Scientists discover that Venus' “continents” indicate a surprising connection to the early Earth!
Recent research has revealed The striking similarities between the geological features of the early continents of Venus and Earth, Suggesting that the two planets may have a more similar geological history than previously thought.
The land is abundant and comfortable, with a mild and safe climate, wide oceans, moderate temperatures, and land masses covered with vegetation. Venus is choked by toxic gas clouds, acid rain, crushing atmospheric pressure and surface temperatures of up to 460 degrees Celsius.
These differences are not just superficial. Venus does not have Earth's tectonics, Especially the large, separate regions of the planetary crust that collide with each other and help hold it together. Stable climate on Earth, In which the continental land masses merge. The absence of tectonic plates on Venus is a major factor in the many noticeable differences between the different planets, But the truth is that we don't know how Venus's geological past unfolds.
The oldest parts of the planet's surface, the vast plateaus known as the Little Ice Sheet, It appears to have tectonic features, but how it formed has long remained a mystery. However, scientists discovered something that really surprised them in a recent study published in the journal Nature Geoscience, which presented New clues to this mystery.
A discovery that challenges scientists' understanding
As explained on the zap.aeiou portal, scientists used Data from NASA's Magellan spacecraft. Magellan was commissioned to map the surface of Venus between 1989 and 1994 to study the land of Ishtar. Using computer simulations, researchers have explored the formation of this region billions of years ago.
This discovery suggests that the geological history of Venus may include a phase similar to the formation of Earth's first cratons.
“This study challenges our understanding of planetary evolution,” explains Fabio Capitanio, a geologist at Monash University in Australia. We did not expect Venus, with its surface temperature of 460 degrees Celsius and lack of plate tectonics, to have such complex geological features.
“This discovery provides a fascinating new perspective on Venus and its possible connections to the early Earth,” says Capitanio. “The features we found on Venus are very similar to those found on the early continents of Earth, Suggesting that Venus' past dynamics may have been more similar to those on Earth than previously thought.
The past dynamics of Venus are another important step in understanding planetary evolution.
Science has reached a new stage in understanding planetary evolution. If Earth and Venus diverged during their distinct crustal journeys, This happened after the craton formation, but before the formation of tectonic plates.
“By studying similar features on Venus, we hope to unlock secrets of Earth’s early history,” Capitanio says.
This discovery is particularly important because a better understanding of when and how different planetary features emerge could provide important clues to how habitability is created and maintained on rocky planets like Earth. In this sense, the best way to achieve this is to know where and when the two planets align.
Article reference:
Michelle Starr. Scientists discover that Venus' “continents” point to a surprising connection to early Earth 2024.
Zap.aeiou. The “continents” of Venus are those that were not expected as a proto-Earth. 2024.
Capitanio, F.A., Kerr, M., Stegmann, D.R., et al. The Ishtar Terra highlands on Venus are triggered by craton-like formation mechanisms. Nat. Geosci. 17, 740–746 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-024-01485-3
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