ook loser firstnews issue 745 25 september – 1 october ......ook loser firstnews issue 745 25...

Look Closer FirstNews Issue 745 25 September – 1 October 2020

FOR many years, space rockets and probes have been sent to Mars looking for evidence of life, but maybe scientists have been looking on the wrong planet: a new discovery shows life could be found on Venus instead.

Venus, Earth and Mars

LIFE ON LIFE ON VENUS?VENUS?

Scientists were shocked to find a compound of hydrogen and phosphorous called phosphine in the clouds above Venus earlier this year, when they viewed the planet through the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT) in Hawaii.

Phosphine on Earth is made by microbes – the most basic form of life – so scientists thought it was possible that microbes could also be making the phosphine they discovered on Venus.

For Professor Jane Greaves, who led the research team, the project was driven by curiosity. It was more a case of ruling things out than expecting to find anything important. Venus is a very hostile environment, as the surface of the planet is extremely hot and the clouds are very acidic. Scientists had wondered for years whether the clouds could contain microbes floating free above the scorching surface, but that were still able to stand the acidic atmosphere.

Dr William Bains, who was also involved in the project, considered some of the possible natural causes for phosphine, but none could have produced the amount that was observed. The existence of microbes is thought to be a very likely cause, but the team say that confirming the presence of life will need a lot more work.

The discovery raises many questions. The microbes on Earth could not survive in such an acidic atmosphere, so how could microbes exist in the clouds of Venus? One idea is that they could protect themselves inside the cloud droplets.

Answers may take a while, however. The only way to prove what created the phosphine is to take samples of droplets from the clouds, and that will mean a mission to Venus.

Venus is named after the Roman goddess of love.Venus is the second planet from the sun, but it is the hottest planet in the solar system. The surface temperature on Venus is about 465°C – hot enough to melt lead.Its thick, toxic atmosphere is full of greenhouse gases. It is shrouded in clouds made of sulphuric acid and its crushing air pressure is 90 times that of Earth. Not so lovely, huh?! It takes about four months for a spacecraft to travel to Venus.The Russian spacecraft Venera 13 landed on Venus in 1981, but lasted just two hours before succumbing to the extreme conditions.There are no planned launches to Venus in the immediate future, although the Japanese spacecraft Akatsuki is currently orbiting Venus.

MORE ABOUT VENUS

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SCIENCE NEWS

The James Clerk Maxwell

Telescope in Hawaii HAWAII


Science News – Life on Venus?

GLOSSARY

compound – A chemical that is made from two or more substances

microbes – Tiny, very basic life forms that can only be seen with a microscope. They include bacteria, viruses and fungi

greenhouse gases – Gases that trap heat in the atmosphere and cause a planet to warm up. Carbon dioxide is the main greenhouse gas causing climate change on Earth. It is also the main gas in the atmosphere of Venus

1. Why has the journalist put a question mark after the headline?

2. Complete the details about the new discovery.

The name of the chemical:

What it is made from:

Where it was found on Venus:

3. Can you explain why this discovery makes experts think there might be life on Venus?

4. How do you know that the scientists were surprised by this discovery? Find the evidence.

5. True or false?

6. “The discovery raises many questions.”Give an example of a question – one from the article or one of your own.

7. What job are you told that Dr William Bains did on this project?

8. Which option provides the best summary of this article?

Phosphine proves the existence of life.

The possibility of life on Venus.

The search for life on Mars and Venus.

9. Why do you think the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope is based in Hawaii? Look at the map and use your own knowledge.

10. Do you think it will ever be possible to collect samples of the clouds around Venus and bring them back? Explain your opinion using evidence from the article.

TRUE FALSEThe research team was led by Dr Bains.

Scientists had already wondered if life might exist on Venus.

Lead would be a puddle of liquid on the surface of Venus.

The main gas in the atmosphere of Venus is carbon dioxide.

Venus is the planet closest to the sun, which is why it is so hot.


Science News – Life on Venus?

GLOSSARY

compound – A chemical that is made from two or more substances

microbes – Tiny, very basic life forms that can only be seen with a microscope. They include bacteria, viruses and fungi

greenhouse gases – Gases that trap heat in the atmosphere and cause a planet to warm up. Carbon dioxide is the main greenhouse gas causing climate change on Earth. It is also the main gas in the atmosphere of Venus

1. Why has the journalist put a question mark after the headline?

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2. Complete the details about the new discovery.

The name of the chemical:

What it is made from:

Where it was found on Venus:

3. Can you explain why this discovery makes experts think there might be life on Venus?

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4. How do you know that the scientists were surprised by this discovery? Find the evidence.

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5. True or false?

6. “The discovery raises many questions.”Give an example of a question – one from the article or one of your own.

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7. What job are you told that Dr William Bains did on this project?

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8. Which option provides the best summary of this article?




9. Why do you think the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope is based in Hawaii? Look at the map and use your own knowledge.

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10. Do you think it will ever be possible to collect samples of the clouds around Venus and bring them back? Explain your opinion using evidence from the article.

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HAWAII


AIM OF THE NEWS COMPREHENSIONS: News reports are unique non-fiction texts. Being real, they naturally engage students, and with the range of topics that are covered, help to develop pupils’ knowledge and understanding of the wider world outside the classroom. The reports are ideal for short, focused comprehension or discussion activities. Along with the opportunity to find fascinating facts and appreciate the opinions of those involved, there is plenty to be inferred and deduced to understand in more depth what is being reported. Like authors, journalists play with language, so news ‘stories’ are rich nuggets of text to investigate and provide the opportunity for literacy programmes.

TEACHER ANSWER GUIDE: The teacher answers are intended to provide a quick reference guide. Suggestions are given for the ‘Expected response’ or starting point that pupils could give. The ‘Development’ then gives more in-depth ideas that students can work towards as they develop their reading comprehension skills.

For a list of the reading skills used, please email [email protected].

TEACHER ANSWERS

1. Why has the journalist put a question mark after the headline?READING SKILL – Infer information and justify with evidence (NC 2c & 8)Expected response• To show it’s a question. They don’t know the answer yet.Development• To show that experts don’t know that there is life on Venus yet; it’s just a possibility.• It’s a possibility, not a fact.

2. Complete the details about the new discovery.READING SKILL – Find and explain information (NC 2a)Expected responseThe name of the chemical: Phosphine

What it is made from: Hydrogen and phosphorus

Where it was found on Venus: In the clouds

3. Can you explain why this discovery makes experts think there might be life on Venus?READING SKILL – Find and explain information (NC 2a)Expected response• Phosphine on Earth is made by microbes, so the scientists are wondering if the phosphine on Venus is also made by

microbes.

4. How do you know that the scientists were surprised by this discovery? Find the evidence.READING SKILL – Infer information and justify with evidence (NC 2c & 8)Expected response• It says the “scientists were shocked”.Development• The article also says that the experts weren’t expecting to find anything important.

5. True or false?READING SKILL – Find and explain information (NC 2a)Expected response







6. “The discovery raises many questions.”Give an example of a question – one from the article or one of your own.READING SKILL – Ask questions to help understanding (NC2b)Expected response• How can the microbes cope with such an acidic environment when the microbes on Earth can’t?Development• Are these microbes similar to those on Earth, or are they completely different?• How do they cope with such an extreme and hostile environment?• Could the experts have made a mistake? Could the phosphine have come from somewhere else?• Could there be any other life forms on Venus?

7. What job are you told that Dr William Bains did on this project?READING SKILL – Infer information and justify with evidence (NC 2c & 8)Expected response• He considered some of the possible natural causes of phosphine. Development• He had to look into whether the phosphine could have come from any other natural sources, or whether microbes are

the only possible explanation.

8. Which option provides the best summary of this article?READING SKILL – Summarise information from more than one paragraph (NC 2e)Expected response




9. Why do you think the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope is based in Hawaii? Look at the map and use your own knowledge.READING SKILL – Infer information and justify with evidence (NC 2c & 8)READING SKILL – Infer information based on own knowledge (non-text based inference) (NC 6, 7 & 8)Expected response• It’s in the middle of the ocean. Development• It’s in the middle of the Pacific Ocean and far away from large areas where people live. This probably means the skies will

be dark and not spoilt by light pollution, giving the telescope a clearer view of the universe.

10. Do you think it will ever be possible to collect samples of the clouds around Venus and bring them back? Explain your opinion using evidence from the article.READING SKILL – Develop opinions and provide justifications for viewpoints (NC 6, 7 & 8)Expected responseAnswers such as:• Yes. There is already a spacecraft orbiting Venus, so I expect one day we will work out how to collect a cloud sample.• No, the environment is too hostile.Development• Yes. It only takes four months to get to Venus and they have already sent at least two spacecraft to the planet. The

Russian spacecraft managed to last two hours on the surface, so I think it would be possible for a spacecraft to stay in the clouds without touching down, take a sample and come back.

• No. The planet has a very hostile environment and the combination of heat, pressure and acid must make it very difficult for a spacecraft to operate. Plus, how would the spacecraft get back to Earth?

ook loser firstnews issue 745 25 september – 1 october ......ook loser firstnews issue 745 25...

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