Global warming is a myth!

...said the last Venusian premier, Eegrog M. Shub, just weeks before his planet's environmental balance toppled irretrievably into an endless spiral of increasing atmospheric temperature and density. He was last seen being transported along with his cabinet in a train of SUVs to the western Green House and the safety of its sub-Venusian bunker.

Parting the Shroud of Earth's Mysterious Twin

Eons ago, Venus may have been the gentle, tropical paradise that Earthlings once imagined. It was closer to the sun -- but not too close. It was almost Earth-size -- but not quite. And it had plenty of water, even oceans.

But that was then. Sometime in the distant past, the oceans started to heat up and then boiled away. The water vapor hung over the planet like a glove, trapping the heat below and creating a berserk greenhouse effect.

Today, Venus's atmosphere is 97 percent carbon dioxide, and the planet is wreathed in clouds of sulfuric acid. The planet is apparently condemned to an eternal cycle of global warming, with surface temperatures that hover around 900 degrees Fahrenheit.

There are, perhaps, lessons to be learned here. "Venus is very unpleasant," said Hakan Svedhem of the European Space Agency. "We know the greenhouse effect on Earth is a very interesting topic. Maybe with Venus, we can better understand how our own atmosphere works."

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