WHY IS GAS MISSING ON URANUS AND NEPTUNE?

Let’s get one thing out of the way… ammonia stinks. It’s a colourless, irritating gas that occurs naturally, and one whiff of the strong odour can feel sharply suffocating. Even so, it’s essential. You’ll find it in the air, water and soil here on Earth, and while too much of it can be harmful, it’s necessary for the growth of plants and crops. Ammonia is also produced in our bodies by bacteria in our intestines and by our bodies’ cells when we process protein. Passed through the liver as waste, it ends up being directed through the kidneys and removed in our urine. So yes, ammonia smells, but it’s also fascinating. Found across the universe, it’s been the subject of many scientific studies over the years.

In 2016, for instance, there was a major breakthrough when ammonia was discovered in Earth’s lowest atmospheric layer for the very first time. Its presence in the troposphere above India and China was believed to be due to livestock farming and fertilisation. It has been helping scientists with climate change models, since