In the atmosphere of Venus, where concentrated sulfuric acid clouds are raging, there may be a molecule like DNA and is likely to play the role of a person who carries the lives of Muslims – scientists from Poland, UK and the United States to this conclusion. Nucleic peptide (PNA), a structural relative of DNA, is still stable in 98% sulfuric acid solution for two weeks at room temperature. The work was published in the journal Science Advances.
Unlike earthly life, depending on water, Venusian is accused of being able to use acids actively as solvents.
In general, it is often accepted that concentrated sulfuric acid kill all organic substances. But we have proven that this is not entirely true, the leading author of the study, Dr. Yanush Yurand Pentkovsky from Warste Polytechnic University.
The idea that life can survive in such harsh conditions has been discussed by scientists before discovering phosphin and ammonia in the atmosphere of metallic stars – substances related to biological activities on earth. The new job deepens these assumptions, providing a molecular basis that can build a different form of life.
If PNA, a molecule similar to DNA, can exist in these conditions, which is really surprising, he added co -author of the study, Dr. William Baines from Cardiff University. This may be the key to understand what other corners of the universe can look like.
However, the researchers emphasized: At a temperature of over 50 ° C PNA, it was unstable. And the temperature in Venus's clouds ranges from 0 ° C to 100 ° C. The next goal of scientists is to create an acid -resistant polymer in all these range and capable of playing the DNA DNA for non -earth life.