We have no known samples from our twin planet Venus. Although the current thick atmosphere inhibits spallation ejecta from escaping, was the atmosphere always as thick as today? The article suggests that sufficiently large impactors may help. Although there may never have been oceans on Venus, could there have been sub-surface pockets of water under high pressure (and temperature) that may have hosted forms of life? I would think that in-situ sample analysis on the moon or even return to Earth would be far more feasible with today's technology than trying to do this on Venus itself.

I attended the Real World Linux conference and expo here in Toronto earlier this week and six times passed by their booth located right by the entrance to the exhibits area. Only once did I see them talking to visitors. The other times they were playing miniature golf with themselves.

Unlike at some other recent Linux related shows, Microsoft did not have a visible presence.