Venus?

[gophert]

I've been reading around about the origins of life on Earth. I've found that a lot of scientists say that early Earth is much like what Venus is today, filled with sulfuric acid and volcanoes. Is this true? Does anyone really know since we know so little about Venus? And if it is true do you think it is possible that Venus may one day be inhabited with life, like little microorganisms?

[eruheru]

there probably could be life that we dont know about.

[ecoli]

there probably could be life that we dont know about.

 

There is some speculation that there could be microbes in the venus' upper atmosphere. But since there has been no mission to collect any samples, there is not proof to support this theory.

[golden_ratio]

Don't you think by the time Venus is able to sustain life, the sun will expand and strip the atmosphere?

[ecoli]

Don't you think by the time Venus is able to sustain life, the sun will expand and strip the atmosphere?

 

it may already contain life... what do you mean?

[insane_alien]

i think he means "will venus cool down enough and its surface conditions change sufficiently to be able to support life(probably refering to us humans)" just a guess

[MattC]

The expansion of the sun is a very slow thing. It'll take billions of years. Venus could change in a few million, presumably, if the right conditions occur. Personally, I believe that long before the sun expands out enough to cause problems, humans will be able to terraform planets like that, using methods not even dreamed about today. Just a guess, though!

 

As for life today, organisms on earth can survive at very high temperatures, so life in certain parts of the atmosphere of venus, while (in my opinion) unlikely, may be possible. The surface, of course, is so hot that no life (as we know it) could survive.

[gophert]

Venus could have life and we are ignorant to it......