Free with regular admission

Dr. James W. Head III of Brown University presents “The Exploration of Venus: Clues to Earth’s Past and Future”

Venus is the most Earth-like of the planets in this Solar System, earning it the nickname “Earth’s Twin.” Yet its dense, opaque and hellishly-hot atmosphere kept its details secret until the Space Age, during which time international flybys, atmospheric probes, balloons, orbiters and landers have revealed the secrets of its atmosphere and surface. The unveiling of Venus by these missions is one of the most compelling international exploration stories of the Space Age, and the scientific results have shown Venus to be anything but “Earth’s Twin.” Our current understanding of Venus reveals much about the way in which very similar planets can adopt significantly divergent evolutionary paths, about how Earth got to be the way it is today, and where Earth might be heading in the future. What unresolved questions shape the future directions of Venus exploration and Earth insight?

https://www.cmnh.org/calendar/exploration-of-venus