text: The author claims that the idea of inhabiting Venus is worthy due to its similarity to Earth. Paragraph 4 states, "Astronomers are fascinated by Venus because it may well once have been the most Earth-like planet in our solar system. Long ago, Venus was probably covered largely with oceans and could have supported various forms of life, just like Earth" (The Challenge of Exploring Venus). If Venus could've supported human life long ago, it is likely the planet still can. The scientific facts throughout this statement support the author's claim by having a reliable source of information, supporting the idea. Paragraph 4 reads, "Today, Venus still has some features that are analogous to those on Earth. The planet has a surface of rocky sediment and includes familiar features such as valleys, mountains, and craters" (The Challenge of Exploring Venus). Venus already has Earth-like landscapes and other similar formations. This supports the author's idea of exploring Venus because it is so similar to Earth, the chances of survival are higher than any other planet.