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Strange Chemistry The atmospheres of the giant planets possess a chemistry strange to inhabitants of Earth's benign nitrogen-oxygen envelope. Gases that would be powerful toxins to terrestrial lifeforms are routinely generated by chemical reactions within Jupiter and Saturn's swirling clouds, By understanding the processes that create these compounds, we can learn a bit more about how such planets form. This composite image from Voyager 2's cameras exaggerates color differences within Jupiter's atmosphere, which are due to the chemical compositions of the clouds JPL / NASA