Clara Sousa-Silva: As impressões digitais da vida além da Terra

As impressões digitais da vida além da Terra

Existe vida em Vênus? A astroquímica quântica Clara Sousa-Silva defende uma nova maneira de buscar, e possivelmente descobrir, planetas habitáveis ​​- e compartilha sua pesquisa sobre uma molécula venenosa e fedorenta que pode indicar vida além da Terra.

Searching for life beyond Earth means looking past familiar signs like oxygen and instead focusing on complex chemical fingerprints. The presence of phosphine, a toxic and foul-smelling gas, in places like Venus’s clouds and Earth’s swamps suggests it could signal life where oxygen is scarce. However, no single molecule is enough—detecting life will require recognizing intricate networks of interacting gases. As technology advances, the real challenge is ensuring we do not miss the subtle signs of alien biospheres when they finally appear.