Next Wednesday, the European Space Agency will launch Venus Express, its first probe of venus:

Venus Express, equipped with seven instruments, is intended to map the Venusian surface and weather system, looking at temperature variation, cloud formations, wind speeds and gas composition.

Its main goal is to help understand why Venus fell prey to runaway global warming.

We all know why Venus fell prey to runaway global warming. The arrogant planet myopically refused to sign the Kyoto protocol.

(ht, Dr. Joseph Warren at Free Republic.)