Tag: brown dwarfs
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Mysterious phosphine in a brown dwarf casts doubt on Venus biosignature claims
A mysterious molecule in a brown dwarf challenges our ideas about life signals A new study published in Science reports the detection of phosphine, a simple phosphorus-bearing molecule, in the atmosphere of a brown dwarf named Wolf 1130C. The finding is provocative because phosphine has long been touted as a potential sign of life when…
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Phosphine detected in a brown dwarf’s atmosphere signals new astrochemical insights
Introduction: phosphine as a biosignature under close scrutiny In the search for life beyond Earth, scientists routinely look for biosignatures—molecules that could arise from the chemistry of living systems. Phosphine (PH3) is one such molecule that has sparked ongoing debate because on Earth it is produced primarily by anaerobic microbes. Yet a true biosignature must…
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Phosphine on a Brown Dwarf Complicates Venus Biosignature Claims
What this finding means A team of astronomers reporting in Science has detected phosphine, a simple phosphorus-hydrogen molecule, in the atmosphere of a brown dwarf named Wolf 1130C. The result is intriguing because phosphine has long been discussed as a potential biosignature—an indirect hint of life—when found in Venus’ clouds. The new observation shows that…
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Phosphine in a Brown Dwarf Casts Doubt on Venus Biosignature Claims
Introducing a puzzling finding A new study published in Science reports a surprising detection: phosphine, a simple molecule made of a phosphorus atom and three hydrogen atoms, in the atmosphere of a brown dwarf known as Wolf 1130C. This brown dwarf, an object that sits between a planet and a star in size and temperature,…
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Fiery Auroras on a Rogue Planet: JWST Reveals SIMP-0136 Weather
A fiery aurora reveals a weather-rich rogue planet In a striking departure from typical planet weather reports, astronomers studying the lone world SIMP-0136 — a rogue planet that orbits nothing but the darkness of interstellar space — have detected Northern Lights–style auroras and a surprisingly dynamic atmosphere. The observations come from the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb…