NASA: Venus May Have Once Been Capable Of Supporting Life
- 8 years ago
When describing the environment of Venus, people often use words like inhospitable and hellish, but that may not have always been the case.
When describing the environment of Venus, people often use words like inhospitable and hellish, but that may not have always been the case.
According to climate models run by NASA scientists, the fiery planet could have once been capable of supporting life.
Among the current challenges facing Venus are extreme heat, the lack of water bodies, a carbon dioxide filled atmosphere, and an incredibly slow rotation time.
According to NASA, the team tackled those issues by simulating, “…conditions of a hypothetical early Venus with an atmosphere similar to Earth’s, a day as long as Venus’ current day, and a shallow ocean consistent with early data from the Pioneer spacecraft.”
Based on radar measurements, the researchers then “…added information about Venus’ topography…and filled the lowlands with water. The study also factored in an ancient sun that was up to 30 percent dimmer.”
Anthony Del Genio, one of the researchers, said those adjustments indicated, “…mean climate temperatures that are actually a few degrees cooler than Earth’s today.”
Further, such temperatures and livable conditions may have existed for as many as 2 billion years.
When describing the environment of Venus, people often use words like inhospitable and hellish, but that may not have always been the case.
According to climate models run by NASA scientists, the fiery planet could have once been capable of supporting life.
Among the current challenges facing Venus are extreme heat, the lack of water bodies, a carbon dioxide filled atmosphere, and an incredibly slow rotation time.
According to NASA, the team tackled those issues by simulating, “…conditions of a hypothetical early Venus with an atmosphere similar to Earth’s, a day as long as Venus’ current day, and a shallow ocean consistent with early data from the Pioneer spacecraft.”
Based on radar measurements, the researchers then “…added information about Venus’ topography…and filled the lowlands with water. The study also factored in an ancient sun that was up to 30 percent dimmer.”
Anthony Del Genio, one of the researchers, said those adjustments indicated, “…mean climate temperatures that are actually a few degrees cooler than Earth’s today.”
Further, such temperatures and livable conditions may have existed for as many as 2 billion years.