1st evidence of recent volcanic activity on Venus detected in groundbreaking study

Published

2 years ago

March 17, 2023

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A computer-generated image of the surface of Venus shows Maat Mons, a 5-mile-tall volcano near the planet’s equator that erupted in 1991, according to a new study. (Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech)

Planetary scientists have found groundbreaking evidence of recent volcanic activity on Venus. Archives from NASA’s Magellan (opens in new tab) mission show telltale signs that Maat Mons, a 5-mile-high (8 kilometers) volcano on Earth’s hellish twin, was active in 1991.

Magellan, launched in May 1989, was the first spacecraft to map the entire surface of Venus. The mission’s radar images revealed that Venus is peppered with volcanoes, but at the time scientists couldn’t tell whether any of them were still active.

Now, a new analysis of these 30-year-old archives has detected a volcanic vent swelling with lava in the Atla Regio region, near the planet’s equator.

The discovery was inspired by NASA’s next mission to our sister planet, which will launch within a decade. VERITAS (opens in new tab) (Venus Emissivity, Radio science, InSAR, Topography And Spectroscopy) led by the agency’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, will scan Venus from surface to core to understand how a rocky planet so similar to ours became a scorching hell-hole.

“NASA’s selection of the VERITAS mission inspired me to look for recent volcanic activity in Magellan data,” Robert Herrick (opens in new tab) , a research professor at the University of Alaska Fairbanks and member of the VERITAS team, who led the search of the archival data, said in a statement (opens in new tab) . “I didn’t really expect to be successful, but after about 200 hours of manually comparing the images of different Magellan orbits, I saw two images of the same region taken eight months apart exhibiting telltale geological changes caused by an eruption.”

Related: NASA captures stunning, first of a kind images of Venus’ surface

Researchers described the two images in a study, published Wednesday (March 15) in the journal Science (opens in new tab) . They also presented their results at the 54th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (opens in new tab) in The Woodlands, Texas, on Wednesday.

Maat Mons is the tallest volcano on Venus, towering 26,250 feet (8,000 meters) above the barren volcanic plains and deformed terrain of the planet’s surface. In a picture taken in February 1991, a volcanic vent associated with Maat Mons appears nearly circular, with signs of drained lava on its exterior slopes, and covers an area of less than 1 square mile (2.2 square kilometers). In October, Magellan captured the same vent brimming with a lake of bubbling lava; it was misshapen and had doubled in size.

But the orbiter photographed the vent from different orbits and with poor resolution, making it difficult for the scientists to compare the images. They managed to line them up manually, however, and build computer models of the vents, which helped them determine what caused the geological changes.

“Only a couple of the simulations matched the imagery, and the most likely scenario is that volcanic activity occurred on Venus’ surface during Magellan’s mission,” Scott Hensley (opens in new tab) , a senior research scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory who worked on the Magellan radar mission, said in the statement. “While this is just one data point for an entire planet, it confirms there is modern geological activity.” RELATED STORIES—Alien life on Venus? No chance, says new NASA study

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The gush of lava from Maat Mons’ crater would have been similar in size to the eruption of Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano in 2018, the researchers said in the statement.

This finding gives scientists a taste of the discoveries NASA’s upcoming mission will likely reveal. VERITAS is the first spacecraft to return to Venus since the 1990s. Its mission is to create 3D models of the planet to reveal its innermost secrets.

“Venus is an enigmatic world, and Magellan teased so many possibilities,” Jennifer Whitten (opens in new tab) , an assistant professor at Tulane University in New Orleans and a member of the VERITAS team, said in the statement. “Now that we’re very sure the planet experienced a volcanic eruption only 30 years ago, this is a small preview for the incredible discoveries VERITAS will make.”

Entertainment

UB40 say striking Birmingham bin workers ‘shouldn’t give up’

Published

49 mins ago

April 18, 2025

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UB40 say striking Birmingham bin workers 'shouldn't give up'

Birmingham band UB40 say the city’s striking bin workers and their union should “keep fighting” in their dispute over pay.

It comes as the government and the council urged them to accept a “fair and reasonable offer”.

“We’re fully on their side,” drummer Jimmy Brown told Sky News. “I think they shouldn’t give up, they should still be fighting.

“Working people shouldn’t have to take a reduction in their incomes, which is what we’re talking about here.

“We’re talking about people being paid less and it seems to me with prices going up, heating, buying food, inflation and rents going up then people need a decent wage to have a half decent life… keep going boys!”

Workers joined picket lines again on Thursday, with some fearing they could be up to £600 a month worse off if they accept the terms.

“We have total utter support for the bin men and all trade unions,” said guitarist Robin Campbell.

“The other side is always going to say they’ve made a reasonable offer – the point is they’re the ones who’ve messed up, they’re the ones who’ve gone bankrupt, they’re the ones now trying to reduce the bin men’s wages.”

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Lead singer Matt Doyle told Sky News: “It’s a shame that what we’re seeing is all the images of rats and rubbish building up, that is going to happen inevitably, but we’ve just got to keep fighting through that.”

About 22,000 tonnes of rubbish accumulated on the city’s streets after a major incident was declared last month by Birmingham City Council.

On a visit to the city, local government minister Jim McMahon said the union and local authority should continue to meet in “good faith” and the government felt there was a deal that could be “marshalled around”.

He paid tribute to the “hundreds of workers” who have worked “around the clock” to clear the rubbish.

“As we stand here today, 85% of that accumulated waste has been cleared and the council have a plan in place now to make sure it doesn’t accumulate going forward,” said Mr McMahon.

Sky News understands talks are not set to resume until next week.

UK

UB40 say striking Birmingham bin workers ‘shouldn’t give up’

Published

49 mins ago

April 18, 2025

admin

Birmingham band UB40 say the city’s striking bin workers and their union should “keep fighting” in their dispute over pay.

It comes as the government and the council urged them to accept a “fair and reasonable offer”.

“We’re fully on their side,” drummer Jimmy Brown told Sky News. “I think they shouldn’t give up, they should still be fighting.

“Working people shouldn’t have to take a reduction in their incomes, which is what we’re talking about here.

Workers joined picket lines again on Thursday, with some fearing they could be up to £600 a month worse off if they accept the terms.

“We have total utter support for the bin men and all trade unions,” said guitarist Robin Campbell.

👉 Listen to Sky News Daily on your podcast app 👈

About 22,000 tonnes of rubbish accumulated on the city’s streets after a major incident was declared last month by Birmingham City Council.

He paid tribute to the “hundreds of workers” who have worked “around the clock” to clear the rubbish.

“As we stand here today, 85% of that accumulated waste has been cleared and the council have a plan in place now to make sure it doesn’t accumulate going forward,” said Mr McMahon.

Sky News understands talks are not set to resume until next week.

UK

Two arrested on suspicion of murder after disappearance of woman in South Wales

Published

49 mins ago

April 18, 2025

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Two arrested on suspicion of murder after disappearance of woman in South Wales

Police investigating the disappearance of a woman in South Wales have arrested two people on suspicion of murder.

Paria Veisi, 37, was last seen around 3pm on Saturday 12 April when she left her workplace in the Canton area of Cardiff.

She was driving her car, a black Mercedes GLC 200, which was later found on Dorchester Avenue in the Penylan area on the evening of Tuesday 15 April.

South Wales Police said it was now treating her disappearance as a murder investigation.

A 41-year-old man and a 48-year-old woman, both known to Ms Veisi, have been arrested on suspicion of murder and remain in police custody.

Detective Chief Inspector Matt Powell said he currently had “no proof that Paria is alive”.

The senior investigating officer added: “[Ms Veisi’s] family and friends are extremely concerned that they have not heard from her, which is totally out of character.

“Paria’s family has been informed and we are keeping them updated.

“We have two people in custody, and at this stage we are not looking for anybody else in connection with this investigation.

“Our investigation remains focused on Paria’s movements after she left work in the Canton area on Saturday April 12.

“Extensive CCTV and house-to-house inquiries are being carried out by a team of officers and I am appealing for anybody who has information, no matter how insignificant it may seem, to make contact.”

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Ms Veisi is described as having long, curly black hair.

She was last seen wearing a black zip-up gym top over a red top, black trousers and trainers, and was carrying a small handbag.