A new study has revealed that Venus, often referred to as Earth’s ‘evil twin’, is experiencing a loss of gases such as oxygen and carbon from its upper atmosphere. The research, published in the Nature Astronomy journal, highlights the findings from the Mercury-bound BepiColombo spacecraft’s second fly-by of Venus in August 2021. During this visit, the spacecraft observed the planet’s induced magnetosphere, shedding light on the acceleration of carbon and oxygen particles to the extent that they can escape the planet’s gravitational pull.

Venus, the second planet from the Sun and the sixth largest in our solar system, has long been known for its extreme heat, making it the hottest planet in our solar system. The absence of a magnetic field in its core means that Venus is surrounded by a weak, comet-shaped induced magnetosphere, unlike Earth.

These recent revelations add to the existing knowledge about Venus, which had previously experienced the disappearance of water from its surface. The continuous loss of vital gases raises questions about the potential implications for Earth and prompts further exploration of Venus to better understand these phenomena.