Naked Science Forum

Non Life Sciences => Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology => Topic started by: acecharly on 23/03/2014 17:58:17

Title: Is Venus always going to be as inhospitable?
Post by: acecharly on 23/03/2014 17:58:17

 have just watched a YouTube video about the earth going through a period of intense volcanic activity a few hundred million years ago which killed of most of life. Could it be that something similar is happening to Venus now and that in maybe a million years or so it could become like Earth?

 Also the estimations of temprature rise were quite low for Earth so does this mean scientists could be way out here as Venus’s ground temp is a lot higher than what the Earths was or does it merely show two totally different things happening and that I'm totally wrong?

Cheers
Ace

Title: Re: Is Venus always going to be as inhospitable?
Post by: CliffordK on 23/03/2014 20:20:57

I find it doubtful that Venus would naturally evolve a temperate climate. 

Two issues are that it is closer to the sun, and all the carbon dioxide traps heat.

There are, however, layers of the upper atmosphere with more earth-like temperatures and pressures.  I'm not sure one could seed the atmosphere with algae to chew up the CO2, although one might be able to build a "cloud city" somewhat like in Star Wars, the Empire Strikes Back. 

I have no doubt that humans will choose to colonize Venus sometime in the next thousand years or so.  The question would be whether one would choose to cool it with a sun shade, or to build floating cloud cities.  And, of course, how to deal with the slow rotation and long day.

Title: Re: Is Venus always going to be as inhospitable?
Post by: flr on 24/03/2014 02:59:53

In long term (0.5billions years and more), Venus will get hotter and hotter.

If humans will learn how to live in space autonomously, I don't believe there will be much interest to colonize a planet - ships will do just fine.

Title: Re: Is Venus always going to be as inhospitable?
Post by: acecharly on 24/03/2014 11:10:38

I don't really like all this cloud life business anything larger than a few cells and it would most likely plumit to its crushing death.  Id say an important thing which hasn't been mentioned is water. Is there much on the planet we know of? I heard there was a lot of h2so4. Id say you would need water to be able to pull through the volcanic green house environment that's there currently and that isn't going to happen with a surface temperature that could melt lead.

As for the next thousand years or so id say we will be able to do some mind blowing things let alone inhabit Venus.

Id say your rite flr, planets will most likely be more like builders yards than home.

Thanks for your answers guys.