The faint young sun paradox contradicts an old earth (Talk.Origins)

Claim CE311:


 * According to standard models of the sun, the sun's luminosity has increased by 40 percent since the origin of the earth (the "faint young sun paradox"). This would mean that the early earth could not have supported life. Thus an old earth is impossible; the earth must be young.

Source: Faulkner, Danny, 1998. The young faint sun paradox and the age of the solar system. Impact 300,

CreationWiki response:

First of all, the Earth's average temperature is about 15 degrees C or 258 K. Now 7 percent of 258 K gives an increase of 18 degrees, from -3 degrees C, which is below freezing. This would be a problem for the orgin of life, which has enough problems without such low temperatures.

The problem here is that this would require a very delicate and improbable balance. If the greenhouse effect did not decrease fast enough the result would be a runaway Venus-like greenhouse effect. If it decreased too quickly the Earth would have frozen over.

But the problem here deals with the origin of life, not its ability to adapt to changes.

Reference: The young faint Sun paradox and the age of the solar system