For years, scientists have puzzled over why Venus, a planet so similar to Earth in size, mass, and structure, has no moon. Now, new research from UC Riverside offers a striking answer: Venus probably ate it.
The study suggests that our planetary twin likely swallowed a rocky satellite that once orbited it. This would explain the absence of a moon where one might otherwise be expected, given Venus's resemblance to Earth.
While the research is based on modeling and inference rather than direct observation, it provides a plausible narrative for Venus's unusual state. The idea of a planet consuming its own moon adds a dramatic twist to our understanding of the solar system's evolution.