Venus is nearly Earth’s size but followed a very different path. Crushed under a super‑dense atmosphere and cooked by a planet‑wide greenhouse, its surface bakes hot enough to melt lead. Yet hints of recent volcanism and complex cloud chemistry suggest it is still active.
Upcoming missions plan to map the surface in detail, sniff the atmosphere layer by layer, and drop probes to sample pressure and composition directly. High‑resolution radar will reveal tectonic patterns and volcanic constructs hidden beneath the clouds.
Understanding Venus is a comparative exercise. Why did two similar planets diverge so dramatically? Answering that question informs climate models and the boundaries of habitability, both in our solar system and around other stars.
The planet’s clouds host exotic sulfur chemistry and microphysics that challenge models. While bold claims of life in the clouds remain unproven, precise measurements will replace speculation with data.
Venus teaches humility: climate outcomes hinge on feedbacks, timing, and initial conditions. Its story is a cautionary tale and a scientific laboratory rolled into one.