Venus is almost exactly the same size as Earth, made of the same stuff, and formed right next door — yet it became one of the most hellish places in the solar system. This episode explores how a world that should have been Earth’s twin turned into a furnace, and what it warns us about our own planet.

You’ll come away understanding why Venus is so astonishingly hot, what a “runaway greenhouse effect” is, why the two sister planets ended up so different, and why Venus is the ultimate cautionary tale for understanding climate.

Talking Science is sponsored by Kinsoft. Visit www.kinsoft.com.au

Further reading: NASA – “Venus” planetary pages; ESA – “Venus Express” mission findings; David Grinspoon, Venus Revealed.