{"id":277572,"date":"2026-02-10T22:07:09","date_gmt":"2026-02-10T22:07:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/277572\/"},"modified":"2026-02-10T22:07:09","modified_gmt":"2026-02-10T22:07:09","slug":"scientists-spot-first-known-lava-tube-on-venus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/277572\/","title":{"rendered":"Scientists Spot First Known Lava Tube on Venus"},"content":{"rendered":"

Researchers had only hypothesized the existence of underground lava tubes on Venus<\/a>\u2014until now.<\/p>\n

Using decades-old radar data, a team of scientists in Italy has discovered an empty, subsurface lava tube on the solar system\u2019s hottest planet. It represents the first time researchers have proven the presence of lava tubes, also known as pyroducts, on Venus, frequently referred to as Earth\u2019s twin<\/a> sister.<\/p>\n

\u201cUntil now we have never had the opportunity to directly observe processes occurring beneath the surface of Earth\u2019s twin planet. The identification of a volcanic cavity is therefore of particular importance, as it allows us to validate theories that for many years have only hypothesized their existence,\u201d Lorenzo Bruzzone, head of the Remote Sensing Laboratory at the University of Trento\u2019s Department of Information Engineering and Computer Science, said in a university statement<\/a>. \u201cThis discovery contributes to a deeper understanding of the processes that have shaped Venus\u2019s evolution and opens new perspectives for the study of the planet.\u201d<\/p>\n

From theory to discovery <\/p>\n

Bruzzone is co-author of the study<\/a> published yesterday in the journal Nature Communications. He and his colleagues found the empty lava tube by studying radar images from NASA\u2019s Magellan spacecraft, which mapped the planet\u2019s surface at the beginning of the 1990s with its Synthetic Aperture Radar instrument. Radar<\/a> identifies and investigates faraway things by shooting out radio waves.<\/p>\n

In the recent study, they investigated the images with \u201csigns of localized surface collapses using an imaging technique that we have developed to detect and characterize underground conduits near skylights,\u201d Bruzzone explained. Skylights<\/a> in the context of lava tubes are not that different from their architectural counterparts. They\u2019re holes where the pyroduct\u2019s ceiling\u2014which is also the planet\u2019s surface\u2014has fallen in.<\/p>\n

\"VenusWhen part of a lava tube ceiling caves in, it forms a skylight. \u00a9 Image taken from the paper, Nature Communications, 2026, doi 10.1038\/541467-026-68643-6 <\/p>\n

The team found a large underground channel in Venus\u2019 Nux Mons area, which they determined to be a potential lava tube. They estimated its diameter to be around 0.62 miles (1 kilometer) and its roof 492 feet (150 meters) or more thick.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe available data allow us to confirm and measure only the portion of the cavity close to the skylight. However, analysis of the morphology and elevation of the surrounding terrain, together with the presence of other pits similar to the one studied, supports the hypothesis that the subsurface conduits may extend for at least 45 kilometers [28 miles],\u201d continued Bruzzone. \u201cTo test this hypothesis and identify additional lava tubes, new higher-resolution images and data acquired by radar systems capable of penetrating the surface will be required.\u201d<\/p>\n

Volcanic Venus <\/p>\n

Radar data from Magellan had previously<\/a> revealed indications of live volcanic processes on Venus<\/a>. Volcanic activity has significantly molded Venus\u2019 geology and surface, but identifying extraterrestrial pyroducts is difficult. These underground structures tend to exist out of sight, unless skylights form, possibly unveiling the lava tube and a possible entrance. Venus\u2019 dense cloud coverage furthers the difficulties\u2014regular cameras can\u2019t see the planet\u2019s surface, so researchers have to use radar images. Lava tubes on the Moon<\/a> might one day shelter humans. On Earth, we\u2019ve hung out in at least one pyroduct<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"VenusResearchers used radar data to identify Venus\u2019 lava tube. \u00a9 RSLab University of Trento <\/p>\n

The apparent Venusian lava tube seems to be taller and wider than the ones observed on our planet. Given the planet\u2019s longer and larger lava channels compared to the ones seen on other planets, this doesn\u2019t come as a surprise.<\/p>\n

The advanced radar systems on spacecraft associated with the forthcoming NASA\u2019s Veritas<\/a> and the European Space Agency\u2019s EnVision<\/a> Venus missions will enable researchers back on Earth to investigate small holes on the planet\u2019s surface more meticulously.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn addition, EnVision will carry an orbital ground penetrating radar (Subsurface Radar Sounder) capable of probing Venus\u2019s subsurface to depths of several hundred meters and potentially detecting conduits even in the absence of surface openings,\u201d Bruzzone said. \u201cOur discovery therefore represents only the beginning of a long and fascinating research activity.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Researchers had only hypothesized the existence of underground lava tubes on Venus\u2014until now. Using decades-old radar data, a…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":277573,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[23],"tags":[78096,47772,111,139,69,147,392,5495,14854],"class_list":{"0":"post-277572","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-space","8":"tag-astrogeology","9":"tag-lava","10":"tag-new-zealand","11":"tag-newzealand","12":"tag-nz","13":"tag-science","14":"tag-space","15":"tag-venus","16":"tag-volcanoes"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/277572","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=277572"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/277572\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/277573"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=277572"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=277572"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=277572"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}