For the first time, scientists have detected trace amounts of phosphine—a molecule that, on Earth, is produced only by living beings—in the atmosphere of a brown dwarf. Wolf 1130C is an ancient brown ...
The detection of the molecule phosphine in a brown dwarf’s atmosphere may help astronomers in their search for life elsewhere in the Milky Way. By Katrina Miller On a brown dwarf dozens of light years ...
Phosphorus is one of six key elements necessary for life on Earth. When combined with hydrogen, phosphorus forms the molecule phosphine (PH 3), an explosive, highly toxic gas. Found in the atmospheres ...
The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has discovered phosphine in the atmosphere of a brown dwarf — the same chemical that stoked controversy following claims that it had been detected on Venus and ...
An illustration of the Wolf 1130ABC triple system, which is composed of a red dwarf star (left), a white dwarf (center) and the brown dwarf where phosphine was detected (right). Adam Burgasser For the ...
"We therefore caution against the use of phosphine as a biosignature until these discrepancies are resolved." When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s ...