Venus Shows Ongoing Geological Activity, New Study Finds

High‑resolution topographic data and a new computer‑modeling study indicate that Venus is still tectonically active. Researchers identified polygonal plains and extensive rift uplifts that suggest recent volcanic and extensional events, challenging the long‑standing view of the planet as geologically dead.

The study, led by Professor Taras Gerya of ETH Zurich and authored by Xi Yang, used three‑dimensional simulations to reproduce the observed rift structures, showing that some rift valleys may have formed as recently as 100 million years ago. Findings were published in *Nature Geoscience* and imply that Venus’s crust, though a single‑piece lid, experiences ongoing deformation beneath its dense atmosphere.