Venus: No Longer Considered Earth’s Twin
Venus has long been dubbed Earth’s twin due to its similar size and composition. Scientists even theorized that Venus might harbor life. However, groundbreaking research reveals that Venus is actually much different from Earth’s temperate conditions.
Increases the Distance Between Earth and Venus.
A new study, titled “A Dry Venusian Interior Constrained by Atmospheric Chemistry,” published in Nature Astronomy in December 2024 by Tereza Constantinou and colleagues, has overturned a long-held belief: Venus likely never had vast oceans.
This brings a new perspective to the search for life.
Constantinou, a scientist from Cambridge Institute of Astronomy, explained that water has traditionally been considered aerequisite for life on planets. The recent findings, however, revealed a complete lack of evidence for water or oceans on Venus.
“We would have loved to know that Venus used to be much closer to Earth, so it was a little sad to find out that wasn’t the case,” Constantinou shared, reflecting on the impact of the discovery.
To understand the conditions on the surface of Venus, Constantinou and her team examined the chemical composition of its atmosphere. The results were startling: Venus has incredibly high temperatures, making it a less hospitable location than initially believed.
Temperatures on Venus can reach 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit, or 500 degrees Celsius. This scorching heat would melt lead and most metals. The atmosphere is a toxic cocktail, dense with sulfuric acid clouds.
“Despite being the closest planet to us, Venus is important for exoplanet science because it gives us a unique opportunity to explore a planet that evolved very differently to our own, right on the edge of the habitable zone,” Constantinou explained.
This discovery debunks previous theories about Venus potentially supporting life.
Scientists previously suggested that Venus was once much cooler, allowing water to exist on its surface. It was thought that Venus may have lost its water due to a runaway greenhouse effect.
Another theory suggested Venus was born incredibly hot and never had liquid water.
Constantinou and her team sought a new approach, focusing on the planet’s atmospheric chemistry.
“Both theories are based on climate models, but we wanted to take a different approach based on current observations of Venus’s atmospheric chemistry,” said Constantinou.
The team used a chemical approach, measuring the abundance and persistence of water, carbon dioxide, and carbonyl sulfide in Venus’ atmosphere.
Their findings indicate the harsh environment rapidly destroys these components. Particulates are consumed or transformed into steam almost instantly due to the immense heat.
The researchers concluded that Venus’ internal structure is exceptionally dry, suggesting it lacked enough water to form surface oceans.
Ongoing Missions and Future Discoveries
Despite the revelation, the mystery of Venus isn’t solved. NASA’s Davinci mission, set to launch in June 2029 and reach Venus two years later,
could shed light on the true nature of the planet.
“We won’t know for sure whether Venus can or ever supported life until we send a spacecraft at the end of this decade,”
said Constantinou.
Despite the absence of water, it’s still possible that other forms of life could exist on Venus, possibly deep in its atmosphere.
Given the harsh surface conditions of Venus, such as extreme temperatures and a toxic atmosphere, what implications does this have for the search for extraterrestrial life?
## Venus: No Longer Considered Earth’s Twin
**Introduction:**
For years, Venus has been called Earth’s twin due to its similar size and composition. But groundbreaking new research suggests Venus is anything but Earth-like.
**Interviewer:** Dr. Constantinou, thank you for joining us today. Your recent study in Nature Astronomy has sent shockwaves through the scientific community. Can you tell us what led you to conclude that Venus likely never had vast oceans?
**Dr. Constantinou:** Certainly. Our team at the Cambridge Institute of Astronomy focused on analyzing the chemical makeup of Venus’s atmosphere.
What we found was quite startling: the atmospheric composition simply doesn’t support the existence of oceans, past or present. [[1](https://www.livescience.com/space/venus/molecule-responsible-for-robbing-venus-of-its-water-may-finally-have-been-identified)]
**Interviewer:** This discovery challenges long-held beliefs about the potential for life on Venus.
** Dr. Constantinou:** Absolutely. It was always assumed that water was a prerequisite for life as we know it. But our findings suggest that even if Venus once had water, it likely disappeared long ago due to a process we are still researching. This significantly changes the way we think about
searching for life beyond Earth.
**Interviewer:** Can you elaborate on the conditions on Venus’ surface?
**Dr. Constantinou:** To put it bluntly, Venus is incredibly hostile. Temperatures can soar to 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit, hot enough to melt lead. The atmosphere is dense with sulfuric acid clouds, making it incredibly toxic.
**Interviewer:** It sounds like a truly unforgiving environment.
**Dr. Constantinou:** It is. However, studying Venus is incredibly important. It offers valuable insights into planetary evolution and can help us better understand the conditions needed for life to emerge elsewhere in the universe.
**Interviewer:** We thank you for your time and your fascinating insight into this groundbreaking research, Dr. Constantinou.
