Here Is Why People Would Never, Ever Want To Walk On The Surface Of Venus

First Posted: Dec 08, 2016 06:01 AM EST
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It is said that people can never walk on Venus.

According to Business Insider, there is a tiny version of Hell on Earth that is concealed in Cleveland, Ohio. However, the Glenn Extreme Environments Rig (GEER), the 14-ton steel chamber can continuously recreate the toxic, choking and scorching-hot conditions on the surface of Venus. Therefore, Venus is considered as the deadly twin of the planet Earth.

GEER is located at the NASA Glenn Research Center. Wired reported that scientists have been developing the project for the past 5 years and fired it up for the first time in 2014. Since then, researchers have lengthened their test runs and exposed all kinds of metals, ceramics, wires, mesh, plates and electronics to conditions on Venus to see what lasts.

Venus is rocky and has roughly 82 percent the mass and 90 percent the surface gravity of Earth. It also has a persistent atmosphere and orbits in the Sun's "habitable zone" where water can exist as researchers concluded. Some researchers also think the planet once had warm, shallow oceans that were comfortable to life for about 2 billion years, according to NASA.

Since Venus lacks a planetary magnetic field, the Sun's solar wind was able to blast the hydrogen atoms out of Venus' atmosphere and into space. Venus can never be cool again. The water vanished, and carbon dioxide began clogging up the atmosphere.

Data returned by the GEER showed that the air in Venus comprised of 97 percent carbon dioxide and that is 100 times thicker compared to Earth's air. Degree in the surface is extremely harsh with 462 degree Celsuis. Can one imagine himself inside a pressure cooker? That temperature is enough to melt a lead.

Gustavo Costa, a chemist and materials scientist who is working with GEER, said that Venus is very, very corrosive. He also described the atmosphere of Venus as supercritical fluid mixture and not just gas.

The atmosphere of Venus also has trace amounts of hydrogen fluoride, hydrogen chloride, hydrogen sulfide and sulfuric acid, which are all extremely harsh and dangerous chemicals.

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