Scientists have long been fascinated by the similarities and differences between Earth and Venus, our closest planetary neighbor. Both planets are terrestrial and of similar size and mass, and both have atmospheres composed mostly of carbon dioxide. However, there are also some key differences between the two planets. One of the most striking is that Venus is much hotter than Earth, with a surface temperature of about 864 degrees Fahrenheit (462 degrees Celsius). This is hot enough to melt lead, and it makes Venus the hottest planet in our solar system. Another key difference is that Venus has a much thicker atmosphere than Earth, with a pressure at the surface of about 92 times that of Earth. This thick atmosphere traps heat, making Venus even hotter. Scientists believe that Venus was once much more Earth-like, with a surface temperature of about 70 degrees Fahrenheit (21 degrees Celsius) and a much thinner atmosphere. However, over time, Venus's atmosphere began to thicken, and the planet's temperature began to rise. This process is known as the runaway greenhouse effect, and it is thought to have been caused by the release of carbon dioxide from Venus's interior. Today, Venus is a hostile environment that is uninhabitable for life as we know it. However, scientists believe that Venus may once have been habitable, and they are studying the planet in the hopes of learning more about how it evolved into the inhospitable place it is today.
