For other uses of this term, see Venus (disambiguation).

Venus is the second-closest planet to the Sun, orbiting it every 224.7 Earth days. After Earth's Moon, it is the brightest object in the night sky, reaching an apparent magnitude of −4.6. As an inferior planet, from Earth it never appears to venture far from the Sun, and its elongation reaches a maximum of 47.8°. Venus reaches its maximum brightness shortly before sunrise or shortly after sunset, and is often referred to as the Morning Star or Evening Star.

A terrestrial planet, it is sometimes called Earth's "sister planet", as the two are similar in size and bulk composition. The planet is covered with an opaque layer of highly reflective clouds and its surface cannot be seen from space in visible light. Venus was a subject of great speculation until some of its secrets were revealed by planetary science in the 20th century. Venus has the densest atmosphere of the terrestrial planets, consisting mostly of carbon dioxide, and the atmospheric pressure at the planet's surface is 90 times that of the Earth.

Venus' surface has been mapped in detail only in the last 20 years. It shows evidence of extensive volcanism, and some of its volcanoes may still be active today. In contrast to the constant crustal movement seen on Earth, Venus is thought to undergo periodic episodes of plate tectonics, in which the crust is subducted rapidly within a few million years separated by stable periods of a few hundred million years.

More on [ Venus ]

BBC News | Science/Nature | World Edition

Shun meat, says UN climate chief
Sun, 07 Sep 2008 02:10:24 -0000
People should consider eating less meat as a way to tackle global warming, says the UN's top climate scientist.
'Jules Verne' begins final voyage
Fri, 05 Sep 2008 22:27:47 -0000
Europe's space freighter undocks from the International Space Station after completing its mission to the orbiting platform.
Universal flu vaccine tests start
Fri, 05 Sep 2008 16:00:21 -0000
A universal flu vaccine which could mean an end to the annual flu jab is being trialled on UK volunteers.

L.A. Times - Science

CT scans can be better medicine for doctors than for patients
Sun, 07 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0700
They provide detailed views of internal organs, but the price is increased doses of radiation. When Maureen Scanlan had a painful kidney stone episode four years ago, she was pleased that her doctor ordered an annual regimen of CT scans to monitor her condition.
Barbadians gripe over snake 'find'
Sat, 06 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0700
They long knew about the world's smallest snake, which just made its scientific debut. A small snake has sparked a big debate in Barbados.
Tiny bug takes large toll on Europe's forests
Sat, 06 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0700
Portuguese officials struggle to halt the spread of pine wilt disease, which is a menace from Scandinavia to Greece. Manuel Coimbra watches in silence, his hands on his hips, as a lumberjack saws down one of his pine trees to stop a killer bug that experts say could wipe out large belts of European woodland.

Reuters: Science News

European space probe completes asteroid fly by
Sat, 06 Sep 2008 17:57:44 -0400
BERLIN (Reuters) - The European Space Agency obtained on Saturday the first images of an asteroid 360 million km (224 million miles) from earth, part of a space mission which scientists hope will help them understand the origins of the planets.
China counts down to third manned space launch
Sat, 06 Sep 2008 22:12:46 -0400
BEIJING (Reuters) - China, still patting itself on the back after a hugely successful Olympics, will launch a three-man space flight this month, with all systems already in final preparation, state media said on Sunday.
New fingerprint method could unlock cold cases
Fri, 05 Sep 2008 09:06:40 -0400
LONDON (Reuters) - It's a discovery that would make even Sherlock Holmes proud. British scientists have developed a new crime-fighting technique that allows police to lift fingerprints from bullets even if a criminal has wiped down a shell casing.

AP Top Science News At 5:34 a.m. EDT

High-resolution satellite launched in California
Sun, 07 Sep 2008 08:29:41 -0000
VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. (AP) -- A super-sharp Earth-imaging satellite that can detail an area the size of a baseball diamond's home plate from space has been launched into orbit from Vandenberg Air Force Base on the Central California coast....
China to launch space mission in late September
Sun, 07 Sep 2008 09:34:35 -0000
BEIJING (AP) -- China will launch its third manned space mission in late September, featuring its first-ever space walk, a state news agency said....
Spacecraft flies by remote asteroid, camera stops
By KATRIN SCHIEFER and GEORGE FREY Sat, 06 Sep 2008 13:51:26 -0000
DARMSTADT, Germany (AP) -- The European deep space probe Rosetta successfully completed a flyby of an asteroid millions of miles from earth, but its high resolution camera stopped shortly before the closest pass, space officials said Saturday....

NOVA scienceNOW | PBS

NOVA scienceNOW: Phoenix Mars Lander
NOVA Mon, 28 Jul 2008 13:00:00 -0500
NASA's latest robot has already found frozen water and is looking for more signs that the Red Planet could support life.
NOVA scienceNOW: Brain Trauma
NOVA Mon, 28 Jul 2008 13:00:00 -0500
Even so-called "mild" head injuries turn out to be anything but.
NOVA scienceNOW: Mammoth Mystery
NOVA Mon, 28 Jul 2008 13:00:00 -0500
A pair of mammoth skeletons is found locked together by their tusks. What happened?

Newsweek Technology Headlines

The Cloud's Chrome Lining
Tue, 02 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0000
What Google's browser suggests about the way the search giant views the Web
Virtual Viewpoint
Thu, 21 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0000
A new online software service allows you to build three-dimensional scenes out of dozens of photographs.
Of Sludge and Salad: Wastewater Greens the World's Gardens
Tue, 19 Aug 2008 03:14:52 -0000
You might want to hold your nose for this one.

Innovation

Passive house – future home concept
at-a-glance Sun, 07 Sep 2008 12:43:40 -0000
Click on the thumbnail to see the full image. . . . . .
Horizon highlights – Tough questions for Obama, tough gadgets for soldiers, and tough love for Chrome
cgaylord Fri, 05 Sep 2008 14:15:03 -0000
Our regular roundup of sci-tech stories from across the Web includes: Where does Obama stand on science issues? How sturdy are Panasonic Toughbooks? And how good is Google’s new web browser? Let’s kick it off: Politics – Obama answers your science questions “Though unable to convince Obama and John McCain to engage in a full-blown science debate, [...]
‘Spore’ ready to bloom
briefs Fri, 05 Sep 2008 14:12:04 -0000
“Spore,” the long-awaited (and long-delayed) follow-up from video game guru Will Wright launches Friday in Europe and Sunday in North America. Mr. Wright, who made pop culture history when he created the massively popular PC world known as “The Sims,” calls his new creation “the ultimate God game,” allowing players to guide a home-brewed species [...]

Science News - UPI.com

China announces spacewalk plans
Sun, 07 Sep 2008 10:17:29 -0400
BEIJING, Sept. 7 (UPI) -- Chinese officials have announced plans for their first space walk to take place later this month.
Rosetta spacecraft takes asteroid photos
Sat, 06 Sep 2008 15:29:52 -0400
PARIS, Sept. 6 (UPI) -- The Rosetta spacecraft has captured images of an asteroid in orbit more than 220 million miles from Earth, a European Space Agency official says.
Endangered China monkeys double in number
Sat, 06 Sep 2008 14:07:39 -0400
GUIYANG, China, Sept. 6 (UPI) -- The number of endangered gray snub-nosed monkeys, found only in China's Guizhou province, has more than doubled to about 850, a government bureau says.

 

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