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Should We Colonize Venus Instead of Mars?

38 videos recommended on HN
YouTube
4 HN users recommended this explainer4 months2016–2022 score 4
Years with an HN recommendation, 2007–2026

HN links it in Mars-colonization threads as a concise case for Venus.

A PBS Space Time episode asking whether Venus would be a better colonization target than Mars. It covers Venus's habitable altitudes, floating balloon habitats, and the term surfacism.

“Don't miss the PBS Space Time episode suggesting we should colonize Venus instead of Mars which gives some good arguments and goes through the basics.” (HN, 2020)

4 recommendations · 5 citations · Explainers

9 Hacker News comments

From the HN archive; up to 20 kept per video, favoring different commenters. Recommendations first.

@gkfasdfasdf Sep 2019 Recommends
on HN thread Venus’ Ocean of Air and Clouds
This idea is explored in an episode of the excellent PBS Space Time: [this video] In short, Venus has many advantages over Mars.
Venus has many advantages over Mars
@guerrilla Sep 2020 Recommends
on HN thread Mars Problems vs. Venus Problems
Don't miss the PBS Space Time episode suggesting we should colonize Venus instead of Mars which gives some good arguments and goes through the basics. [1] [this video]
Good arguments for Venus over Mars, covers basics
@tzs Nov 2020 Recommends
on HN thread Screw the Mars hype. Here's why we should move to Venus
PBS Space Time did a short (7 minute) episode called "Should We Colonize Venus Instead of Mars?" [1] that gives several advantages Venus has as a colonization target compared to Mars (and covers some of the difficulties). [1] [this video]
Short episode on Venus advantages and difficulties

Citations, criticism and jokes

@wallace_f Sep 2017 Cites it
on HN thread NASA Designed a Low-Tech Rover to Survive Venus
Interestingly, there is actually a case to be made that Venus may be more feasible to colonize than Mars. It has been argued the lack of attention to Venus has more to due culture than science. PBS Spacetime did an episode on this: [this video]
Case that Venus may be more feasible than Mars
@stcredzero Nov 2017 Cites it
on HN thread Closest Temperate World Orbiting Quiet Star Discovered
Venus is pretty sweet as it is. Go high enough in the atmosphere, and you have about Earth atmospheric pressure and room temperatures. That altitude in the Venus atmosphere is effectively an Earth biosphere sized almost-Earthlike living space. One convenient circumstance: A breathable Earthlike atmosphere will float at that altitude, so it would be easy to live in floating balloon habitats. [this video] [link]
Floating habitats in Venus's atmosphere
@guerrilla May 2022 Cites it
on HN thread The quest for fusion energy
> terraforming Venus, rather than the much more feasible notion of colonizing Mars I've heard from multiple experts now that you may have this backwards. SpaceTime even made a video about it long ago [1] 1. [this video]
Argues colonizing Venus may be easier than Mars

Video list and Hacker News comment labels from HackerTube (prompted by @karpathy), released under ODC-By 1.0, built on the open-index/hacker-news archive. Hacker News data is provided by Y Combinator; comments remain the work of their authors. Video titles, channel names and thumbnails belong to their creators and are shown via YouTube. HackerTube Watch is an unofficial edition. Data export of 2026-10-31.

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