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Radar detects fresh lava flows on Venus, indicating planet may be “far more volcanically active” than thought
Radar images of the surface of Venus appear to show fresh lava flows, suggesting active volcanoes on the planet.
Scientists from Italy’s International Research School of Planetary Sciences wrote in an article published Monday that they spotted evidence of changes to the planet’s surface. They compared images of the area taken from 1990 to 1992 taken by the Magellan spacecraft, the first such craft to photograph the entire surface of Venus, to current conditions.
The scientists determined that new rock had formed along set paths. That rock formation can be “most reasonably explained as evidence of new lava flows” in two areas: the western side of the volcano Sif Mons and in the large volcanic lowlands of Niobe Planitia.
NASA/JPL-Caltech
“Using these maps as a guide, our results show that Venus may be far more volcanically active than previously thought,” said Davide Sulcanese, who led the study, in a news release from NASA. “By analyzing the lava flows we observed in two locations on the planet, we have discovered that the volcanic activity on Venus could be comparable to that on Earth.”
The discoveries back a study published in 2023 that showed the planet is volcanic. That study again used images from the Magellan spacecraft to look for evidence of volcanoes. Researchers from the University of Alaska and the California Institute of Technology found two large volcanoes in the planet’s highlands, and confirmed the site of the volcanic vents, where they would erupt.
“Ozza and Maat Mons are comparable in volume to Earth’s largest volcanoes but have lower slopes and thus are more spread out,” University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute research professor Robert Herrick said in a news release announcing the study’s findings.
JAXA
Researchers have long believed that Venus, a planet NASA says is “sometimes called Earth’s evil twin,” has active volcanoes. Venus has a thick atmosphere that traps heat, making it the hottest planet in the solar system, and the surface includes volcanoes and deformed mountains.
Researchers believe the volcanoes on Venus are less active than those on the Jupiter moon Io, which CBS News previously reported has “multiple ongoing eruptions” in all images captured by researchers.
U.S. and European law enforcement agencies are working together to investigate whether incendiary devices detonated in July at DHL logistics hubs in Germany and the U.K. were part of a larger operation directed by Russian Intelligence services (in particular, the GRU — Russian military intelligence), the highest level of the Russian government or by outside individuals acting in the interests of Russia, a source familiar with the matter said.
Officials are working to determine whether the larger operation was to place similar devices on aircraft servicing the U.S. and U.S. allies. The Wall Street Journal first reported the alleged plot targeting U.S. aircraft.
The 2025 Homeland Threat Assessment published at the end of October said the U.S. continues to be concerned about threats to the aviation and air cargo systems, including the “potential use of the air cargo supply chain to ship concealed dangerous and potentially deadly items.”
DHL said in a statement that it was aware “of two recent incidents involving shipments in our network. We are fully cooperating with the relevant authorities to protect our people, our network and our customers’ shipments.”
“We continually adjust our security posture as appropriate and promptly share any and all relevant information with our industry partners, to include requirements and recommendations that help them reduce risk,” the Transportation Security Administration said in a statement.
“Over the past several months, as part of a multi-layered security approach, TSA worked with industry partners to put additional security measures for U.S. aircraft operators and foreign air carriers regarding certain cargo shipments bound for the United States, in line with the 2021 TSA Air Cargo Security Roadmap,” the TSA’s statement continued.
The FBI declined to comment.
contributed to this report.
Boeing’s 33,000 unionized machinists on Wednesday voted to approve the plane manufacturer’s latest contract offer, ending a seven-week strike that had halted production of most of the company’s passenger planes.
The union said 59% voted to accept the contract. Members have the option of returning to work as soon as Wednesday, but must be back at work by Tuesday, November 12, the union said in a statement.
Union leaders had strongly urged members to ratify the latest proposal, which would boost wages by 38% over the four-year life of the contract, up from a proposed increase of 35% that members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) had rejected last month.
The revised deal also provides a $12,000 cash bonus to hourly workers and increased contributions to retirement savings plans. The enhanced offer doesn’t address a key sticking point in the contentious talks — restoration of pensions — but Boeing would raise its contributions to employee 401K plans.
Average annual pay for machinists, now $75,608, would climb to $119,309 in four years under the current offer, Boeing said.
The vote came after IAM members in September and October rejected lesser offers by the Seattle-based aerospace giant.
“In every negotiation and strike, there is a point where we have extracted everything we can in bargaining and by withholding our labor,” the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers stated last week in backing Boeing’s revised offer. “We are at that point now and risk a regressive or lesser offer in the future.”
Acting U.S. Labor Secretary Julie Su has played an active role in the negotiations, after recently helping to end a days-long walkout that briefly closed East and Gulf Coast ports.
The Boeing strike that began on Sept. 13 marked the latest setback for the manufacturing giant, which has been the focus of multiple federal probes after a door plug blew off a 737 Max plane during an Alaska Airlines flight in January. The incident revived concerns about the safety of the aircraft after two crashed within five months in 2018 and 2019, killing 346 people.
Boeing in July agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud for deceiving regulators who approved the 737 Max.
During the strike, Boeing was unable to produce any new 737 aircraft, which are made at the company’s assembly plants in the Seattle area. One major Boeing jet, the 787 Dreamliner, is manufactured at a nonunion factory in South Carolina.
The company last month reported a third-quarter loss of $6.1 billion.
contributed to this report.
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