The passion of Venus

Venus, the 'Morning Star', is our closest planetary neighbour. Similar to Earth in size and mass, scientists once thought it should be a lot like our planet. Instead, Venus is entirely different, hidden by dense clouds of noxious gases, with a crushing surface pressure and burning-hot temperatures. Why did a planet apparently so similar to Earth evolve in a way so radically different over the last four thousand million years? How has an alien Greenhouse Effect contributed to atmospheric collapse? And are volcanoes still active today on the grim surface? These are just some of the mysteries Venus Express will attempt to unlock. ESApod audio programme