Cardiff University
Cardiff, Wales, UK

26 July 2008

Men are from Earth, Microbes are from Venus ?

Venus, Earth's sister planet, has historically been written off as a planet
which could harbour life. It has a dense atmosphere of mostly Carbon
Dioxide, a strong greenhouse effect and surface temperatures of 450 degrees
Celsius.

However, a new paper in the journal Astrophysics and Space Science by
Professor Chandra Wickramasinghe and Dr. Janaki Wickramasinghe of the
Cardiff Centre of Astrobiology suggests otherwise. They claim that the
clouds of Venus could support microbial life -- which could be transported
to Earth.

After analysing new data from the European Space Agency's Venus Express
probe, the authors claim that bacteria which have been found in extreme
conditions in sulphurous hot springs on Earth would also thrive in the
Venusian clouds. The paper suggests that the chemical composition of the
clouds, as well as the sizes and optical properties of its dust, show
consistency with the action of microorganisms.

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/phoenix/release.php?ArticleID=1800

Phoenix Completes Longest Work Shift
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
July 22, 2008

TUCSON, Ariz. -- Phoenix early Tuesday finished its longest work shift
of the mission. The lander stayed awake for 33 hours, completing tasks
that included rasping and scraping by the robotic arm, in addition to
atmosphere observations in coordination with simultaneous observations
by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.

"Our rasping test yesterday gave us enough confidence that we're now
planning for the next use of the rasp to be for acquiring a sample to
be
delivered to TEGA," said Phoenix project manager Barry Goldstein of
NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. TEGA is Phoenix's
Thermal and Evolved-Gas Analyzer, an instrument that heats samples in
small ovens and uses a mass spectrometer to study the vapors driven
off
by the heating.

July 22, 2008

Sonja Alexander
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1761
sonja.r.alexander@nasa.gov

Rachel Prucey
Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif.
650-604-0643
rachel.l.prucey@nasa.gov

Rhea Borja
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena
818-354-0850
rhea.borja@jpl.nasa.gov

RELEASE: 08-182

NASA'S AMES, JPL WIN NASA SOFTWARE OF YEAR AWARD

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2008-138

Spitzer Reveals 'No Organics' Zone Around Pinwheel Galaxy
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
July 21, 2008

The Pinwheel galaxy is gussied up in infrared light in a new picture
from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope.

The fluffy-looking galaxy, officially named Messier 101, is dominated
by a mishmash of spiral arms. In Spitzer's new view, in which infrared
light is color coded, the galaxy sports a swirling blue center and a
unique, coral-red outer ring.

A new paper appearing July 20 in the Astrophysical Journal explains
why
this outer ring stands out. According to the authors, the red color
highlights a zone where organic molecules called polycyclic aromatic
hydrocarbons, which are present throughout most of the galaxy,
suddenly
disappear.

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/phoenix/release.php?ArticleID=1796

NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander Works Through the Night
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
July 21, 2008

TUCSON, Ariz. -- To coordinate with observations made by an orbiter
flying repeatedly overhead, NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander is working a
schedule Monday that includes staying awake all night for the first
time.

Phoenix is using its weather station, stereo camera and conductivity
probe to monitor changes in the lower atmosphere and ground surface at
the same time NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter studies the
atmosphere
and ground from above.

July 21, 2008

John Yembrick
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-0602
John.yembrick-1@nasa.gov

RELEASE: 08-181

STATEMENT ON INACCURATE REPORTS ABOUT JAPANESE CARGO SERVICES

WASHINGTON -- Contrary to news reports, NASA has not officially or
unofficially been discussing the purchase of H-II Transfer Vehicles
(HTV) -- uninhabited resupply cargo ships for the space station --
from the Japanese Space Agency, or JAXA.