LIFE ON THE EARTH betrays its presence in images and measurements made by the Galileo spacecraft. This false-color infrared image reveals a mysterious red-absorbing pigment (chlorophyll, which appears orange-brown here) painting the continents. No such pigment is seen anywhere else in the solar system. Spectra indicate that the earth's atmosphere is unusually rich in molecular oxygen and methane. Galileo has boosted scientists' confidence that they may be able to spot the telltale signs of life even if it is different from life on the earth.

Image: NASA

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Scientific American

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