"Unveiling the Iron-Sulfur Mystery Behind Venus's Cloud Absorption"

Researchers have identified two iron-bearing sulfate minerals, rhomboclase and acid ferric sulfate, as the mysterious components causing the UV absorption features in the clouds of Venus. These findings, published in Science Advances, were achieved through synthesizing minerals under Venus-like conditions and analyzing their spectroscopic properties. This discovery by the University of Cambridge and collaborative labs sheds light on the chemical processes in Venus's atmosphere and sets the stage for future exploratory missions by NASA and ESA.