<DIV>Until very recently, all we really knew about Venus, our nearest planetary neighbor, was that it was roughly the same size and mass as the earth and was surrounded by a thick atmosphere. Then, in 1989, American scientists launched Magellan?the spacecraft that would revolutionize our vision of this mysterious planet. <I>Venus Revealed </I>is the first book to explain the breathtaking results of this mission, which unveiled a Venusian world of active volcanoes, shining mountains, and river valleys carved by torrents of flowing lava. At one time, Venus may have even had a wet, temperate climate, much like Earth’s. What happened to turn it into a hostile, burning acid world? The answer could very well help us solve some of our most pressing environmental problems?from global warming to acid rain. In <I>Venus Revealed,</I> David Grinspoon eloquently argues that studying our exotic twin will inevitable teach us more about ourselves.</Div>