Scientists recreating the atmosphere of Venus on Earth
Scientists at NASA have created a testing chamber that can recreate the atmosphere of Venus. This will help them create a probe that can withstand the toxic, 855 degrees Fahrenheit, 89-times-the-pressure-of-Earth atmosphere of Venus. The last lander sent there was Soviet Union's Venera 13, which remained intact for 127 minutes. Read more
ESA's Venus Express spacecraft has discovered an ozone layer high in the atmosphere of Venus. Comparing its properties with those of the equivalent layers on Earth and Mars will help astronomers refine their searches for life on other planets. Venus Express made the discovery while watching stars seen right at the edge of the planet set through its atmosphere. Its SPICAV instrument analysed the starlight, looking for the characteristic fingerprints of gases in the atmosphere as they absorbed light at specific wavelengths. Read more