Time for Venus! The Solar System's Greatest Mystery

Venus, Earth and Mars — the closest neighbors and, in a sense, relatives, but by no means twins. Earth became a living planet; researchers continue to search Mars for traces of life. So what do we know about Venus?

On its surface truly extreme conditions prevail:

• pressure tens of times higher than on Earth
• temperatures so high that tin and lead melt
• the first research probes survived there for only a few minutes

And yet talks about possible life on Venus do not stop. Scientists suggest that in the upper layers of its atmosphere there may be zones with conditions potentially suitable for life. Moreover, the volume of such regions could turn out to be larger than the entire volume of Earth's habitable biosphere.

Studying Venus not only helps us better understand our neighbor in the Solar System, but also helps develop methods for studying Earth-like exoplanets — distant worlds where signs of life might one day be found.

About the lecturer

• Vladimir Georgievich Surdin — Candidate of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Senior Research Fellow at the P. K. Sternberg State Astronomical Institute (GAISH), Moscow State University; Associate Professor, Faculty of Physics, Moscow State University.
• Laureate of the Belyaev Prize and the "Prosveshchitel" (Enlightener) Prize.
• Chair of the "Promotion and Popularization of Astronomy" section of the Scientific Council on Astronomy of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

After the lecture, you will have the opportunity to ask Vladimir Surdin your questions in person.