Venus Shows Ongoing Geological Activity, New Study Finds

A study published in *Nature Geoscience* presents new evidence that Venus is not geologically dead. Using high‑resolution three‑dimensional simulations, researchers modeled the evolution of the planet’s extensive rift valleys and compared the results with radar images from past spacecraft missions. The simulations indicate that the crust continues to deform, with fractures extending and flattening over time, suggesting that internal heat is still being released through the mantle.

The work was led by a team at ETH Zurich, including Professor Taras Gerya, Xi Yang and Anna Gülcher, and involved planetary geologists from Argentina such as Dr. Mauro G. Spagnuolo and Dr. Claudio Parica. Their findings challenge the long‑standing view of Venus as a tectonically inactive world and imply that the planet’s surface may still be reshaped by ongoing geological processes.