What you learned in school
Science textbooks described Venus as Earth's "sister planet" and speculated about tropical, habitable conditions beneath its mysterious cloud cover. Students learned that the thick atmosphere might hide lush jungles, vast oceans, or even intelligent civilizations. Popular science and science fiction reinforced this image of Venus as a warm, wet world similar to Earth's prehistoric past, making it a prime candidate for life in our solar system.
What we know now
Science textbooks described Venus as Earth's "sister planet" and speculated about tropical conditions under its cloud cover. Students learned that Venus might have lush jungles and possibly intelligent life. Science fiction often depicted Venus as a jungle planet. Space missions in the 1960s and 1970s revealed Venus to be extremely hostile, with surface temperatures of 900°F (480°C], crushing atmospheric pressure, and clouds of sulfuric acid. The greenhouse effect on Venus creates conditions that would instantly kill any Earth-like life forms.