planets such as Saturn, a gas giant, the strenuous conditions would explain where the phosphine came from. Venus, however, doesn’t house those conditions.
Venus is the second planet from the Sun and similar in size to Earth. Although, with a steamy 867 degree temperature on the surface, it assumed to be uninhabitable. These conditions, combined with the discovery of phosphine, point to an interesting path ahead for astronomers.
News from The Post:
A Jackson man was indicted for voyeurism, menacing and burglary. (The Post)
Read what was discussed at the most recent Athens City Council meeting. (The Post)
Menards has just recently opened in Athens. (The Post)
Athens Weather
Blue skies ahead! Today’s high will be 76 degrees with little to no precipitation. (Courtesy of Scalia Lab)
You might also want to know…
Apple’s event is today, read to find out how you can watch. (ZD Net)
An Ice Age cave bear was found perfectly frozen. (Huff Post)
A Chilean zoo is seeking “godparents” for various animals. (Reuters)
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