Did A Mega-collision Alter Venus? (February 27, 2008)

A mega-collision between two large embryonic planets could have created Venus as we know it, according to a new paper by a Cardiff University scientist. Venus is a sister planet to Earth. It is nearly the same size and density yet it has a surface temperature of 720 K, an atmosphere dominated by carbon dioxide and no evidence of oceans or ridges. It has been described as "Earth's evil twin". ... > full story

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080226160017.htm

Did a "Big Bang" in Our Solar System Create Venus as We Know It?

Over the past several years the formation of our own solar system has been of high importance in scientific circles. Many scientists have focused their attention on the inner four planets, and found that we bounced around like a ball in a pinball machine in our early formative years.

Now an impact theory is arising as an explanation for the formation of our evil twin: Venus (xray image left).

J. Huw Davies of the University of Cardiff in the UK, has posited that a collision of two embryonic planets may have crashed together to form what we now know as Venus -a planet almost devoid of water, an extreme greenhouse atmosphere, and a relatively smooth surface.

Full article here:

http://www.dailygalaxy.com/my_weblog/2008/02/did-a-big-bang.html