Scientists may have found the first evidence of underground tunnels lurking beneath the surface of Venus, carved by the planet’s ancient volcanic activity.
A team of researchers from the University of Trento spotted what appears to be an underground lava tube on Venus, the first subsurface feature ever detected on the volcanic world. The findings, detailed in a study published in Nature this month, could confirm long-held theories about Venus’ volcanism and how it shaped the planet.
“Our knowledge of Venus is still limited, and until now we have never had the opportunity to directly observe processes occurring beneath the surface of Earth’s twin planet,” Lorenzo Bruzzone, a professor at the University of Trento and co-author of the study, said in a statement. “The identification of a volcanic cavity is therefore of particular importance, as it allows us to validate theories that for many years have only hypothesized their existence.”
Secret cave
The scientists behind the study scoured through radio data collected by the Megallen mission between 1990 and 1992. The spacecraft pierced through Venus’ thick clouds to map its surface using synthetic aperture radar.
The team analyzed the radar images to search for signs of localized surface collapse, and found what they believe to be an empty, subsurface lava tube near the planet’s Nux Mons volcano. The lava tube is around 0.6 miles wide (1 kilometer), which is larger than ones found on Earth and Mars. Its roof has a thickness of around 490 feet (150 meters) and it boasts an empty cavity that’s at least a quarter of a mile (375 meters) high.
Lava tubes are underground tunnels that are created by volcanic activity. They usually form as a by-product of basaltic lava flows, where low viscosity lava continues to flow beneath a surface of solidifying lava.
Venus is the most volcanically active planet in the solar system, and the planet’s extreme volcanism has shaped its surface. Scientists have long theorized that Venus’ volcanic history may have also resulted in a large underground network of lava tubes, but that has so far been hard to detect due to the planet’s dense atmosphere.
Underground tunnels
The detection of the first lava tube on Venus suggests there may be more lurking beneath the planet’s surface. “This discovery contributes to a deeper understanding of the processes that have shaped Venus’s evolution and opens new perspectives for the study of the planet,” Bruzzone said.
The researchers behind the study suggest that new high-resolution images and data acquired by radar systems that penetrate the surface are needed to determine whether there are more lava tubes on Venus.
Upcoming missions such as NASA’s VERITAS and the European Space Agency’s EnVision, both set to launch in 2031, may just have what it takes to peer beneath the surface of Venus in search of ancient tunnels carved by the planet’s volcanic history.
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![Believe It: ‘Naruto’ Gets In On the Anime Trading Card Game Craze
The Naruto anime turns 25 next year, and to mark the occasion, it’s getting a new trading card game. Developed by Bandai Card Games, the TCG will be a strategy-focused experience for the competitive-minded folk. Along with the big anniversary milestone, this’ll be the franchise’s first dip into the trading card waters since the early 2010s. Since then, Bandai’s been gradually putting out similar games for popular shonen like Digimon, One Piece, and Dragon Ball. As a member of the Big Three and important to shonen culture, it makes sense Naruto gets a fresh game. In a brief statement, Naruto creator Masashi Kishimoto expressed joy at his franchise “growing larger once again. I truly hope these cards find their way to both their hands and your hearts.” Kishimoto also drew artwork for the TCG featuring the teen versions of Boruto’s dad and his longtime best bud Sasuke Uchiha, and they’re the stars of the trailer below. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MefaL2fKvzk[/embed] Bandai’s keeping mum for now on how Naruto Card Game plays or even what characters will be in it. Details will be revealed at Gen Con Indy, where attendees will also get to play it for themselves. The annual tabletop game convention runs from July 30-August 2 this year, and playtests will run during the whole event. Each one-hour session is free, and you can get tickets here. If you can’t make it, then you’ll surely see more of it before the TCG hits stores in 2027. It’s probably not the only thing being cooked up to honor the anime—after all, Pierrot never did release those four brand-new episodes to celebrate the 20th anniversary. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who. #Naruto #Anime #Trading #Card #Game #CrazeBandai,Naruto,Trading Cards Believe It: ‘Naruto’ Gets In On the Anime Trading Card Game Craze
The Naruto anime turns 25 next year, and to mark the occasion, it’s getting a new trading card game. Developed by Bandai Card Games, the TCG will be a strategy-focused experience for the competitive-minded folk. Along with the big anniversary milestone, this’ll be the franchise’s first dip into the trading card waters since the early 2010s. Since then, Bandai’s been gradually putting out similar games for popular shonen like Digimon, One Piece, and Dragon Ball. As a member of the Big Three and important to shonen culture, it makes sense Naruto gets a fresh game. In a brief statement, Naruto creator Masashi Kishimoto expressed joy at his franchise “growing larger once again. I truly hope these cards find their way to both their hands and your hearts.” Kishimoto also drew artwork for the TCG featuring the teen versions of Boruto’s dad and his longtime best bud Sasuke Uchiha, and they’re the stars of the trailer below. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MefaL2fKvzk[/embed] Bandai’s keeping mum for now on how Naruto Card Game plays or even what characters will be in it. Details will be revealed at Gen Con Indy, where attendees will also get to play it for themselves. The annual tabletop game convention runs from July 30-August 2 this year, and playtests will run during the whole event. Each one-hour session is free, and you can get tickets here. If you can’t make it, then you’ll surely see more of it before the TCG hits stores in 2027. It’s probably not the only thing being cooked up to honor the anime—after all, Pierrot never did release those four brand-new episodes to celebrate the 20th anniversary. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who. #Naruto #Anime #Trading #Card #Game #CrazeBandai,Naruto,Trading Cards](https://gizmodo.com/app/uploads/2026/06/naruto-tcg-hed-1280x853.jpg)

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