The Solar System: Do Scientists Really Know How It Formed?

The vast differences between the planets do notmolten core. So, if earth also went through
seem to support the accepted scientific theoriesextreme heat during its infancy, why didn't water
of their formation.The theory held by manyon earth take the same course as water on
scientists concerning the evolution of our solarVenus? By the time earth cooled, there should
system is basically that a large gas cloud in spacehave been about as much water left on it as
condensed into what we now call the sun. Chunksthere is on Venus today -- practically
of this cloud flew off into orbit around the sunnone.Furthermore, there is no evidence indicating
and eventually condensed into planets. That is, thethat there was ever any large volume of water
other planets in our solar system were allegedlyon Venus. There are no gullies, trenches, or
formed by the same process which formed ourcraters left vacant by oceans, lakes, or rivers. If
own planet, earth.Sound logical? It might have -- inall the waters on earth were to disappear, they'd
the eighteenth century. Not today. Spaceleave some unmistakable natural landmarks
exploration does not seem to supportbehind.The answer given by some is that perhaps
this.EXPLORATION OF VENUSOn February 12,Venus' high temperatures never allowed water to
1961, the Soviet Union launched Venera 1 intoeven reach a liquid state.Then why is there no
solar orbit, making it one of the earliest attemptswater on Mars? Mars is cooler and farther away
to probe Venus. By the time Veneras 13 and 14from the sun than Venus and even earth; it has
landed on Venus in early 1982, man had alreadyno scorching atmosphere, but it is an extremely
landed several modules on Venus which relayeddry planet. That is, Mars does not have the kind
good data back to earth. Throughout theseof atmosphere which might have kept water
missions it became painfully clear to scientists thatfrom condensing or might have caused water to
the real Venus had no resemblance to the Venusdisappear as it allegedly did on Venus. Yet, Mars
about which they had theorized before thehas only some ice at the poles and small traces
probes.Venus was once thought of as "earth'sof water vapor in the atmosphere. No oceans,
twin." It is our nearest neighbor in the solarrivers, glaciers, or even ponds. Where did all the
system, and it is approximately the same sizewater on Mars go? Or why wasn't any there to
and density as earth. Although Venus interceptsbegin with?So, you see, no matter what your
twice as much sunlight as earth because it isvantage point, earth's surface being 70 percent
closer to the sun, it was thought that its surfacecovered with water is, from an evolutionary
conditions were similar to earth's since the thickstandpoint, an inexplicable phenomena. Did the
global clouds of Venus reflected most of theplanets really evolve of the same stuff in space?
extra light. Scientists reasoned further that sinceDid they evolve at all? It certainly does not seem
earth and Venus condensed from the interstellarthat way. How do you explain three planets right
clouds of the same region in space their elementalnext to each other, one is a dry oven, one is an
composition must be roughly the same.Thearid desert, and the one in the middle is flooded
theories about Venus went as far as saying thatwith water? Evolution? Think again.And while
its atmosphere was made up of the same gasesyou're thinking, try explaining why earth has a
as that of earth, and one day on Venus wasmagnetic field while Venus does not. And why
about the same length as a day on earth.TheVenus revolves differently from the other planets.
picture we had of Venus was of a planet similarAnd why most of the planets are flat at the
to earth except for something of a "murkypoles while Venus is round. And why the surface
jungle" spanning the entire globe. The impressionof Venus is smooth in comparison to that of
scientists gave was that astronauts landing onearth and Mars. Because the planets in our solar
Venus would need little more than London Fogsystem were formed by the same evolutionary
coats.As exploration of Venus proceeded, factsprocess? There is no better proof than the
began replacing completely erroneous theories.planets themselves that presently held theories of
Not only were conditions on Venus not what weplanetary evolution do not "hold water."A BETTER
had anticipated, but the data returned by theTHEORYMaybe what we need is simply another
Venera and Mariner missions showed Venus to beimaginative theory concerning the disappearance
so different that it appeared highly unlikely thatof water on Venus: About 648 million ago, 7 billion
earth and Venus could have evolved from thelittle aliens with big bladders landed on Venus in a
same gas clouds. We found Venus to be a farspaceship the size of Krakatoa. They drank up all
more hostile environment than the "murky jungle"the water, then flew to earth and went to the
we had envisioned.So much so, that Venus'men's room. (The women stayed home to take
climate is probably more hostile than any othercare of the babies -- with bladders like that,
planet in our solar system. The only ones morebabies need a lot of attention.)THEORIES DO NOT
disappointed than scientists were BangladeshCHANGE FACTSThe question of whether
tigers -- they were convinced that after deathscientific accounts of the origin and evolution of
they went up to the jungles of Venus.Here's anthe planets actually occurred is premature at this
idea of what it's like on Venus: the temperature ispoint. There's a more fundamental question here:
around 900 degrees Fahrenheit -- that's greatdo theories of planetary evolution make any
vacation weather, if you happen to be a tubesense? In spite of the onslaught of "scientific"
worm with poor circulation. The atmosphere istheories, which sometimes give the impression of
about 97 percent carbon dioxide, as compared tobeing designed to make sense out of the
earth's atmosphere of about 90 percent nitrogenirrational, our space explorations seem to indicate
and oxygen.Bright sunny days on Venus arethat these theories make no sense.Strangely,
nonexistent; every day is like a heavy overcast.here on earth, accurate weather predictions are
And if the sun did come out, you could never golimited to a matter of days. The course of such
to the beach on Venus because there are nocommonplace weather conditions as storms and
oceans. Venus is so dry that the relative humidityhurricanes sometimes cannot be accurately
rarely reaches one percent; forget aboutpredicted a mere twenty four hours in advance.
"raindrops fallin' on your head." But then, onBut somehow, there are "experts" who can state
Venus, the last thing you'd want is rain. Rain onwith astonishing certainty how the weather
"earth's twin" consists of sulfuric acid. Such a rainpatterns on Venus over alleged billions of years
would dissolve sulfur, mercury, lead, tin, and mostcaused entire oceans to go up into space and
rocks. To go out in weather like that your Totesdown into rocks. Maybe we ought to send some
hat would need a lining made of tempered steel,scientists to live on Venus so they can give us
and Tarzan would have to wear a lot more thanbetter weather predictions here on earth?NEW
"Fruit of the Loom."If you still think conditions onTOOLSThe problem apparently is that scientists
Venus are similar to those of earth, I stronglyare trying to solve new puzzles -- puzzles brought
suggest you move to different neighborhood --about by space exploration -- with outdated
your current one has completely"tools" -- old theories. It's time to stop bending
deteriorated.Venus has a surface pressure ofand twisting these tools in a futile attempt to
about 90 times that of earth, which is themake them fit the facts. It's time to get new
equivalent of going about a half mile down into thetools. What we need are theories which fit the
ocean. The sun rises in the west and sets in thefacts and do not pretend to explain that which
east.One day on Venus takes approximately eightthey do not. We need theories which do not
earth months; a couple living on Venus could havebecome obsolete every time science takes
a baby almost every "day."AGAIN,another step forward. Perhaps such theories will
CONTRADICTIONSOf all the great differencescome when we finally realize that although every
between earth and Venus, one in particular posesphysical phenomenon must have an origin, not
a very strong and obvious question: if earth andevery origin must necessarily be of a physical
Venus formed of the same gas clouds, how cannature. Is it possible the Solar System was
70 percent of earth's surface be covered withactually Created, or Directed to form, in its
water yet the only trace of water on Venus is acurrent state? You have a better explanation?by
relative humidity of about one percent? WhatJosh Greenberger
happened to all the water on Venus? Or, whereThis has been an excerpt from his free book on
did all the water on earth come from?AND THEN,evolution at EvolutionDead.comJosh Greenberger:
THE THEORIESOne theory, and perhaps even theA computer consultant for over two decades, the
only one, about where all the water on Venusauthor has developed software for such
went is this: millions of years ago, the greenhouseorganizations as NASA's Goddard Institute of
effect of Venus' atmosphere caused itsSpace Studies, AT&T, Charles Schwab, Bell
temperatures to soar above 2000 degreesLaboratories and Chase Manhattan Bank. Since
Fahrenheit. This caused water to break up into1984, the author's literary works have appeared
hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen escaped intoin such periodicals as The New York Post, The
space and the oxygen mixed with molten rockDaily News, The Village Voice, The Jewish Press,
forming the Venusian crust.Then why is there aand others. His articles have ranged from humor
large volume of water on earth?Scientific studiesto scientific to topical events. Visit his site:
suggest that earth, during its alleged formation,shopndrop.
was hot enough that to this day it retains a