Venus may have once had oceans of carbon dioxide

Venus

Excerpt from theweek.com
By Kimberly Alters

Despite being known for its “hellish” conditions, the planet Venus may actually have had oceans on its surface, according to a study in The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters. The catch? Unlike Earth’s water-filled oceans, Venus’ may have consisted of a liquid-like form of carbon dioxide.

Scientists conducting research this summer found that Venus may have

had enough water in its atmosphere at one point to cover the entire

planet in an ocean about 80 feet deep, according to Discovery News.

But because the extremely warm surface of Venus likely made it

impossible for such an ocean to form, scientists concluded that instead

of massive oceans of water, the planet may have once been home to oceans

of carbon dioxide fluid.

The planet’s atmosphere is 96.5 percent carbon dioxide by volume, said lead study author Dima Bolmatov,

and the extreme atmospheric pressure on the surface of Venus could have

caused the gas to enter a “supercritical state.” A supercritical fluid

“can have properties of both liquids and gases,” which Bolmatov said

could have paved the way for oceans of liquid-like carbon dioxide on

Venus. You can read the full study at The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters.

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Venus may have once had oceans of carbon dioxide