Lightning Strikes Found On Venus

(AP)  Nearby Venus is looking a bit more Earth-like with frequent bursts of lightning confirmed by a new European space probe.

For nearly three decades, astronomers have said Venus probably had lightning - ever since a 1978 NASA probe showed signs of electrical activity in its atmosphere. But experts weren't sure because of signal interference.

Now a magnetic antenna on the European Space Agency's Venus Express probe proved that the lightning was real.

"We consider this to be the first definitive evidence of abundant lighting on Venus," David Grinspoon of the Denver Museum of Nature and Science told reporters Wednesday at a briefing in Paris.

The finding is significant because lightning affects atmospheric chemistry, so scientists will have to take it into account as they try to understand the atmosphere and climate of Venus, he said.

The lightning is cloud-to-cloud and about 35 miles above the surface, said University of California, Los Angeles geophysics professor C.T. Russell, lead author of a paper on the Venusian fireworks. It is being published in Thursday's issue of the journal Nature.

Bursts of electrical energy from lightning are something that scientists have long theorized could provide the spark of life in primordial ooze.

But not on Venus.

"If life was ever something serious to talk about on Venus, it would be early in its history, not in its current state," said Sean Solomon of the Carnegie Institution of Washington, who was not part of the research team. "It's a very unforgiving atmosphere."

The idea of Earth-like lightning is fascinating, Russell said. However, you couldn't see it from Venus' surface, nor would you want to look because the Venusian atmosphere is 100 times more dense than Earth's, is about 900 degrees hotter and has clouds of sulfuric acid, he said.

"It may be Earth's 'evil twin,' but it is in many respects Earth's twin," Russell said.

What excites astronomers most about the lightning discovery is simply the coolness factor.

Venus' weather forecasts have long thought to be "kind of boring ... steady winds for the next 400 years," said Allan Treiman, a senior scientist at the Lunar and Planetary Institute in Houston, who isn't affiliated with the research. The idea of lightning, he said, adds a spark to Venus' weather.

[the_quietman]

Well done article (except for photo of course) but our knowledge of Venus to date would indicate that in no way can it be considered a twin. It is smaller, closer to the sun and lacks a "Van Allen" belt. We also can only speculate on what it''s future will be as the sun slowly cools. With cooling the atmosphere will likely change. Venus may some day, in the far future, be habitable.

[the_quietman]

smiley676
Actually Evolution is a Scientific Fact that has been proven. The Theory is about HOW. This article is about science, not mythology and believe it or not, your beliefs are only mythology to everyonr else that does not belong to your religion, regardless of which religion it is. If there was only one religion then there would be no argument.

[the_quietman]

denn034
So you are saying that Catholics the the Pope (the first organized christian church and the papal position established with Saint Peter) are not christians because we accept Evolution. Nuts!

[rational_1]

Actually, evolution is still a theory. Although closer to being proven. As of today, it has not been.
Posted by smiley676 at 11:08 AM : Nov 29, 2007

Not really. Evolution occurred - unless you think God buried all those fossils to fool scientists. Organisms that lived earlier are different (yet in many ways similar - eg. bilateral symmetry) to organisms living today. We, and by that I mean all life, came from them - so evolution occurred. The alternative is basically that advocated by those who subscribe to the 4004 BC, T. Rex on the Ark claptrap. The theory part is the mechanism by which these observed events occurred. The reason the mechanism of evolution (natural selection) is a theory is because the details are not all agreed upon. However, consider what a theory is - it''s basically a widely accepted explanation for a set of observations. So, I have no problem accepting the theory that natural selection is the mechanism driving evolution. Sure beats a capricious God burying fossils (but not too deep) to fool the idiot paleontologists.

[smiley676]

Actually, evolution is still a theory. Although closer to being proven. As of today, it has not been.

[rf35]

How disappointing...where are the religious rantings? Where''s singinrick?

[manty_]

Very interesting discovery.

[monty-]

Very interesting discovery.

[rf35]

How did I know this comment string would turn into a religious argument? Go evolutionists! Let the flaming begin! Of course, the article had nothing to do with religion, but any time the word "life" appears on the same page with mention of a planet other than Earth, the wackos come out of the digital woodwork.

[denn034]

Knowing about lightning strikes will lead to a better understanding of Venus but, please, the "primordial ooze" has to go. Such is based on the order of evolution which, contradicts the order of creation in Genesis at almost every point. One cannot be a Christian and accept evolution. Period!