Changes on Venus
In Changes on Venus, Professor Brian Cox explains how Venus went from being a planet with the conditions to sustain life to a hot, cloudy, hellish landscape. Learn how greenhouse gases and volcanoes played a role in making Venus what it is today. This video is excerpted from BBC’s The Planets, a series that explores the dramatic lives of the eight planets in our Solar System.
Lesson Express
Q: How were young Venus and Earth similar?
A: Both planets were a similar distance from the Sun.
Q: How did the Sun impact Venus?
A: As the Sun became older, it got hotter and warmed Venus. This created clouds and a thicker atmosphere.
Q: What was the tipping point for Venus?
A: The tipping point was when there was so much gas in the atmosphere that the atmosphere could only get hotter.
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