Scientists have detected a massive lava tube beneath the surface of Venus, a discovery that could offer new insights into the planet’s volcanic history and geological evolution. The finding, reported on , in Nature Communications, marks the first confirmed detection of such a feature on Venus.
The lava tube was identified by re-analyzing radar data originally collected by NASA’s Magellan probe in the early 1990s. Researchers focused on identifying “skylights”—collapsed sections of the tube’s roof—using specialized imaging techniques. The skylight was located near Nyx Mons, a large shield volcano on Venus.
Analysis indicates the collapsed skylight is approximately 150 meters deep, opening into a lava tube at least 375 meters high. Researchers estimate the tube itself is roughly one kilometer in diameter, significantly larger than lava tubes found on Earth or Mars, but comparable in size to those observed on the Moon.
Lava tubes form when the surface of a flowing lava stream cools and hardens, while the molten lava continues to flow beneath, creating an underground tunnel. On Earth, these tubes can provide pathways for continued volcanic activity and, in some cases, offer potential shelter from radiation and meteorites – a concept being explored for lunar habitats. While a human visit to the Venusian lava tube is currently impossible due to the planet’s extreme conditions, the discovery itself is valuable.
Venus’s surface is shrouded in dense clouds, making direct observation difficult. The Magellan probe’s radar mapping, though decades old, remains the most detailed data available. The re-analysis of this data demonstrates the potential for uncovering further hidden geological features. “It is remarkable that we are still extracting new insights from Magellan data, which was collected more than three decades ago,” says planetary scientist Anna Gülcher of Germany’s University of Freiburg, who was not involved in the study. “This highlights both the lasting value of that mission, the progress we have made in data analysis, and the renewed interest in the planet.”
Venus is often referred to as Earth’s “sister planet” due to its similar size and proximity. However, unlike Earth, Venus lacks evidence of plate tectonics and possesses a significantly denser atmosphere and scorching surface temperatures. The planet’s surface is heavily shaped by volcanic activity, but the precise mechanisms and history of this volcanism remain areas of active research.
The discovery of this lava tube contributes to a better understanding of Venus’s volcanic processes and how the planet evolved. “This helps us better understand how the planet evolved and how its geology compares with that of other rocky bodies in the solar system,” explains Lorenzo Bruzzone, a remote sensing scientist at the University of Trento in Italy.
Two future missions, NASA’s VERITAS and the European Space Agency’s EnVision, are planned to launch before . These missions will carry advanced radar instruments capable of producing higher-resolution images of the Venusian surface, potentially revealing more lava tubes and other subsurface features. “Both spacecraft will carry advanced radar instruments capable of acquiring images of the Venus surface at significantly higher resolution than those currently available,” Bruzzone states.
The extreme environment on Venus—with an atmospheric pressure 93 times that of Earth and surface temperatures hot enough to melt lead—presents significant challenges for exploration. Conventional silicon-based electronics would not function under these conditions. Despite these obstacles, the discovery of the lava tube validates existing models of volcanism on Venus and suggests that further subsurface structures may await discovery.
The presence of lava tubes also raises questions about the potential for subsurface habitable environments, although the extreme conditions on Venus make this unlikely. The discovery primarily serves as a valuable tool for understanding the planet’s geological history and the processes that have shaped its unique landscape.
