Venera 13 Probe Pics From 1982 Show Life On Venus Claims Russian Scientist

Back in 1982, the Russians landed a probe on the surface of Venus that was called Venera 13. A Russian scientist named Leonid Ksanfomalti has analyzed the photos. The 79-year-old scientist looked at the photos that were taken by the probe, one of which is below, and has determined for himself that the somewhat moon shaped object in the right side of the image is an insect-like creature.

According to the scientist, the object is a giant scorpion-like organism that appears to change locations from one photo to the next. Ksanfomaliti describes the alleged bug as a scorpion shaped body, a disc, and a back flap that moves. However, others are disagreeing with Ksanfomaliti. It would seem that the stifling 464C heat on the surface of Venus and the gravity nine times that of the Earth would prohibit life.

Jonathon Hill is a mission planner and research tech working at the Mars Space Flight Facility at Arizona State University. Hill is responsible for processing the images that are taken on Mars missions. He says that the object the Russian scientist thinks is a scorpion like creature is a mechanical component. Hill bases his assessment off higher-resolution images from Venera 13. He also notes that the same object is shown in photos taken by a different but identical probe that landed nearby called Venera 14.

[via Telegraph]