What stellar phenomenon causes the oceans to boil away on Earth, occurring in about 3.5 billion years?
Answer
The Sun being 40% brighter than today
The increasing luminosity of the Sun, driven by rising core temperatures due to helium ash accumulation, dictates the timeline for Earth's habitability loss. While the final burnout of hydrogen fuel is billions of years away, the thermal consequences are much nearer. Specifically, in approximately 3.5 billion years from the present, the Sun will be 40% brighter than it is currently. This increased intensity will lead to the complete boiling away of Earth's oceans, with water vapor subsequently being lost to space, transforming the planet into a desiccated, scorching environment reminiscent of Venus.
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