Professor Kasting's comments were made at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

BBC: Date set for desert Earth

"Obviously, a billion, even a half billion years, is a long way off in the future, " said Professor Kasting.

BBC: Date set for desert Earth

"However, my calculations show the oceans may evaporate much earlier, " said Professor Kasting.

BBC: Date set for desert Earth