Molecular oxygen detected in Venus' hellish atmosphere. Whereas breathable oxygen consists of two bonded oxygen atoms, creating the molecule O2, molecular oxygen is a soup of single, free-floating oxygen atoms. #astronomy #worldbuilding
https://www.livescience.com/space/venus/oxygen-detected-in-venus-hellish-atmosphere
Follow
@DeborahJRoss free oxygen atoms are called "atomic oxygen", not "molecular oxygen" which refers to the usual dioxygen molecule O2. It's a mistake in the Livescience article.
@mjambon @DeborahJRoss Yes, if you click through to the Nature article it says atomic oxygen. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-42389-x?utm_medium=affiliate&utm_source=commission_junction&utm_campaign=CONR_PF018_ECOM_GL_PHSS_ALWYS_DEEPLINK&utm_content=textlink&utm_term=PID100052171&CJEVENT=2252b418827011ee81bc00030a82b836