Scientists may have discovered signs of life on Venus, and if confirmed, the scorching planet could be a new focus for the search for life on other planets. According to an in-depth report from NYTimes on two recent published papers, researchers have discovered phosphine gas in the atmosphere of Venus, which suggests some form of life on the planet. Considering phosphine is often a creation of bacteria and microbes – also known as living organisms – the researchers involved in the study believe any life on Venus would have to exist, "inside cloud liquid droplets for the majority of its life cycle," according to the paper in Nature Astronomy. “This is an astonishing and ‘out of the blue’ finding,” Sara Seager, a planetary scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and an author of the papers told the NYTimes. “It will definitely fuel more research into the possibilities for life in Venus’s atmosphere.” Astrophysicist at San Francisco State University and University of San Francisco, Aaron White, talked with IGN about why this discovery is such a huge deal and what it means for the future of space exploration. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=cosmos-possible-worlds-gallery&captions=true"] "One of astronomy's biggest unanswered questions is whether life on Earth is rare and unique, or if we're just one of many places all throughout the universe filled with living things," White said. "This discovery is the most solid evidence we've had so far to suggest life could be common. There are several different places in our solar system where we've guessed life could be discovered, and Venus was definitely the most hostile place we could have found it." White said there is still a lot of work that needs to be done to confirm this hypothesis, "but if it holds up, it could mean life is hardy enough to show up wherever it's even vaguely possible."

Lack of Confirmation, But More Exploration

"Even though Venus is our closest neighbor, there's still a lot of things we don't know about the planet," White explained. "Over the last few decades there's only been a small handful of space missions that have gone to explore it (compared to a few dozen that have gone to Mars), so this discovery is really going to motivate more spacecraft that will look closely at Venus's clouds and what lies below them, and help fill in some of the gaps in our understanding. It's also going to motivate us even more to investigate the other places in the solar system where we expect life could be hiding out. "There was a study released last year suggesting that this particular chemical was a prime candidate in the search for life on planets outside our solar system, so this is likely to really kickstart lots of work into looking for it on distant planets as well," White said. White was very clear that this is not a confirmation of life on Venus. "This is a detection of a weird chemical in Venus's atmosphere that we can't explain yet. The team stressed that they *aren't* claiming to have found life," he said. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-25-best-sci-fi-movies&captions=true"] Those hoping to see aliens, or Destiny guardians thinking this is their chance, shouldn't get too excited, as even if it did turn out that some form of alien life exists on Venus, the average temperature on the planet is over 800 degrees Fahrenheit, and the atmosphere's pressure is over 1,300 pounds per square inch, which the NYTimes explains is the equivalent to being 3,000 feet underwater.

Where Do Scientists Go From Here?

"Now that this work has been released, other scientists in the field are going to be spending the coming weeks and months trying to work out any possible non-biological ways to generate the chemistry that was observed," White explained. "That said... outside of something like a snarling Xenomorph showing up on our doorstep, this is exactly the kind of thing you'd expect to see as the first step towards finding life, and the biggest step forward we've taken in finding signs that we're not alone in the Universe." If the thought of alien life on Venus has you wanting some more off-world science, be sure to check out our list of the 25 best sci-fi movies and then read about how some scientists claim there's evidence of a parallel universe where time runs backward. For more planetary science, read about a recent report that claims the moon is rusting and then check out this story about 139 minor planets at the edge of our solar system. For further questions on this new discovery or anything to do with space, connect with Astrophysicist Aaron White on Twitter @Astrowut. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jessie Wade is Home Editor at IGN and the science gal. Chat with her on Twitter @jessieannwade.  Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes. 

Lovecraft Country star Jonathan Majors is reportedly heading to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and he may be playing one of the most iconic Marvel villains of all time. Deadline reports Majors has signed on to play a major villain character in the third Ant-Man movie. According to Deadline's source, that villain may be none other than Kang the Conqueror. Little else is known about the untitled sequel at this point, though director Peyton Reed is expected to return along with Paul Rudd as Scott Lang and Michael Douglas as Dr. Hank Pym. We did recently learn Rick and Morty writer Jeff Loveness has started writing the script, and production is expected to begin in 2021 (barring any coronavirus-induced delays). [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=marvel-cinematic-universe-every-upcoming-movie-and-tv-show&captions=true"] Assuming Deadline's source is correct, this casting could give us a better idea of the sequel's plot and the larger direction of the MCU in Phase 4. Kang the Conqueror is widely regarded as one of the Avengers' greatest foes. A master time traveler who goes by many other names (including Immortus, Rama-Tut and the Scarlet Centurion), Kang uses his advanced technology to make himself the ruler of a far-future Marvel Universe. We've previously speculated Avengers: Endgame may have been setting the stage for Kang's debut in Phase 4. That movie deals heavily with time travel and the Avengers' struggle to undo Thanos' act of cosmic genocide, opening the door for more time-related conflicts in the MCU. And while Kang isn't a character normally associated with Ant-Man, the fact that the Quantum Realm and Ant-Man's Pym Particle technology were used as the basis for time travel makes the villain a natural addition to the mix in the next movie. However Kang factors into Ant-Man 3, we doubt this will be a one-off role for Majors. Kang is a character who's fought against and alongside the Avengers and other superhero teams many, many times, and he's a prime candidate to become the next Thanos-level villain of the MCU. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/07/25/hbos-lovecraft-country-official-panel-comic-con-2020"] Marvel has yet to respond to Deadline's report. While we wait for more Ant-Man 3 news, check out IGN's review of Lovecraft Country's series premiere to learn why the HBO series should be on your watch-list this year, and why Majors is a great fit for the MCU. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.

Lovecraft Country star Jonathan Majors is reportedly heading to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and he may be playing one of the most iconic Marvel villains of all time. Deadline reports Majors has signed on to play a major villain character in the third Ant-Man movie. According to Deadline's source, that villain may be none other than Kang the Conqueror. Little else is known about the untitled sequel at this point, though director Peyton Reed is expected to return along with Paul Rudd as Scott Lang and Michael Douglas as Dr. Hank Pym. We did recently learn Rick and Morty writer Jeff Loveness has started writing the script, and production is expected to begin in 2021 (barring any coronavirus-induced delays). [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=marvel-cinematic-universe-every-upcoming-movie-and-tv-show&captions=true"] Assuming Deadline's source is to be believed, however, this casting could give us a better idea of the sequel's plot and the larger direction of the MCU in Phase 4. Kang the Conqueror is widely regarded as one of the Avengers' greatest foes. A master time traveler who goes by many other names (including Immortus, Rama-Tut and the Scarlet Centurion), Kang uses his advanced technology to make himself the ruler of a far-future Marvel Universe. We've previously speculated Avengers: Endgame may have been setting the stage for Kang's debut in Phase 4. That movie deals heavily with time travel and the Avengers' struggle to undo Thanos act of cosmic genocide, opening the door for more time-related conflicts in the MCU. And while Kang isn't a character normally associated with Ant-Man, the fact that the Quantum Realm and Ant-Man's Pym Particle technology were used as the basis for time travel makes the villain a natural addition to the mix in the next movie. However Kang factors into Ant-Man 3, we doubt this will be a one-off role for Majors. Kang is a character who's fought against and alongside the Avengers and other superhero teams countless times, and he's a prime candidate to become the next Thanos-level villain of the MCU. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/07/25/hbos-lovecraft-country-official-panel-comic-con-2020"] Marvel has yet to respond to Deadline's report. While we wait for more Ant-Man 3 news, check out IGN's review of Lovecraft Country's series premiere to learn why the HBO series should be on your watch-list this year, and why Majors is a great fit for the MCU. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.

Co-op dinosaur shooter Second Extinction will launch into Steam Early Access this October with plenty of content for day-one players. Systemic Reaction, a studio within Avalanche's family of developers, announced today that its upcoming online cooperative dino-shooter will launch into Steam Early Access on PC on Oct. 13 for $24.99. This is a small shift from its original September release window but this version of the game will feature plenty of content for those jumping in on day one nonetheless. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/09/14/second-extinction-early-access-release-date-reveal-trailer"] On Oct. 13, players can expect four heroes, 10 weapons with five tiers of upgrades for each weapon, six main missions, and "many side missions across 7 regions." While no release window or date has been announced for the following, Systemic Reaction said players can expect load out modifiers, like party buffs for each mission, in a future update, as well as armor augments and additional mutation and related effects. The studio also said that new experimental game modes will be added at a later time as well, including a horde mode that pits you and your team against waves of dinosaurs. For those unfamiliar with the game, it was revealed earlier this year during Xbox's May event as a 3-player cooperative shooter that pits you and your teammates against mutated dinosaurs that have overrun a frozen Earth. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=second-extinction-september-screenshots&captions=true"] "Fight side by side with your friends against beastly predators long thought extinct — now mutated and deadlier than ever," a press release from Systemic Reaction reads. "The War Effort is Second Extinction's global metagame: by slaying dinos, completing missions, and more, players will determine the kinds of enemies, activities, challenges, and rewards they'll face in different regions around the world." For more Second Extinction, be sure to check out the game's announcement trailer and then check out this IGN world premiere of gameplay. You can also read about our thoughts on the game after going hands-on with Second Extinction earlier this month. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes. 

Co-op dinosaur shooter Second Extinction will launch into Steam Early Access this October with plenty of content for day-one players. Systemic Reaction, a studio within Avalanche's family of developers, announced today that its upcoming online cooperative dino-shooter will launch into Steam Early Access on PC on Oct. 13 for $24.99. This is a small shift from its original September release window but this version of the game will feature plenty of content for those jumping in on day one nonetheless. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/09/14/second-extinction-early-access-release-date-reveal-trailer"] On Oct. 13, players can expect four heroes, 10 weapons with five tiers of upgrades for each weapon, six main missions, and "many side missions across 7 regions." While no release window or date has been announced for the following, Systemic Reaction said players can expect load out modifiers, like party buffs for each mission, in a future update, as well as armor augments and additional mutation and related effects. The studio also said that new experimental game modes will be added at a later time as well, including a horde mode that pits you and your team against waves of dinosaurs. For those unfamiliar with the game, it was revealed earlier this year during Xbox's May event as a 3-player cooperative shooter that pits you and your teammates against mutated dinosaurs that have overrun a frozen Earth. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=second-extinction-september-screenshots&captions=true"] "Fight side by side with your friends against beastly predators long thought extinct — now mutated and deadlier than ever," a press release from Systemic Reaction reads. "The War Effort is Second Extinction's global metagame: by slaying dinos, completing missions, and more, players will determine the kinds of enemies, activities, challenges, and rewards they'll face in different regions around the world." For more Second Extinction, be sure to check out the game's announcement trailer and then check out this IGN world premiere of gameplay. You can also read about our thoughts on the game after going hands-on with Second Extinction earlier this month. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes. 

After being pushed back nearly a year, DC's Batman/Catwoman series finally has a release date. Fans can look forward to the first chapter of Tom King and Clay Mann's latest collaboration on December 1, 2020. Alongside this news, DC has revealed a trio of covers for Batwoman/Catwoman #1, including a new version of Mann's previous teaser art recolored by Tomeu Morey and variant covers by Travis Charest and Jim Lee. Check out the slideshow gallery below to see all the art revealed so far: [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=batmancatwoman-preview-art-teases-a-steamy-superhero-romance&captions=true"] Batman/Catwoman is meant to be the final act in King's long Batman saga, building on the fallout of 2019's Batman #85 and the renewed romance between Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle. The series will explore several major twists in Batman's life, including Catwoman's pregnancy and the return of his former lover, Andrea Beaumont. That's right, the Phantasm is finally making her DC Comics debut. DC has shed more light on the plot of the series, revealing that it takes place across three time periods. A flashback storyline will shed more light on the early days of the Bat/Cat relationship and that eternal question - was it the street or the boat? The present-day storyline will explore the challenges facing the couple as they try to balance their costumed and personal lives and deal with the rise of the Phantasm. And finally, a flash-forward storyline will focus on an aging Selina as she mourns her late husband and hatches a revenge plot. DC also teases Joker has a big part to play in the series. Bat-fans may remember that both Joker and Catwoman debuted in the pages of 1940's Batman #1, making the Clown Prince of Crime the one villain whose relationship with Batman is as old as Catwoman's. And just as Joker played a key role in convincing Selina to leave Bruce at the altar in Batman #50, he's returning to sabotage his foe's latest attempt at happiness. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/09/12/the-flash-movie-features-lots-of-superheroes-and-will-restart-the-dceu-dc-fandome"] Batman/Catwoman is written by Tom King, drawn by Clay Mann, colored by Tomeu Morey, lettered by Clayton Cowles and edited by Jamie S. Rich and Brittany Holzherr. Both Mann and Charest will provide covers for each issues. This 12-issue limited series will be published under DC's mature readers Black Label imprint. The series is expected to ship monthly beginning in December (a benefit of the long delay), though it'll skip June 2021 in favor of a standalone issue dubbed Batman/Catwoman Special #1. Batman/Catwoman was one of IGN's picks for our most anticipated comics of 2020, and it's good to know the series will just barely make it in that window. Unfortunately, things aren't looking good on the Saga front... Are you still excited for the final chapter of King's epic Batman saga? Let us know in the comments below. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.

After being pushed back nearly a year, DC's Batman/Catwoman series finally has a release date. Fans can look forward to the first chapter of Tom King and Clay Mann's latest collaboration on December 1, 2020. Alongside this news, DC has revealed a trio of covers for Batwoman/Catwoman #1, including a new version of Mann's previous teaser art recolored by Tomeu Morey and variant covers by Travis Charest and Jim Lee. Check out the slideshow gallery below to see all the art revealed so far: [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=batmancatwoman-preview-art-teases-a-steamy-superhero-romance&captions=true"] Batman/Catwoman is meant to be the final act in King's long Batman saga, building on the fallout of 2019's Batman #85 and the renewed romance between Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle. The series will explore several major twists in Batman's life, including Catwoman's pregnancy and the return of his former lover, Andrea Beaumont. That's right, the Phantasm is finally making her DC Comics debut. DC has shed more light on the plot of the series, revealing that it takes place across three time periods. A flashback storyline will shed more light on the early days of the Bat/Cat relationship and that eternal question - was it the street or the boat? The present-day storyline will explore the challenges facing the couple as they try to balance their costumed and personal lives and deal with the rise of the Phantasm. And finally, a flash-forward storyline will focus on an aging Selina as she mourns her late husband and hatches a revenge plot. DC also teases Joker has a big part to play in the series. Bat-fans may remember that both Joker and Catwoman debuted in the pages of 1940's Batman #1, making the Clown Prince of Crime the one villain whose relationship with Batman is as old as Catwoman's. And just as Joker played a key role in convincing Selina to leave Bruce at the altar in Batman #50, he's returning to sabotage his foe's latest attempt at happiness. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/09/12/the-flash-movie-features-lots-of-superheroes-and-will-restart-the-dceu-dc-fandome"] Batman/Catwoman is written by Tom King, drawn by Clay Mann, colored by Tomeu Morey, lettered by Clayton Cowles and edited by Jamie S. Rich and Brittany Holzherr. Both Mann and Charest will provide covers for each issues. This 12-issue limited series will be published under DC's mature readers Black Label imprint. The series is expected to ship monthly beginning in December (a benefit of the long delay), though it'll skip June 2021 in favor of a standalone issue dubbed Batman/Catwoman Special #1. Batman/Catwoman was one of IGN's picks for our most anticipated comics of 2020, and it's good to know the series will just barely make it in that window. Unfortunately, things aren't looking good on the Saga front... Are you still excited for the final chapter of King's epic Batman saga? Let us know in the comments below. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.

Update: Bungie CEO Pete Parsons has weighed in, simply saying that the reports are "false".

This is false.

— pete parsons (@pparsons) September 14, 2020

Bungie Director of Global Public Relations Vanessa Vanasin went into more detail on Twitter, saying, "All of the info and speculation out there is not true. We are lucky to have a great relationship with our many friends [at Microsoft] who play Destiny, and Halo will always have a special place in our hearts.” We've contacted Microsoft for its own statement. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Microsoft has reportedly been in talks to reacquire Destiny developer Bungie, which recently negotiated independence from franchise publisher Activision. The news is sourced from the GamesBeat podcast, where the hosts discuss the potential acquisition or a special partnership between Microsoft and Bungie. "I have heard they've had those talks, but like, the price is very high!" says Kinda Funny's Imran Khan. "I've heard that they've fallen through repeatedly," notes GamesBeat's Jeffrey Grubb. Eurogamer has also corroborated the story, citing its own sources and adding that they have been "driven on Bungie's side by a desire to raise new funds for the studio, its projects and staff", and that the two parties are yet to agree on a price. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/06/09/destiny-2-beyond-light-reveal-trailer"] It's unclear whether those talks are still open, or if the difference in pricing has led to the matter being closed. It's an interesting proposition given Bungie's relationship with Microsoft, who purchased the studio back in 2000, spawning many successful Halo games. Bungie later split from the Xbox crowd in 2007 before returning with Destiny in 2014 as part of a ten-year partnership with series publisher Activision. However, Activision and Bungie mutually parted ways early in 2019, with the developer maintaining the rights to Destiny. It's clear that Bungie is apparently prepared to drive a hard bargain if they were to get back into bed with Microsoft. Back in July, ex-Bungie board member Marty O'Donnell noted that Bungie almost went back to Microsoft after the separation, but the publisher would not let the studio retain the Destiny IP, so Bungie dealt with Activision instead. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

Update: Bungie CEO Pete Parsons has weighed in, simply saying that the reports are "false".

This is false.

— pete parsons (@pparsons) September 14, 2020

Bungie Director of Global Public Relations Vanessa Vanasin went into more detail on Twitter, saying, "All of the info and speculation out there is not true. We are lucky to have a great relationship with our many friends [at Microsoft] who play Destiny, and Halo will always have a special place in our hearts.” We've contacted Microsoft for its own statement. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Microsoft has reportedly been in talks to reacquire Destiny developer Bungie, which recently negotiated independence from franchise publisher Activision. The news is sourced from the GamesBeat podcast, where the hosts discuss the potential acquisition or a special partnership between Microsoft and Bungie. "I have heard they've had those talks, but like, the price is very high!" says Kinda Funny's Imran Khan. "I've heard that they've fallen through repeatedly," notes GamesBeat's Jeffrey Grubb. Eurogamer has also corroborated the story, citing its own sources and adding that they have been "driven on Bungie's side by a desire to raise new funds for the studio, its projects and staff", and that the two parties are yet to agree on a price. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/06/09/destiny-2-beyond-light-reveal-trailer"] It's unclear whether those talks are still open, or if the difference in pricing has led to the matter being closed. It's an interesting proposition given Bungie's relationship with Microsoft, who purchased the studio back in 2000, spawning many successful Halo games. Bungie later split from the Xbox crowd in 2007 before returning with Destiny in 2014 as part of a ten-year partnership with series publisher Activision. However, Activision and Bungie mutually parted ways early in 2019, with the developer maintaining the rights to Destiny. It's clear that Bungie is apparently prepared to drive a hard bargain if they were to get back into bed with Microsoft. Back in July, ex-Bungie board member Marty O'Donnell noted that Bungie almost went back to Microsoft after the separation, but the publisher would not let the studio retain the Destiny IP, so Bungie dealt with Activision instead. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

The Nintendo Switch was once again the best-selling system in August 2020, and it also set the record for the Highest August dollar sales for a hardware platform in US history, surpassing the August 2008 dollar sales of the Nintendo Wii. As revealed by The NPD Group's Mat Piscatella, the Switch also more than doubled its unit sales total from August 2019. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/07/20/madden-21-review"] As for games, Madden NFL 2021 was the best-selling title of August 2020, achieving a "double-digit percentage dollar sales growth compared to the release month of Madden NFL 20." It debuted at the 6th best-selling game of 2020, and this marks the 21st consecutive year a Madden NFL franchise game has been the best-selling title in its release month. UFC 4 claimed the second spot, setting a new franchise record, and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare took third place. Final Fantasy VII Remake returned to the top 20 best-selling list at #19 after finishing #41 in July 2020, following a discount in the month of August. In addition to the Switch selling incredibly well, Nintendo games accounted for 10 of the top 20 games this month. The full list of August 2020's top 20 best-selling games is as follows; [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/09/03/super-mario-3d-all-stars-official-trailer"]

August 2020's Best-Selling Games

1. Madden NFL 21
2. UFC 4
3. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
4. Ghost of Tsushima
5. Animal Crossing: New Horizons
6. Ring Fit Adventure
7. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
8. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
9. Paper Mario: The Origami King
10. Mortal Kombat 11
11. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
12. The Last of Us Part 2
13. Minecraft: PlayStation 4 Edition
14. PGA Tour 2K21
15. New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe
16. Super Mario Party
17. Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege
18. Super Mario Odyssey
19. Final Fantasy VII Remake
20. Luigi's Mansion 3

Consumer spending across video game hardware, content, and accessories was $3.3 billion, a 37% increase when compared to August 2019. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-best-reviewed-games-of-2020&captions=true"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com. Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.