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So, this is a bit “out there” but something I’ve considered for a while is: 1) NASA scientists published a paper that showed just how difficult it would be to

by gdubs 6y ago

So, this is a bit “out there” but something I’ve considered for a while is: 1) NASA scientists published a paper that showed just how difficult it would be to find evidence of a past, advanced civilization on Earth. 2) There was, if I understand correctly, a window of time where Venus was potentially inhabitable. So, the idea I’ve wondered is: is it possible that Venus had, at one point, an advanced civilization that triggered a runaway greenhouse effect?

garmaine 6y ago
Hard to imagine a civilization advanced enough to trigger a runaway greenhouse effect and yet not having achieved a space program with all that energy usage. EDIT: Venesian satellites would have been detected, if that's not clear.
- rsynnott 6y ago
  After 750 million years? I doubt any of ours will be detectable after that time, at least not without a very careful search (which hasn’t been done for speculative Venusian ones).
  - spideymans 6y ago
    I’d also assume that if a Venusian civilization was capable of releasing satellites, they also likely generated an abundance of space junk which, over the course of hundreds of millions of years, would completely tear apart any trace of these satellites.
- cgriswald 6y ago
  It’s be quite a bit easier to trigger a runaway greenhouse effect at 0.74 AU. In addition, besides needing a boost to maintain orbit (solar panels that function for 750 million years?) some forces have acted to slow and reverse Venus’ rotation and it is hard to imagine satellites wouldn’t be significantly affected over long time scales. A space program isn’t necessarily a natural consequence of CO2 production anyway. That might be especially true for creatures who don’t have the benefit of a moon.
gfodor 6y ago
The complete idiot’s take (mine): Venus is suspiciously different than the other rocky planets.
rishav_sharan 6y ago
As long as we are having fun - What if Venusians after ruining their planet 3.5B years ago decided to pack up an scoot? What if we are all just refugee Venusians who have evolved into different life forms. :D "And all of this has happened before, and will happen again."

by gdubs 6y ago

garmaine 6y ago

Hard to imagine a civilization advanced enough to trigger a runaway greenhouse effect and yet not having achieved a space program with all that energy usage. EDIT: Venesian satellites would have been detected, if that's not clear.

rsynnott 6y ago
After 750 million years? I doubt any of ours will be detectable after that time, at least not without a very careful search (which hasn’t been done for speculative Venusian ones).
- spideymans 6y ago
  I’d also assume that if a Venusian civilization was capable of releasing satellites, they also likely generated an abundance of space junk which, over the course of hundreds of millions of years, would completely tear apart any trace of these satellites.
cgriswald 6y ago
It’s be quite a bit easier to trigger a runaway greenhouse effect at 0.74 AU. In addition, besides needing a boost to maintain orbit (solar panels that function for 750 million years?) some forces have acted to slow and reverse Venus’ rotation and it is hard to imagine satellites wouldn’t be significantly affected over long time scales. A space program isn’t necessarily a natural consequence of CO2 production anyway. That might be especially true for creatures who don’t have the benefit of a moon.

gfodor 6y ago

The complete idiot’s take (mine): Venus is suspiciously different than the other rocky planets.

rishav_sharan 6y ago

As long as we are having fun - What if Venusians after ruining their planet 3.5B years ago decided to pack up an scoot? What if we are all just refugee Venusians who have evolved into different life forms. :D "And all of this has happened before, and will happen again."