The Planet That Was Almost Earth — Then Became Hell

Could Venus still harbor life? Once considered Earth's twin, Venus may have had oceans, a milder climate, and the conditions needed for life. Today, it is the hottest planet in the Solar System, with crushing atmospheric pressure, toxic sulfuric acid clouds, and surface temperatures reaching 467°C (872°F). In this episode of The Last Horizon, we explore how Venus transformed from a potentially habitable world into a planetary inferno. Discover the science behind the runaway greenhouse effect, the incredible story of the Soviet Venera missions, the only spacecraft to capture color images from Venus' surface, and the controversial phosphine detection that reignited the search for extraterrestrial life. You'll also learn about the next generation of Venus exploration, including NASA's DAVINCI and VERITAS missions and ESA's EnVision mission, which aim to reveal whether Venus was once similar to Earth—and whether its clouds could still hide signs of life. If you're fascinated by space, astronomy, planets, NASA missions, planetary science, and the search for alien life, subscribe to The Last Horizon for weekly documentaries and deep dives into the greatest mysteries of the universe. Topics covered: Venus explained Runaway greenhouse effect Was Venus ever habitable? Venera missions First color photos of Venus Phosphine on Venus Search for life on Venus DAVINCI, VERITAS & EnVision Planetary science Space exploration Sources: NASA JPL, NASA Science, ESA, NASA NSSDCA Planetary Fact Sheet. Subscribe for more videos about space, astronomy, exoplanets, black holes, the Solar System, NASA discoveries, and the future of space exploration.