Earth's ‘twin' is not dead but very much ‘alive'; NASA's latest discovery explained

Time of India

11-05-2025

NASA's recent analysis of Magellan spacecraft data suggests Venus may possess a dynamic surface, challenging the long-held belief of a static crust. Evidence indicates the presence of 'flake tectonics,' where crustal blocks shift due to mantle activity. This discovery, coupled with upcoming missions like VERITAS and DAVINCI, could revolutionize our understanding of rocky planet evolution and Earth's future.
In this recent study its found out that Venus's surface could be alive with movement, with chunks of crust slowly shifting and reshaping the planet.
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What did NASA find?
Some parts of Venus's crust appear to be broken into blocks,
These blocks seem to move and shift like ice floes floating on water.
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Why is this important?
What is 'Flake Tectonics'?
Why now?
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VERITAS and DAVINCI are both expected to launch in the next decade.
These missions could confirm if Venus is really as active as it now seems.
What does this mean for us?
Learn how rocky planets evolve.
Understand why Earth became habitable and Venus did not.
And predict what could happen to Earth in the distant future.
In a breakthrough that could change how we see our 'twin' planet, NASA has discovered that Venus may not be the hot, dead world we thought it was. Instead, its surface could be alive with movement, with chunks of crust slowly shifting and reshaping the planet, similar to Earth's underground activity. It suggests the planet is still geologically active.For decades, scientists believed Venus had a solid, motionless crust — but this new study paints a different picture.NASA scientists studied radar images of Venus taken by the Magellan spacecraft in the 1990s. By comparing surface features, they noticed something surprising:This movement is a sign of mantle activity underneath the surface, which means Venus may still have a warm, churning interior.Earth has moving tectonic plates, which help regulate its temperature and recycle materials. Venus was thought to lack such activity, making it more like a stagnant, overheated planet.However, these new findings suggest that Venus's crust is not static. The surface may be slowly reshaping itself over time, a process called 'flake tectonics.'Paul Byrne, the study's lead author, says, 'This tells us that Venus is not a dead planet. It's actually doing things.'Venus may have smaller, weaker crustal blocks than Earth's large tectonic plates. These float and shift because of heat from the mantle pushing upward.This type of surface behavior is different from Earth's plate tectonics but still suggests internal geological energy.The study used old data from the Magellan mission, but researchers were able to see things they had missed before using new computer models and techniques.These findings come at the perfect time — NASA is planning two new missions to Venus:Understanding Venus's crust can help scientists:The discovery of a shifting crust opens new questions about how rocky planets work — and how similar, or different, they are from Earth. As NASA gears up for new missions like VERITAS and DAVINCI to explore Venus more closely, this finding could be just the beginning of a wholesome understanding of our closest planetary neighbor.