Mysteries of the Planet Venus
Differences and Similarities to the Planet Earth
Venus has been called Earth's “twin," due to similarity in size, density, and proximity to Earth, but our current technological abilities have revealed a world more alien than people ever imagined. Friday's talk will outline our current understanding of two unanswered questions about Venus: Why does the atmosphere rotate 60 times as fast as the solid planet? Does Venus cycle through intense, brief periods of tectonic activity, completely resurfacing the planet? The image of our twin shifted from fair sister to hellish sibling, but the family resemblance still stands, and answering these questions is telling about both Venus and Earth.