A UK-based mission is aiming to settle, once and for all, whether life exists on Venus. The mission plans to send a probe to the planet in search of microbial life, not on the surface, of course, but in the Venusian clouds. Over the past half-decade, scientists have detected the presence of phosphine and ammonia—two […]
The Strange Secret Behind Venus’ Pancake Volcanoes
Venus is home to some of the weirdest volcanoes in the solar system—massive, flattened domes that look like planetary pancakes left to cool on the world’s blistering surface. Scientists have long suspected these “pancake domes” formed from thick, slow-moving lava. But a new study suggests that Venus’ bendy crust may be crucial to the formation […]
Venus Harbors Secret Asteroids That Could Threaten Earth, Study Warns
Twenty years ago, Congress gave NASA a directive: find 90% of the near-Earth asteroids that could potentially harm our little world. Since then, astronomers have made major progress tracking down the rocky space debris, but a new study suggests there’s a population of asteroids lurking around Venus that could pose a problem. These so-called “Venus […]
How to Watch the Rare Planet Parade Twinkle Across the Night Sky
Stargazers are in for a treat as six planets will appear to align together in the night skies, decorating our views of the cosmos for the rest of January and into February. Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune will all be visible side by side, forming a line across the sky, while Mercury will […]