U.K. mission aims to detect alien life signs on Venus

In July 2025, a new mission aimed at exploring the potential for life on Venus was announced by scientists in the United Kingdom. This initiative, named VERVE (Venus Explorer for Reduced Vapours in the Environment), intends to investigate whether microbial life exists in the clouds of Venus by detecting trace gases such as phosphine and ammonia that could indicate biological activity. The proposal builds on previous discoveries of these gases, first detected in 2020 and again in 2023, leading to heightened interest in the atmospheric chemistry of Venus. The mission will be launched aboard the European Space Agency’s EnVision mission, scheduled for 2031. Once the VERVE probe detaches, it will assess the composition of the atmosphere in a quest to find and measure phosphine and ammonia concentrations, as well as other hydrogen-rich gases. Researchers, including Jane Greaves from Cardiff University, have emphasized the need for direct investigation to clarify whether these gases stem from geological processes or possibly from microbial life efforts to survive in the extreme conditions. At an altitude of about 31 miles (50 kilometers), the temperature of Venus is much cooler than its surface, which reaches around 842 degrees Fahrenheit (450 degrees Celsius). This area may be more hospitable for extremophiles, essentially microbes that thrive in extreme environments. However, the interpretation of previous findings caused some debate within the scientific community, as the presence of phosphine appeared to vary with time and daylight, suggesting possible breakdown processes driven by sunlight. The VERVE mission comes at a critical juncture, especially as the funding challenges for NASA's own mission, dubbed DAVINCI, have surfaced due to political changes in the U.S. An effective comparison between the VERVE and DAVINCI missions may ultimately enrich our understanding of Venusian atmospheric chemistry and the prospects for extraterrestrial life within our solar system, underscoring the imperative for conducting more exploratory missions focused on habitability.