text: The author uses many points to explain why Venus should be explored. They state that Venus is the closest planet to our own, and that because of its close proximity to Earth, several spacecraft have been sent to the planet already (although all were quickly destroyed). The article also states that Venus was once Earth-like and could have possibly supported life-forms. "Today, Venus still has some features that are analogous to earth. The planet has a surface of rocky sediment and includes familiar features such as valleys, mountains, and caters." In addition to providing this piece on how Venus is still similar to Earth, it also states that Venus may have once also harbored oceans. All of these key points help the author show why they believe humanity and NASA should continue our pursuits on Venus.