Squishy Venus unveiled

A new study has solved a mystery A about the surface of Venus – and it’s down to it being a bit squishy. Venus is roughly the same size as Earth, is formed of the same materials and it is our closest neighbour in the solar system. You’d think this would make the two planets similar but they are actually very different. For example, Venus is so hot that temperatures on its surface (around 470° C) could melt lead (a type of metal). Another difference is the planet’s outer shell, called the lithosphere. Earth’s lithosphere is a patchwork of tectonic plates. These rocky sections move slowly around Earth’s surface and by doing so allow heat to get out of the planet and off into space. However, on Venus the lithosphere…

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The Week Junior (UK) (Digital) - 1 Issue, 379

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