For a long time, humans have been toying with the idea that life exists elsewhere. It is a comforting thought, to think that there may be others with us in the galaxy, that we are not alone, and that perhaps, if we really need to, we may be able to have an escape plan and go somewhere else.

Earlier this month, a group of scientists discovered what could possibly be signs of life on a previously thought to be inhospitable planet, Venus. 

While astronomers have long been fascinated with the red planet that is Mars – thinking it could bode for a potential human future – now the world has turned towards Venus. Scientists found a chemical known as phosphine in the planet’s atmosphere. This biosignature gas’ existence suggests that there may be life on the planet. This is by no means conclusive evidence, and the astronomy world has yet to understand why this gas exists on the Earth-like planet, but what we know is that there may be a possibility for humans elsewhere in the galaxy.

Sara Seager, author of the paper that announced the discovery and a professor at MIT shared in an interview, “It will definitely fuel more research into the possibilities for life in Venus’s atmosphere.” While NASA hasn’t sent anything to Venus in a while, there may be some potential missions that will explore a new potential hospitable planet.

Everyone’s a little tired of Earth right now even though it may be more accurate for Earth to be tired of us. After all, 2020 is nothing but a culmination of our effects on our planet and how we managed to basically plunger it. But this could be a new gateway for the human race, and a part of us is a little hopeful about it.