RAS news release here

In-depth Nature paper here

"An international team of astronomers, led by Professor Jane Greaves of Cardiff University, today announced the discovery of a rare molecule – phosphine – in the clouds of Venus. On Earth, this gas is only made industrially, or by microbes that thrive in oxygen-free environments."

This is a big deal! Aliens, maybe! Bacteria, but extraterrestrial life nonetheless. 2020 continues to deliver unprecedented news...

Yooooooooooooooooooooo.

This wasn't on my 2020 bingo card.

It sure was on mine! But I still have to get Supervolcano Eruption and Nuclear War. 2020 is not pulling any punches so I can't help but expect the very worst at this point.

Luckily, Gender Reveal Forest Fire (I have to make fun of it, my bff's out in Portland) and Corrupt Post Master were on mine.

I hope your bff and everyone stays safe! I'm in Washington and the AQI is 237 at my closest monitor right now. My eyes itch but at least my shit's not on fire. (Closest fire is ~20 miles away and is mostly contained I think.) Man, good call on those bingo squares, I didn't see DeJoy coming and I always expect the worst from Trump (not to mention my dad is retired from USPS and has long warned of the Republicans' plot to privatize the Postal Service). I just didn't think he was that clever, to install such a detrimental figure in such an influential place. Sometimes malice has an aptitude all its own.

Me too. I have to make fun of it or I'm going to sit someplace and shake in fear while crying my eyes out.

I'm not familiar with the AQI levels because I'm over in Pennsylvania, context please? As for the rest, can't we just bring back baby showers and I think the USPS thing is a little too political for Subeta. I have no desire to get warned on this fine day, lol.

Here's a guide to AQI. Basically, I'm in the purple range - "Very Unhealthy (for Everyone)".

Oh yeah, my bad. Sometimes I forget facts are controversial these days. Anyway...ALIENS. Maybe this year is turning around because this is the coolest news I've heard like, ever.

I just read about this today! Exciting :D

I think the best part about these types of discoveries are the more broad implications that arise. Get. Excited.

Oh goddamnit, 2020, can you not?!