Apr. 6, 2008 Scientists analysing the data from the European
Venus Express spacecraft now orbiting Earth's prodigal twin
planet have been piecing together an understanding of why the
climate on both worlds is so different. Professor Fred Taylor of
Oxford University will present the scenario in a talk at the RAS
National Astronomy Meeting in Belfast on 2nd April. In the early
stages of the Solar System, Venus seems to have evolved very
rapidly compared to the Earth. Data from Venus Express supports
the theory that the Earth’s twin once had significant volume of
water covering the surface but it appears that these oceans were
lost in a very short geological timescale. As a result of the
loss of water, the geological evolution of the surface of Venus
slowed right down because it was unable to develop plate
tectonics like the Earth. Biological evolution was prevented
altogether. Thus, in terms of Venus being another Earth in
climate and habitability terms, it evolved too quickly at first,
then too slowly. 'They m