THE HIGH LIFE

Sandwiched between freezing and blistering temperatures in a cloud of burning acid, Venusian microbes might have found a way

1

Upper cloud deck

70 to 90 kilometres (43 to 56 miles) above Venus is a region of cold aerosols and sulphuric acid droplets.

2

Lower cloud deck

Light carbon dioxide fog from the surface gives way to the base of this cloud layer at around 47 kilometres (29 miles) altitude. 25 per cent of the cloud content is water.

3

Gas of life

Phosphine gas has been detected around the midlatitudes of the planet, but the chemistry of the clouds should destroy the gas.

4

Baking heat

Thick clouds trap heat from the Sun’s rays, roasting the surface of Venus to temperatures hot enough to melt lead.