Venus – new discovery

The European Space Agency (see www.esa.int/esaSC/SEM8270WXGG_index_2.html and see also www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/11/101130122-35.htm ) has discovered a high altitude layer of sulphur dioxide via the Venus Express spacecraft. Venus is blanketed in sulphuric acid clouds that block a view of the surface and this is because of volcanic activity there. The atmospheric sulphur dioxide breaks down but it seems some of it forms a layer in the upper atmosphere without blocking sun light. This appears to put paid to geoengineering ideas of injecting sulphur dioxide into the atmosphere of the earth to slow down global warming, an idea promoted by some scary scientists.