Colonization of Venus

Quick Facts: Who was Colonization of Venus?

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Colonization of Venus

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Hypothetical planetary engineering to make Venus habitable for human life.

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Origins & Early Life

The terraforming of Venus is the hypothetical planetary engineering procedure that would transform Venus from a planet hostile to life to one that could sustainably host humans and other lifeforms free of protection or mediation. Necessary adjustments to the existing environment of Venus to support human life would require a reduction of the planet's surface temperature and a substantial elimination of the planet's dense atmosphere. At 737 K (464 °C; 867 °F), the surface of Venus is above the melting point of lead. Meanwhile, its 9.2 MPa (91 atm) carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide atmosphere is almost 100 times as dense as Earth's. These facts are closely interrelated, as Venus's extreme temperature is due to the high pressure of its dense atmosphere and the greenhouse effect.

Career & Major Achievements

Terraforming would require the removal or conversion of the atmosphere to some other form, alongside the addition of breathable oxygen to the atmosphere. Proposals to modify the planet include "veiling" the planet from the sun, thus dropping the temperature low enough to condense or solidify carbon dioxide, which would then need to be removed or stored in some way. The rapid growth in carbon capture and storage since the beginning of the century presents another plausible catalyst to terraforming. Debate over "cosmic pluralism," or life on other worlds, dates to at least ancient Greece, gaining currency with the Renaissance thinker Giordano Bruno. The planet features in virtually every recorded human culture, given its visibility.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Olaf Stapledon, a philosopher and author, described the terraforming of Venus in his 1930 novel "Last and First Men" In the 1950s, colonization of Venus appeared alongside proposals for the Moon and Mars before it gradually fell out of fashion when the prohibitive costs and engineering hurdles became apparent. Poul Anderson, a successful science fiction writer, had proposed the idea in his 1954 novelette "The Big Rain", a story belonging to his Psychotechnic League future history. The first known suggestion to terraform Venus in a scholarly context was by the astronomer Carl Sagan in 1961. Prior to the early 1960s, the atmosphere of Venus was believed by many astronomers to have an Earth-like temperature. When Venus was understood to have a thick carbon dioxide atmosphere with a consequence of a very large greenhouse effect, some scientists began to contemplate the idea of altering the atmosphere to make the surface more Earth-like.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1930: 1930 Milestone — Olaf Stapledon, a philosopher and author, described the terraforming of Venus in his 1930 novel "Last and First Men" In the 1950s, colonization of Venus appeared alongside proposals for the Moon and Mars before it gradually fell out of fashion when the prohibitive costs and engineering hurdles became apparent.
2. 1954: 1954 Milestone — Poul Anderson, a successful science fiction writer, had proposed the idea in his 1954 novelette "The Big Rain", a story belonging to his Psychotechnic League future history.
3. 1961: 1961 Milestone — The first known suggestion to terraform Venus in a scholarly context was by the astronomer Carl Sagan in 1961.

Notable Quotes by Colonization of Venus

“In 1961, I thought the atmospheric pressure at the surface of Venus was a few bars ... We now know it to be 90 bars...”

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Colonization of Venus

True or False: “The primary challenge in terraforming Venus is its extremely high surface temperature caused by liquid nitrogen.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): The extreme temperature on Venus is primarily due to the intense greenhouse effect from its dense carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide atmosphere.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Adolf Wölfli — Historical peer (Died in 1930) (1930): Swiss outsider artist known for meticulous, symbolic, and autobiographical works.
• Adonis (poet) — Historical peer (Born in 1930) (1930): Pioneering Syrian poet, essayist, and translator who revolutionized modern Arabic verse.
• Aarathi — Historical peer (Born in 1954) (1954): Veteran Indian actress celebrated for her roles in Kannada cinema during the 1970s and 1980s.
• Abdel Fattah el-Sisi — Historical peer (Born in 1954) (1954): Egyptian military leader who became the sixth President of Egypt in 2014.
• Aaron Sorkin — Historical peer (Born in 1961) (1961): Master of fast-paced dialogue, known for 'walk and talk' storytelling.
• Abderrahmane Sissako — Historical peer (Born in 1961) (1961): Mauritanian-born Malian film director known for themes of globalization and exile.

Frequently Asked Questions about Colonization of Venus