Scientists have found out where all the water from Venus went: the answer will amaze you

Venus, our closest neighbor in the solar system, has always been a mystery to scientists. This planet, similar to Earth in size and proximity to the Sun, probably once had water like ours. However, over billions of years, it turned into a hell with a dense atmosphere of carbon dioxide, clouds of sulfuric acid, and hellish temperatures.

Researchers have been trying to solve the mystery of the disappearance of water on Venus for decades. And now, a new theory published in the journal Nature may provide a clear explanation.

Is dissociative recombination of HCO+ the key?

According to this theory, Venus could have lost all of its evaporating water through a chemical reaction called dissociative recombination of HCO+. This process occurs when HCO+ ions combine with electrons to form carbon monoxide and hydrogen atoms. These atoms then simply disappear into space.

Advantages of the new theory:

• It can explain why hydrodynamic outflow, the previous theory of water loss, was not effective enough. This process could not remove enough water to turn Venus into the desert it is today.
• Dissociative recombination of HCO+ makes water loss twice as fast. This is consistent with evidence that Venus could have lost all its water in just a few billion years.
• This theory may help explain the discrepancies in data from previous spacecraft that have explored Venus.

New missions are needed:

Although the new theory provides a clear explanation for the loss of water on Venus, it needs more research. New missions to Venus are needed to measure HCO+ and the hydrogen released as a result of its recombination. This will help to finally confirm or refute this theory.

Unraveling the mystery of Venus is just one step towards a better understanding of our solar system and its history. Space exploration is constantly uncovering new and surprising facts about the universe, and we can look forward to seeing what future missions will bring us.