NEW YORK, BRONX (ORDO News) — New evidence suggests that Venus, our neighboring planet, may once have been more dynamic and Earth-like than previously thought.
A study led by scientists at Brown University shows that billions of years ago, Venus experienced plate tectonics similar to Earth’s, refuting the idea that a single plate on the planet was static. These results have major implications for our understanding of planetary habitability and the possibility of microbial life existing on other planets.
Tectonic Movements: Formation of Planetary Landscapes
Plate tectonics is the geological process in which continental plates move, collide, and slide under one another.
On Earth, these movements played a critical role in shaping the planet’s landscapes, creating continents, mountain ranges, and setting off chemical reactions that stabilized temperatures and supported life.
However, Venus took a different path, leading to its current hostile conditions with extremely high temperatures.
Abrupt Turn: The Unique Fate of Venus
Unlike Earth, Venus did not follow the path of increased tectonic movements over billions of years. Instead, it took a sharp detour that led to today’s extreme conditions.
Temperatures on Venus are hot enough to melt lead, making it inhospitable to life as we know it.
Study: Unraveling the History of Venus
The study, led by Matt Weller of Brown University, used data on Venus’s atmosphere to model its early history. The simulations showed that the atmosphere and pressure on the surface of Venus may have changed as a result of early plate tectonic activity.
This suggests that approximately 4.5-3.5 billion years ago, tectonic movements occurred on Venus similar to those that occurred on the early Earth, but on a smaller scale.
Similar sister planets: Ancient Venus and Earth
This discovery highlights the possibility of microbial life on ancient Venus and suggests that these sister planets were more similar in their early history than previously thought.
Weller explains: “It is likely that there were two planets operating in the same solar system at the same time, operating under plate tectonics—the same tectonic regime that allowed the emergence of the life we see on Earth today.”
Plate tectonics and planetary habitability
The study not only changed our understanding of Venus, but also highlighted the temporal nature of plate tectonics and planetary habitability.
Professor Alexander Evans, co-author of the study, suggests that planets can transition from one tectonic state to another and become habitable.
This calls into question the binary view of tectonic states and opens up the possibility of planets transitioning into a habitable state and back.
Looking beyond the surface: Exoplanetary atmospheres as markers
The initial goal of the study was to understand how the atmospheres of exoplanets can serve as markers of their early history.
Using Venus as a reference, the researchers found a discrepancy between simulations based on the stagnant lid assumption and the actual composition of Venus’s atmosphere. Incorporating limited early tectonic movements into the model allowed a breakthrough to be achieved, mirroring the current state of Venus.
In conclusion, research led by Brown University researchers suggests that Venus was once more dynamic and Earth-like than previously thought.
The results disprove the idea of a static single plate on Venus and open up the possibility of microbial life on ancient Venus. This research also highlights the temporal nature of plate tectonics and planetary habitability, expanding our understanding of other planets beyond Earth.
—
Online:
News agencies contributed to this report, edited and published by ORDO News editors.
Contact us: [email protected]
Our Standards, Terms of Use: Standard Terms And Conditions.
To eliminate any confusion arising from different time zones and daylight saving changes, all times displayed on our platforms are in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC).