Q&A 129: Did Life Get a Ride to Venus from our Missions? And More...

TL;DR

Astronomer answers questions about Venus, the possibility of life on other planets, rocket propulsion systems, and the existence of rogue intergalactic stars.

Transcript

it's question show time your questions my answers as always wherever you are across my channel a question pops in your brain just write it down i'll gather them up and i'll answer them here of course there were a million questions about venus so let's start with that and then we'll go into some of the other questions lisa brown is it possible that ... Read More

Key Insights

• 🛟 The environment on Venus is extremely hostile, making it unlikely for Earth life to survive there.
• ⬛ Terraforming Venus would require the delivery of large amounts of hydrogen, which is lacking on the planet.
• 🛟 The discovery of microbial life beyond Earth would have significant implications for understanding the origin and distribution of life in the universe.
• 🪐 The presence of phosphine in Venus' atmosphere is still a mystery, with potential implications for our understanding of chemical processes on other planets.
• 🚀 Launch companies typically have insurance to cover the costs of failed rocket launches and compensate payload owners.
• 🥶 Astronauts aboard the International Space Station experience weightlessness, similar to the feeling of free-falling.
• 🖤 The size and origin of supermassive black holes are still not fully understood, with theories including primordial black holes and black hole mergers.

Questions & Answers

Q: Could Earth microbes have hitched a ride on spacecraft to Venus?

The harsh environment on Venus, including high temperatures and sulfuric acid in its cloud tops, make it unlikely for Earth life to survive there. Even if some microbes survived, they would not explain the planet-wide signal detected in the atmosphere.

Q: Can extremophiles be used to terraform Venus?

Venus lacks the necessary hydrogen for the carbon dioxide sequestration process required for extremophiles to break down the atmosphere. Delivering large amounts of hydrogen to Venus would be necessary for this kind of terraforming.

Q: Is the search for microbial life interesting?

The search for microbial life beyond Earth is exciting as it would be the first evidence of life elsewhere in the universe, raising questions about the origins and distribution of life.

Q: Could the detected phosphine in Venus' atmosphere be non-biological in origin?

While it is unlikely, the possibility of a new abiotic process producing phosphine is also exciting, as it would expand our understanding of chemical processes on other planets.

Q: Does insurance cover failed rocket launches?

Launch companies typically have insurance to cover the costs of failed launches, including the replacement of satellites and new launches. However, for very large missions like the James Webb Space Telescope, self-insurance is often used.

Q: What keeps gas giants like Jupiter and Saturn in a spherical shape?

The mutual gravity of the gas particles pulls them together, allowing gas giants to maintain their spherical shapes. Gravity acts as a force to prevent the gas from dispersing.

Q: What happens to a spaceship if it launches another company's payload that explodes?

If a rocket carrying another company's payload fails, the launch company is responsible for compensating the payload owner. Launch insurance is typically obtained to cover such liabilities.

Q: Can we observe rogue intergalactic stars?

Yes, individual stars in the space between galaxies have been observed using the Hubble Space Telescope. These stars are not connected to any specific galaxy and exist in the vast gulfs of intergalactic space.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The environment on Venus is not suitable for Earth microbes to survive, even in its cloud tops where temperature and pressure are similar to Earth. Even if microbes survived, it would not explain the planet-wide signal found in the atmosphere.

• Terraforming Venus by seeding it with extremophiles to break down the hostile atmosphere is not feasible due to the lack of hydrogen on Venus.

• The search for microbial life beyond Earth is exciting as it would be the first instance of life elsewhere in the universe, raising questions about the origin and distribution of life.

• Phosphine, a potential biosignature, has been detected in the atmosphere of Venus, but its origin is still unknown. If it is not produced by biology, it could still lead to new discoveries about chemical processes in other planets.

• Spaceships that carry other company's payloads are insured, and the launch company would be responsible for compensating the payload owner in case of failure.

• Astronauts onboard the International Space Station experience weightlessness, which is similar to the feeling of free-falling. It takes time for their bodies to adjust to this sensation.

• The size of black holes, especially supermassive ones, is not fully understood. There are theories about primordial black holes, direct collapse black holes, and the possibility of black hole mergers contributing to their mass.

• Rogue intergalactic stars have been observed between galaxies, indicating that stars exist outside of galactic systems. These stars may account for a significant portion of the universe's mass.