Venus is even less forgiving than scientists thought. NASA researchers have discovered that the planet has an electrical field so massive (five times larger than Earth's) that it creates a wind strong enough to strip the atmosphere of water. It's a one-two punch: the sunlight breaks the water down into hydrogen and oxygen ions, while the electric wind speeds up those ions to the point that they can escape Venus' gravity. NASA isn't certain why the field is so large, but they suspect that Venus' proximity to the Sun (and the resulting bright ultraviolet light) might play a role.